Sastra and song as work of mourning

Abstract

The experience of loss is the trail left by tragedies, yet it is the ultimate source of sublime creativity. The dominant source of art inspiration comes from the experience of loss: the loss of loved ones, freedom, humanity, culture, and even the loss of loss itself, which is referred to as melancholia. Etymologically, the word ‘sastra’ or literature comes from two Sanskrit words, namely sas, meaning text that provides guidance, and tra, meaning tool. Apart from written text, oral literature also takes the form of songs. Sastra and song are not just imagination; they are works of mourning, tools that leverage human consciousness to recognize, mark, and talk about loss. This article uses descriptive methods and content analysis to examine: Antigone by Sophocles, “Untuk Kita Renungkan” (For Us to Ponder) by Ebiet G.Ade, “Hilang” (Gone) by Black Brothers, and “Tuhan Mengajarkan Melalui Corona” (God Teaches Through Corona) by Gus Mus. The result of the discussion shows that these four literary works depict residues of loss and melancholia such as anger, disgust, pity, denial, depression, and acceptance.