Nazik Al-Malaika: Her Poetic Themes and Contribution towards Identity Crisis of Arab Woman

Abstract

Among modern Arab poets, Nazik Al Malaika is very famous as the first Arabic poetry theorist. She was capable enough to smash the barriers of old classical poetry and write free verse poems. Parvin Etesami and Nazik al Malaika have similar interests and scholarly language although one cannot compare each fresh Persian and Arabic poet but there is always resemblance and delicacy between poets and writers of many countries which need to be focused for example some correlate Nazik al Malaika with Nima, Forough Farrokhzad with Parvin Etesami. This paper presented the biography of Nazik al Malaika. Further, the poetic language of Nazik along with his contribution to highlight the identity crisis of Arab woman. And arguments about Nazik being first free verse poet of Arabic Literature are still in play. In newspaper, Al-Nahar, the literary reviewer Salah Hassan said that Nazik was depressed over the fact that people did not realize the importance of her work. Thus, in 1963, contradictory to this, she began a movement against free verso thinking that people might get back to original classic poetry. But rather than being welcomed, this concept got her disowned by many literary circles. Even still after this switch from free verso movement to revolution against it, most of her work is a combination of both concepts. This blend of emotions and concepts made her stand out in literary societies and world.