Semiotics in Charlie Chaplin Films

This study was produced from my thesis, which I successfully defended as a Master's thesis at the Department of Western Languages and Literature, Kafkas University, Institute of Social Sciences, on 03.01.2025. This study aims to reveal the complex meanings and social critiques behind Charlie Chaplin's timeless films by examining his cinematic genius through a semiotic lens. As one of the most iconic figures of the silent cinema era, Chaplin created a universal language and through this language, he humorously criticized universal themes such as poverty, class discrimination, and injustice. By closely analysing how this distinct cinematic language is processed and what kinds of social messages it conveys, this study seeks to understand Chaplin's artistic brilliance and social impact better. For uncovering the hidden meanings in Chaplin's films' images, symbols, and narrative motifs, semiotics provides the ideal instrument. The visual components (costumes, mimics, gestures, and locations) in Chaplin's films as well as the intended explanation will be thoroughly examined using semiotic tools.