The Historical Event between Narration and Aesthetic Function: A Case Study of Selected Classical Arabic Poems

Abstract

This study outlines its hypothesis and critical perspective, asserting that poets draw upon historical material to shape their poetry, artistically reconstructing historical events and infusing them with a vision that transcends mere narration to achieve an aesthetic function with broad human dimensions. The paper applies this perspective to analyze poems fundamentally rooted in history, examining them in diverse contexts.

Poetry often refers to historical events and figures, using them as a backdrop for the poet’s emotional stance. Rather than simply recording events, poets adopt expressive, aesthetic forms. The event is shaped by internal poetic logic and narrated through linking it to a broader human context. This is achieved by transforming knowledge into symbols and meanings that shape societal and cultural values, unlike the historian’s view of events as unique and unrepeatable.

The study explores how poetry artistically renders history, showing how many classical Arabic poems rely on historical backdrops to establish intellectual ties between individuals and their environment. These poems convey encoded knowledge through symbolism, free from constraints. A poem may coincide with an event, expressing its emotional impact and reflecting how history is artistically mirrored in literature. It may also act as a historical search. In both cases, the poem reveals insights drawn from history and artistically employs events to merge abstract meaning with historical experience brought to life through concentrated references to subtle themes beyond the visible.