Development of modern Arabic Poetry


Modern Arabic poetry is a gradual product of the confrontation between the traditional medieval values and the modern cultural values.

In Syria and Lebanon the American missionaries disseminated  the western modes of thought and in
Egypt the ruler Muhammad All began the movement of modernization.
In tracing the development of modern Arabic poetry we find that so far it
has passed through
distinct but overlapping stages.



  1. Neo-classicism (early 19 century-end cf 19th century)
  2. Pre-romanticism (end of 19th century-early 20 century)
  3. Romanticism(between the two world wars)
  4. Social Realism and Symbolism (after the second world war)

Neo-Classicism


ALBarudi's work signals the beginning of the first stage, which.can roughly be called the neoclassical
period,in it the modern Arabs asserted their own cultural identity in a world in some ways threat
denied by alien forces. Neo-classicism was the outcome of the revival cf ancient learning through
technological advancement, Newspapers and periodicals released from poetry from its narrow confines and enabled us to reach out to a larger section of the people. This encouraged the incorporation of Socio-political issues in Arabic poetry.

Neo-classicism adhered to the traditional form of qasida starting with the conventional opening
technically called Nasib.
The must prominent figures of neo-classicism pots are Ahmed Shawgi and hafiz ibrahim In Egypt, Maruf al-Rasafi in Iraq.

Pre-Romanticism

By the end of 19th century a new type of poetry was being written, which emerged as a consequence of the Impact cf European literature, especially the French romanticists and English lyrical poets,
Wordsworth, Coleridge and Byran. It grew also as a reaction to neo-classicism which was really an
extension of classical poetry and was criticized by the precursors of romanticism for not projecting the emotions of the poet was a reflection in the field of literature of a much largely intellectually
movement towards change and modernization or westernization This is best illustrated by the poetry of the great Syrian born Egyptian poet khalil Mutran.

He was also deeply influenced by French romanticists: Lamartine, Hugo and Demesse and was
impressed by form and content of French poetry,Mutran regarded the French poets to e creative
artists and innovators. Mutran was of the view that compared to European poetry, which offered a
variety of forms like narrative verse and epic poetry, Arabic poetry was Ike a monotonous careva

Romanticism

Poetry in romantic literature is like the song of a bird, a rustle of wind or the stroke of lightning, and
the product of some mental effort or premeditated work.

The first successful synthesis of Arabic and European poetry was achieved by Mutran in his poetry and this provided the base for future experiments. The ideas elaborated by Mutran in1908 were taken
further by younger poets and developed into a movement for romanticism.

Al-Mazini and al-Aqqad constantly and virulently criticized Shawqi and hafiz Ibrahim during the second and third decades of the twentieth century. this criticism of theirs rather than their poetry brought about a change in the literary taste and made it possible for the public to be prepared to listen to new voices other than those of the neo- classicists A same kind of change was being brought about equally effectively in the Lebanon and the Mahjar (North America) by innovators like Khalil Gibran and Mikhail Nuayma.
Thus the phase of romanticism proper made itself felt particularly between the two world wars
In Iraq romantic poetry was slower to appear and relatively short-lived it began during the tate forties
in the work of poets like al-Malaika and al-Sayyab but already in the early fifties, there were signs of
dissatisfaction with its limitations.

Social Realisim & Symbolisim

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