1st Edition
Abū al-Qāsim al-Shābbī’s Arab Poetic Imagination A Critical Evaluation and Translation
This timely book critically evaluates the life, work and milieu of the Tunisian poet, Abū al-Qāsim al-Shābbī (1909-1934), providing translations and detailed commentaries around his seminal work “al-Khayāl al-ShꜤrī Ꜥinda al-ꜤArab” (“Arabic Poetic Imagination).
The volume delves into the profound essence of one of Tunisia’s most iconic poets, a seminal figure in Arab literary modernism, celebrated for his fervent and transformative verses that continue to inspire audiences worldwide, far surpassing the boundaries of the Arab-speaking realm. This book not only presents meticulous translations of al-Shābbī’s significant poetic works, but also analyses the recurring themes and styles that define his oeuvre, offering insights into his lasting impact. The book contextualises al-Shābbī within the socio-political turbulence of early 20th century Tunisia, a period marked by profound changes that shaped his artistic outlook. It explores his deep engagement with both romantic and modernist motifs, seamlessly weaving together elements of nationalism, existentialist conflict, and a steadfast vision for a liberated Arab world. Furthermore, the critical commentaries in the book illuminate the array of poets and philosophical concepts that al-Shābbī references, directing readers to additional resources on both Arab and Western literary figures he discusses, enriching our appreciation of his intellectual interplay and deepening our understanding of his scholarly pursuits.
This volume will be of pivotal interest for scholars, students and academics of Modern and Classical Arabic Literature, as well as those with an interest in these topic areas more generally.
Note on Translation and Transliteration
Part 1. Introduction
1.1. al-Shābbī’s Milieu
1.1.1. Childhood and Education
1.1.2. The Reform Movements in Tunisia and their Influence on al-Shābbī
1.1.3. Literary Associations and Clubs
1.1.4. Local, Arab and Western Influences on al-Shābbī
1.1.5. Death and Tragedies
1.1.6. Marriage
1.17. Illness and Death
1.2. al-Shābbī’s Literary Output
1.2.1. “Aghānī al-Ḥayāt” (“Songs of Life”)
1.2.2. Letters
1.2.3. Memoirs
1.2.4. “al-Khayāl al-ShꜤ’rī Ꜥinda al-ꜤArab” (“Arab Poetic Imagination”): From a Lecture to a Book
1.2.5. Reaction to the Lecture
1.2.6. al-Ḥilīwī’s Critique of “Arab Poetic Imagination”
1.3. Imagination in English Romantic and Modern Arabic Literary Perspectives: A Brief Overview
1.3.1. The English Romantics and Imagination
1.3.2. Imagination in Modern Arab Thought
1.3.3. Exploring (“Arabic Poetic Imagination”): Critical Analysis
Part 2. “al-Khayāl al-ShꜤrī Ꜥinda al-ꜤArab”, The Translation
Dedication
Author’s Note
2.1. Introduction to the First Edition
2.2. Chapter One: Imagination
2.2.1. Three points
2.2.2. Man: The Inherent Poet
2.2.3. Artistic and Figurative Imagination: Exploring Their Impact on Arab Thought and Expression
2.3. Chapter Two: Poetic Imagination and Arabic Myths
2.3.1. Mythology in Arabic Literature
2.3.2. A Focus on Religious Myths
2.3.2.1 Religious Myths in Arab Culture
2.4. Chapter Three: Poetic Imagination and Nature in Arabic Literature
2.4.1. Nature's Influence: Shaping People and Nations
2.4.2. Periods of Arabic Literature
2.4.3. Contrasting Poetic Views of Nature in Arabic and Western Literature
2.5. Chapter Four: Poetic Imagination and Woman in Arabic Literature
2.5.1. The Portrayal of Women in Arabic Literature
2.5.2. Description of Women in Arabic Literature
2.5.2.1. In Pre-Islamic and Early Islamic Periods
2.5.2.2. Umayyad Period
2.5.2.3. In the Abbasid Period
2.5.2.4. The Andalusian Period
2.5.2.5. Imagination Restricted to Physical Depictions
2.5.3. Conclusion
2.6. Chapter Five: Poetic Imagination and Storytelling in Arabic Literature
2.6.1. Storytelling in Poetry
2.6.1.1. The Search for Narrative Art in Arabic Literature
2.6.1.2. Pre-Islamic Poetry and the Narrative Art
2.6.1.3. Umayyad Poetry and the Narrative Art
2.6.2. Arabic Prose and the Narrative Art
2.6.3. Conclusion
2.7. Chapter Six: A Broad Perspective on Arabic Literature
2.7.1. Arabic Literature: Striking Beauty with Superficial Depths
2.7.1.1. Arabic Literature: Cherished Heritage and the Quest for Modern Expression
2.7.1.2. Tunisia and Foreign Literature
2.7.1.3. Comparing Arabic Literature and Lamartine's Poetry
2.7.2. The Visual and Photographic Imagery in Arabic Literature
2.7.2.1. Western Poets Revealing the Soul through Emotion and Expression
2.7.2.2. Comparison of Arabic and Western Poetic Approaches
2.8. Chapter Seven: The Arab Spirit
2.8.1. Arabic Literature is Materialistic and Rhetorical
2.8.1.1. Examples and Evidence
2.8.1.2. Arab Spirit: The Influence of Environment on Literature
2.8.2. Influential Factors on Materialistic Features in Arabic Literature
2.8.2.1. The First Factor
2.8.2.2. The second factor
2.8.2.3. The third factor
2.8.3. Conclusion
References
Biography
Ronak Husni is a distinguished scholar specializing in Arabic Language, Modern Arabic Literature, and Translation Studies. She earned her PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Dr. Husni has held teaching positions at various academic institutions in the UK, including Durham University and Heriot-Watt University, with a focus on Arabic Language, Modern Arabic literature, and Translation Studies. Currently, she is a Professor at the American University of Sharjah. Her notable works include co-authoring “Muslim Women in Law and Society: Annotated Translation of al-Tahir al-Haddad’s Imra‘tuna fi ‘l-Sharia wa ‘l-Mujtama, with an Introduction” and “Arabic-English-Arabic Translation: Issues and Strategies.”
“Al-Shabbi lived his entire life (1909-1934) in French colonial Tunisia and died when the anti-colonial struggle for independence started to take shape both in intellectual cafes and party politics. His verses drew on the magical beauty of nature to underscore the sanctity of human life and incite revolt against colonial oppression. His legacy as a revolutionary icon has been acknowledged in the Tunisian anthem and cemented by the slogans drawn from his poetry during the Arab Uprisings (2010-2011). A rebel by nature, his earliest pamphlet constituted nothing less than a manifesto for rebellion against the obsolete Arab poetic regimes of the imagination. Ronak Husni’s translation of Arab Poetic Imagination is a much-needed contribution to the repertoire of the Arabic library in English. Husni translates with grace and rigor and offers a thorough introduction to the life and work of Al-Shabbi. This is a must-read book for anyone interested in Arabic poetry, modern or premodern.”
-Nouri Gana, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
“With Ronak Husni’s fluid and engaging translation, Abu al-Qasim al-Shabbi’s (1909–34) classic formulation of Arab Romanticism, The Arab Poetic Imagination, becomes available for the first time to the reader of English. Although the Western public was first alerted to al-Shabbi when his stirring ode “Will to Life” became the slogan of the 2011 Arab Spring, the great Tunisian Romantic poet and critic has long been renowned in literary circles. Husni’s adept introduction provides a biography of the author, the literary and cultural context of the work, and its critical reception. The Arab Poetic Imagination can now take its due place in the critical re-evaluation of Arab Romanticism within a broad comparative context, whether in the academy or the classroom.”
-Suzanne Pinckney Stetkevych, Sultan Qaboos bin Said Professor of Arabic & Islamic Studies, emerita, Georgetown University.
“Rounak Husni’s first complete English translation of the Tunisian poet Abu al-Qasim al-Shabbi’s The Arab Poetic Imagination represents a major addition to the body of Arabic literary criticism available to the English-speaking reader. Students of the Romantic movement and of comparative literature will find much of interest in al-Shabbi’s work, which has long enjoyed a reputation in the Arab world as a seminal text of modern Arabic literary criticism. With the publication of Rounak Husni’s translation, together with her comprehensive introduction to its literary context, this pioneering work now has an opportunity to find its way to a wider audience, enabling a fuller understanding of al-Shabbi’s place in the development of Arabic Romantic poetry and criticism in the early twentieth century.”
-Paul Starkey, Emeritus Professor, Durham University, UK.
