Arab modernism : a study of Badr Shākir al-Sayyāb and the free verse movement -

Abstract

My thesis examines the technical and stylistic aspects of the works of Iraqi poet Badr Shākir al-Sayyāb (1926-1964), focusing on his pioneering use of meter, metaphor, and poetic structure, how he drew on precursory innovations in the use of meter and metaphor in the classical Arabic poetic tradition, and how he employed his grasp of classical prosody and rhetoric to present a new and distinct poetic voice. Most contemporary studies on twentieth century Arabic poetry focus on its thematic value (content) rather than its technical innovations (form). I argue that innovations in the form of modern Arabic poetry are a powerful means of expression and through them content is elucidated and displayed. Form is itself content. Moreover, in addition to comparing al-Sayyāb’s works with that of his Arab predecessors, my study will also compare them to the poetry of his Western counterparts, particularly T.S. Eliot, in addition to evaluating his works in relation to world literature.