Urban Formations in the Pioneers of Modernist Poetry: A Semiotic Study of Selected Dichotomies

(Abdullah Muhammad Al-Mulla)

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Abstract

This study, titled "Urban Formations in the Works of Pioneers of Modernist Poetry: A Semiotic Study of Selected Dichotomies," explores the semiotic representation of the "city" in modernist poetry as a complex space that reflects both individual and collective experiences. The significance of this research lies in its attempt to analyze the city's imagery in modernist poetry, where it embodies the tension between modernity and tradition, belonging and alienation, thus offering profound intellectual and artistic insights into the transformations of Arab poetic consciousness. Employing a semiotic approach, the study utilizes analytical tools to uncover the symbolic relationships that connect the city to the Arab human experience, moving beyond theoretical discourse to focus on textual analysis. The research is structured around selected dichotomies that highlight the contradictions shaping the city's poetic representation, illustrating how it has become a mirror of the social and political transformations in the Arab world since the mid-20th century. The study concludes that modernist poets have constructed a multifaceted vision of the city, oscillating between the desire for change and the struggle with contemporary challenges, thereby reflecting a deep critical awareness. The research recommends further exploration of the evolution of urban symbolism in contemporary Arabic poetry and its role in shaping collective consciousness.
KEYWORDS
Arab Identity, literary criticism, poetic dichotomies, poetic imagery, poetic space, symbolic connotations


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