Al-Sharif Al-Radi: His Life and Poetry

Abstract

The aim of this work is to study al-Sharif al-Radl, his life and poetry. The first part deals with the poet’s environment and life; the second with his poetry. Chapter I deals with the political conditions under which the poet lived. The purpose of the second chapter is to portray Al-Radl's social environment and its reflection in contemporary poetry. The third chapter describes the literary environment of Al-Radl's age at some length. The fourth chapter aims to study Al-Radl's life in detail. The factors which influenced his outlook and personality are discussed. An attempt is made to discern how far these factors affected his poetry. The second part of this work deals with Al-Radl's poetry itself. In Chapter V historical observations are made on Al-Radl's Diwan o in both manuscript and published forms. Chapter VI deals with his panegyrics. General remarks are made on eulogy in Arabic poetry. The content, form and development of Al-Radl's panegyrical odes are analysed. His Ikhwaniyyat receive special attention. Chapter VII deals with Al-Radl's self-praise its content and form. An endeavour is made to explore the Utopian world which the poet tried to portray, Al-Radl's elegies (Ch. VIII). their content, form and characteristics are reviewed. In addition, his dirges on women receive attention. Shi ism in Al-Radl’s poetry is discussed in Chapter IX, Al-Radl’s love-poetry (Ch. X) is discussed. His Hijaziyyat receive particular attention. It is claimed that Al-Radl’s produced in his Hijaaiyyat a poetical amalgam which contains some aspects of ‘Udhrite and ’Umarite poetry. Chapter II deals with Al-Radl's poetical technique. His theories of poetical composition and his comments on other poets are examined. A comparison is made between Al-Radl and other poets both previous and contemporary. Special attention is paid to al-Mutanabbi's influence. In Chapter XII there is a broad re-assessment of Al-Radl’s place in the history of Arabic poetry.