تمجيد الذات في شعرمنصفات العصر الجاهلي

Abstract EN

It is widely considered that Monsifat (fairness) Poetry dignifies the other and transcends subjectivity, which makes it distinctive from other contemporary poetry, as it exceeded the dominant social patterns at its time, which exalt tribalism, self-pride, and tribal affiliation.

This view raises the following questions : is Monsifat Poetry really stripped of subjectivity ? Does it transcend the dominance of tribalism, and does it have an objective, neutral view on the other/enemy? Do poets of this kind violate their contemporary social patterns which take into consideration to humiliate the opponent in satirical poetry, in order to show up their noble morals and genuine origins by being honest with themselves and with the others in appreciating the strength of their enemy and praising their opponents ? This study attempts to answer these questions through studying the Jahili Monsifat Poetry, and extrapolating its textual contexts and semantic indicators.

Firstly, the paper discusses what is meant by Jahili Monsifat Poetry in the ancient literature, then, it looks into this kind of poetry within the context where it was produced, by making reference to some relevant poems and the occasions in which they were written in order to highlight the rhetorical images of self-glorification and praise of the other, and to show how the self-pride prevails over praising the other.

Then, analysis traces the most prominent semantic, verbal, and contextual indicators, which prove the poet's subjectivity that prevails over describing the other / enemy.

Finally, analysis reveals the emotional paradox that resulted from a combination of mixed and contradictory feelings which ranged between self-pride and the desire to be fair with the opponent on one hand, and hating the enemy and praising them at the same time, on the other hand.

This study adopts the descriptive-analytical approach in studying Jahili Monsifat Poetry.

Through this approach, it becomes clear that whoever can come to terms with the label Jahili Monsifat Poetry and whoever can analyze this type of poetry within its social, cultural, and literary context that produced it, would find out that subjectivity is obviously manifested in this poetry.

This is a subjective poetry that revolves around individual and collective pride rather than being a poetry that gravitates around praising the other.

Furthermore, this poetry goes in line with the prevailing social values in the Jahili era, which glorifies self-pride and tribal affiliation, and according to which honor and superiority is to transcend humiliating or disparaging the other.