The Realms of Poetic Language in the Works of Badr Shakir al-Sayyab

Abstract

Al-Sayyab's poetry, with its deep and rich worlds, remains an open field for researchers and scholars. Among the most prominent features of his work is his poetic language—a multifaceted domain that has drawn the attention of numerous specialists, each approaching it from their own unique perspective and area of expertise. However, the diverse layers and shifting orbits of this language have made it fertile ground for writers and critics alike. Hence, my interest lies in examining the intricate variations of Al-Sayyab's language. I aim to encompass its various aspects by reviewing its types and exploring the cultural, social, artistic, and literary roots hidden within each world, supported by poetic excerpts that reinforce my findings. Indeed, Al-Sayyab secured a distinguished position in the history of modern poetry through his pioneering literary achievements, including his mastery of a language that encapsulated the various facets of his human and emotional experience. In this research, I delve into the distt realms of Al-Sayyab's language, such as mythology and how his relationship with it was manifested through his vocabulary. I also explore how his fragmented and painful inner life was expressed through the language of suffering, his psychological world, and his experiences with failed love—his constant search for a woman who would love him and be devoted to him, a quest in which he failed, further influencing his linguistic lexicon. While I have certainly benefited from previous studies on Al-Sayyab’s literature, his use of myths, his language, or his psychology—as evidenced by the references and sources cited—I claim that this work offers a degree of novelty and originality. This research aims to be a valuable resource for those studying Al-Sayyab and his thematic concerns, particularly regarding the touches I believe to be new or representing a further development of previous ideas.