12/10/2025
Rhythmic Composition in the Poetry of "Badawy Al-Jabal" A Stylistic Study
Abstract:
Literary Language differs from Ordinary Language because the former is far from being purely reportorial; rather, it possesses its own expressive dimension, carrying with it the speaker's tone, the orientation of the author who composes it, or the stylistic approach of the litterateur in articulating their experience. Since Literary Language is distinct from Ordinary Language, it naturally follows that Poetic Language also differs from Ordinary Language. In fact, the difference between Poetic Language and Ordinary Language is not rooted in meaning itself, for Ordinary Language conveys meaning just as Poetic Language does. Rather, the difference lies in Form, Formulation, and Style through which the poet expresses their meaning.
This manner -by which the poet expresses their meaning- is not restricted to merely distinguishing between Poetic Language and Ordinary Language; rather, it contributes to determining the quality of the poetry. The quality of poetry is not determined solely by the meaning the poet expresses, but also by the manner through which they express it. This is one aspect. From another aspect, this manner differentiates one poet from another. Hence, this study is entitled: "Rhythmic Composition in the Poetry of "Badawy Al-Jabal” (A Stylistic Study).
The study is comprised of: an Introduction, a Preface, four Chapters, and a Conclusion; structured as follows:
Introduction addresses the study's problem, the significance of the subject, the reasons for its selection, the study's methodology, and previous studies.
As for Preface, it is devoted to discussing the life and poetry of the poet Badawy Al-Jabal, and the concept of stylistic study.
Chapter I is entitled: "The Composition of Poetic Meters in the Poetry of Badawy Al-Jabal."
Chapter II is entitled: "The Composition of Rhyme in the Poetry of Badawy Al-Jabal."
Chapter III is entitled: "The Composition of Internal Rhythm in the Poetry of Badawy Al-Jabal."
Chapter IV is entitled: "Analysis of the Poem "Al-Bolbel Al- Gareab"
Conclusion presents a summary of the most important findings reached by the study, along with the recommendations.
Among the findings reached by the study is that the poet “Badawy Al-Jabal” followed the path of the ancients in employing the common poetic meters. The meter most frequently used by him is “Al-Kamil”, which is also among the most prevalent meters in classical poetry, ranking second after “Al-Tawil”. The rhyme collaborates with the meter in his poetry to produce the external rhythm, varying between Absolute and Restricted. Although the poet was conservative, he introduced innovations in the use of rhyme; the rhymes in some of his poems were diverse, using more than one rhyme letter within a single poem, while ensuring that each verse had its own distinct rhyme, differing from the other verses within the same poem. This constitutes a Renewal within the conservative framework of the Classical poem. In addition to external rhythm, Badawy Al-Jabal also paid attention to internal rhythm in his poems. Its elements appeared clearly, such as: Tasri‘, Tarsī‘, Epanalepsis, and repetition.
The study recommended several points, including the necessity of paying careful attention to the study of prosody, approaching it in light of modern curricula and contemporary theories, and not regarding it merely as rigid rules. It emphasized the importance of linking the poet’s use of meters and rhymes to his poetic doctrine, whether it followed a conservative approach or one of Renewal. It advocated viewing the tools of rhythm as an expression of the poet’s artistic experience, rather than mere formal templates. The study also underscored the necessity of attending to both internal and external rhythm, and establishing connections between them in terms of shared characteristics and functions. Furthermore, it recommended expanding the study of the semantic functions of both internal and external rhythmic tools, alongside their direct rhythmic function.