Revealing the Existentialism in the Lyric of Freddie Mercury’s Bohemian Rhapsody

Abstract

This research analyses the existentialism issue that presented in the lyric of Bohemian Rhapsody. The existentialism issue illustrated in Bohemian Rhapsody is constructed, sustained and defended through particular discourse which is presented in the lyric. It is through this discourse formation that Freddie Mercury conveys his ideas and asserts his ideological interest as the writer of Bohemian Rhapsody. In order to make the analysis constructive, I use the theory of representation by Stuart Hall. This research uses qualitative research since the data are in the form of sentences or word. Data related to the topic of the main object matter are taken from poem as the prominent source data, dictionary, theoretical books which belongs to the theory used in this research. And also, some data in this research come from many other sources, such as some journal, articles and taken from the internet. Hence, I apply the qualitative research method in writing this research to analyze the data related to the Existentialism in Bohemian Rhapsody lyrics by Mercury Mercury. The result of this research shows that Freddie Mercury tries to criticize the world phenomenon, especially in the relation between Human and GOD through the lyric of Bohemian Rhapsody. Mercury becomes as an existentialist because he sees phenomena and try to criticizes that phenomena by using existentialism thought. Through Bohemian Rhapsody that contain existentialism, he delivers his idea and spread his critic impliedly. Mercury’s critical position is explored and explained briefly. As Zaraustra, Mercury impliedly tries to warn people and government about the development of Wahhabism in Britain by putting two words code, Bismillah and Galileo. By related that two word and also Mercury’s history religion, one phenomenon on that time is revealed as the power that made Mercury developed the lyric. As musician, this is the way of Mercury to share his idea and critic. In the beginning of development of the lyric, Mercury has an idea to use “Prophets Song” as the tittle, but finally, “Bohemian Rhapsody” seemed the one. In conclusion, the ideological interest of Freddie Mercury through existentialism view is explained. Mercury indirectly criticize religion authority and also some humans who abusing the nature of GOD, Religion doctrine and their position as the implementers and watchman of GOD commandment to get something that they want such as power and authority.