Romanticism Elsewhere: A Critical Study of Arabic Romantic Poetry

The emergence of Arabic Romanticism in the first half of the twentieth century has given Arabic literature a new dimension in the domains of thought and art. It played a significant role in revolutionizing the Arab consciousness, building new channels for cultural exchange and thus pushing the society ahead to accept the principle of change as an indispensable move in the process of modernizing Arabic liturature which is considered by the Arab Romantics as a basic means to defend their cultural identity. It undauntingly declared its revolt against the classical form and subject-matter of poetry breaking down its resistance to change and, consequently, confirming the necessity for a new view of poetry to cope with the radical socio-cultural changes that took place at the beginning of the 20th century. This book brings Arabic Romanticism into focus by highlighting its feature as an original literary phenomenon coming out of the womb of Arabic society.