Thesis (M.A.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Arts - Department of English

The second half of the 19th century augured well for the future of political, social and cultural modernization in Iraq, which witnessed a real renaissance, "Nahda". This Nahda transformed the traditional conservative society into a more modernized one at the hands of the intellectuals, possibly under the influence of their fellows either in Egypt or in Syria, or even living in the west. Jamil Sidqi Alzahawi, the Iraqi poet (1863-1936), was one among scores of poets eager to break with past traditions, to fight corruption and all kinds of injustice that permeated all levels of Iraqi society, through his poetry. The current study will examine how Alzahawi was influenced by English romantic poets, because of his direct contact with English literary works. The study will also pursue the changes within Al-Zahawi's poetry after being exposed to English romantic poets, with special emphasis on percy bysshe Shelley. Alzahawi took a long thematic leap beyond the philosophical poems and passionately embraced topics like innovation, revival, and liberty. Influenced by the English romantic poets, who were inspired by the principles of the French revolution, Alzahawi asserts, in his poetic writings, the desire for social and political reform. He believes that a poet has a message to convey and a goal to be fulfilled in terms of challenging the status quo and fighting the social ills. Thus, the form and style of his poetry started to gain a new color that seemed appropriate for his new state of mind and close to the simple people. He tried new types of poetry unknown at his time like blank verse, epic, narrative poem, and even the lyric drama, pursuing the traces of Arab and European poets

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