Ms. Tabarak Hamid Hussein, a lecturer at Al-Zahraa University for Women / College of Education / Department of Arabic Language, published two research papers in Al-Baheth Journal, issued by the College of Education for Human Sciences at the University of Karbala.
The first paper, titled: “Rebellion and Absurdity in the Poetry of Adnan Al-Sayegh – Selected Samples from His Work”, explores the idea that rebellion has a negative aspect when it stops at mere rejection. True rebellion, the paper argues, is when the individual knows an alternative to what they reject. A genuine rejection requires awareness of real alternatives, keeping rebellion away from fanaticism and personal biases that do not serve society’s interests. As the study explains:
“Rebellion is not an artistic act practiced by the poet as much as it is an existential stance that seeks to understand the world as a whole, sparking debates around its complex, elusive aspects. Here lies the essence of movement in rebellious literature.”
Thus, the rebellious poet believes in real change and works toward it through rejecting reality and rebelling against it, with writings that act as a revolutionary drive for an oppressed people whose simplest right is to live in peace.
Read the paper here :
The second paper, titled: “Satirical Narrative in Selected Samples of Adnan Al-Sayegh’s Poetry”, highlights how poets often resort to narrative techniques to express their ideas, emotions, and to engage the audience with detailed imagery. They employ elements such as storytelling, description, dialogue, and characterization, which allow deeper expression. Narrative poetry, long rooted in classical Arabic poetry, became more pronounced in modern Arabic literature.
For Al-Sayegh, whose life was marked by turbulent events, mere emotions were insufficient to capture his experiences. He thus turned to narrative style in his poetry—not as a ready-made mold or experimental trend, but as a necessity to convey the reality he bore witness to. His narrative poems deliver experiences and events to the audience in an engaging artistic structure that builds suspense, escalates into a dramatic climax, and leaves the reader eagerly anticipating resolution.
Translated by Zahra’ Salman Revised by Asst. Lect. Safa’ Al-Sadi
