Philippine E-Journals

Human Sexuality in the Language of the Body in John Paul II: A Semiotic Analysis

Maria Asuncion L Magsino

 

Abstract:

The article attempts at a biosemiotic elucidation of John Paul II’s concept of human sexuality as contained in the doctrine of the “language of the body” which he expounded on in his “theology of the body.” It purports that the conventional human expressions used in marriage rites or ceremonies such as “I take you as my wife as my husband and I promise to be always faithful to you…” iconically symbolize what the male and female bodies “express” in the conjugal union. To elucidate the meaning of the two “texts' in question, a Peircian Sebeok framework is used as a linguistic tool. This framework, which builds on the principles of Peircian semiotics and the Modeling Systems Theory of Thomas A. Sebeok, can be applied to both anthroposemiotics and biosemiotics. With the aid of this tool, one sees that the manner a male or female person expresses his masculinity or her femininity (SMS) bears a semiotic relation with the male and female body (PMS) as the person draws intrinsic signals from it. The cross indexicality of the male and female bodies signifies its spousal meaning and its telic nature a singular emerging entity as its ultimate interpretant. The verbal exchange within the rite of Marriage (TMS) iconically reflects the truth expressed in the language of the body (PMS) whereby husband and wife, male and female, become una caro [one flesh] in a communio personarum communion of persons]]. The framework can serve to reread the language of the body more diligently, hence, elevate the significance of human sexuality, highlight the beauty of marriage, and ultimately create a culture that we truly deserve.