Arabic Literature

A Study of Contemporary Arab Critics’ Views on Signification of Meaning in Poetry

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Abolhasan Amin moghaddasi 1
farzaneh Ajorloo 2

1 Profesor, Department of Arabic Language and Literature, University of Tehran

2 MA Gratuated of Arabic Language and Literature, University of Tehran

https://doi.org/10.22059/jalit.2019.253415.611871
Abstract
The signification of meaning by terms in poetry, in a way, resembles the conventional system of language in that each term signifies its own signified meaning. This is the symbolic and conscious aspect of language which enables poetry to convey its message to the reader. In fact, language, to some extent, maintains its communicational aspect in poetry. On the other hand, due to the unconscious quality of poetry and the overcoming of ambiguity over it, and also because of the influence of music on it, the number of poetic meanings increases, its function of communication is undermined, new relationships are created between the meanings of terms, and a new semantic system is created which increases poetry’s power to stimulate sensations and makes its psychological impact more authentic. This process gives poetry an emotional identity and prevents poetry from being a formal communicational medium which merely conveys its desired meanings. The present study, which is based on the explanation and analysis of contemporary Arab critics’ opinions, aims to explain the true nature of poetry and provide a clear picture of its unique power in expressing meaning along with arousing emotions in the reader—a quality which makes poetry similar to music—in order to demonstrate that imposing meanings and concepts on the reader is in contrast with the real essence of poetry and that there is a constant divide between poetry and logical texts in terms of concepts and in that poetry refuses to make use of direct forms of expression. The meanings of poetry in its desirable and ideal form cannot be received directly; they have to be perceived in a “semantic” system and are the result of contemplation on the context of the poem as well as the correspondence of the reader’s mental space and the poet’s intellectual environment.

Keywords

Keywords: Signification
Music
Poetry
emotion
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Arabic Literature
Volume 11, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
October 2019
Pages 295-314

  • Receive Date 20 May 2018
  • Revise Date 17 October 2019
  • Accept Date 08 March 2019

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