Year: 2026 | Month: February | Volume: 13 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 284-293
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260228
Semiotic Analysis of Visual Signs in the Movie Poster of Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince (2009) by Warner Bros
Nur Hanifah1, Fajar Imam Murifqi2
Department of English Language Education, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia
Corresponding Author: Nur Hanifah
ABSTRACT
This study examines the visual signs in the movie poster of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) using Charles Sanders Peirce’s semiotic theory. Applying a descriptive qualitative method, the research analyzes the poster as a visual text by identifying six iconic, six indexical, and four symbolic signs within its imagery, color, character positioning, and textual elements. The findings show that iconic signs represent characters and objects from the film, indexical signs convey mood, conflict, and narrative tension, and symbolic signs communicate meaning through culturally recognized conventions such as titles, logos, and taglines. Together, these elements construct a darker thematic message about responsibility, sacrifice, and divided loyalties in the wizarding world. The study highlights how movie posters function not only as promotional media but also as systems of visual communication that shape audience interpretation and expectations.
Keywords: Harry Potter, Movie Poster, Semiotic, Visual Sign Analysis,
[PDF Full Text]