The Symbolism of Shoes in Heritage, Art, and Literature: A Semiotic Study

Authors

  • Nezar Yasin Rababah

    Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan
  • Mohammad Ahmed Al-Abdulrazaq

    Department of English Language and Literature, Al-Balqa Applied University, Irbid 19117, Jordan
  • Mahmud Kaddum

    Arabic Language and Translation Department, Bartın University, Bartın 74100, Turkey
  • Mahmoud Ali Rababah

    Department of English Language and Literature, Al-Balqa Applied University, Irbid 19117, Jordan
  • Mohammed Dawabsheh

    Department of Arabic Language and Media, Arab American University, Jenin 00970, Palestine
  • Ziyad Mahmoud Miqdadi

    Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Middle East University, Amman 11831, Jordan
  • Thamer Ibrahim Al-Masarweh

    Modern Arabic Literature and Criticism, Language Center, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i8.9522
Received: 15 April 2025 | Revised: 8 May 2025 | Accepted: 8 July 2025 | Published Online: 5 August 2025

Abstract

This study aims to trace literary and non-literary examples and references that center on the shoe as a symbol—whether those that have gained prominence within Arab culture or universally across cultures. It seeks to analyze this symbol within its appropriate historical and social contexts, shedding light on its overt and hidden meanings, as well as the symbolic connotations of the shoe that influence both the conscious and unconscious minds of speakers across various discourse types and genres. The study employs a semiotic approach to analyze the shoe's symbolism, supported by a socio-historical perspective. Drawing on a variety of sources, it reveals the full impact of the shoe's meanings within the examined contexts. The study concludes that the shoe holds a central position in human thought—not merely in terms of material utility but also in intellectual and cultural dimensions. Some examples uncover historical and social layers unique to specific eras or groups, while others demonstrated global resonance, becoming ingrained in the collective memory across societies. Conversely, some remained confined to their own cultural or temporal environments. The shoe's symbolism extends into philosophy, art, and literature, where creators have employed it in diverse ways, making it a significant marker in human thought—whether in religious texts, artworks, or literary works. The study illuminated multiple meanings associated with the shoe, including defilement, degraded subordination,punishment, comfort, poverty, stinginess, and humiliation, among others.

Keywords:

Shoe Symbolism; Semiotic Analysis; Cultural Symbols; Literature and Symbolism; Heritage and Identity; Historical Symbolism; Metaphor in Literature

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How to Cite

Rababah, N. Y., Al-Abdulrazaq, M. A., Kaddum, M., Rababah, M. A., Dawabsheh, M., Miqdadi, Z. M., & Al-Masarweh, T. I. (2025). The Symbolism of Shoes in Heritage, Art, and Literature: A Semiotic Study. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(8), 540–550. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i8.9522

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Vol. 7 , Iss. 8 (August 2025): In progress

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Copyright © 2025 Nezar Yasin Rababah, Mohammad Ahmed Al-Abdulrazaq, Mahmud Kaddum, Mahmoud Ali Rababah, Mohammed Dawabsheh, Ziyad Mahmoud Miqdadi, Thamer Ibrahim Al-Masarweh

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