Ahmed Shawqi

From Freepedia

Ahmed Shawqi (1868 - 1932) (Arabic: احمد شوقي); Egyptian poet and dramatist who pioneered the modern Arab literary movement, most notably introducing the genre of poetic epics to the Arabic literary tradition. Shawqi also produced distinctive poetry that is widely considered to be the most prominent of the 20th century Arabic literary movement.

Life

Raised in a privileged setting, his family was prominent and well-connected with the court of the Khedive of Egypt. Upon graduating from high school, he attended law school, obtaining a degree in translation. Shawqi was then offered a job in the court of the Khedive Abbas II, which he immediately accepted.

After a year working in the court of the Khedive, Shawqi was sent to continue his studies in Law at the Universities of Montpellier and Paris for three years. While in France, he was heavily influenced by the works of French playwrights, most notably Molière and Racine.

He returned to Egypt in 1894, and remained a prominent member of Arab literary culture until the British forced him into exile in southern Spain, Andalusia, in 1914. Shawqi remained there until 1920, when he returned to Egypt. In 1927 he was crowned by his peers Amir al- Sho’araa’ or the Prince of Poets in recognition of his considerable contributions to the literary field.

Works

Shawqi’s work can be categorized into three main periods during his career:

• The first coincides with the period during which he occupied a position at the court of the Khedive, consisting of eulogies to the Khedive: praising him or supporting his policy.

• The second comprised the period of his exile in Spain. During this period, his feeling of nostalgia and sense of alienation directed his poetic talent to patriotic poems on Egypt as well as the Arab homeland.

• The third stage occurred after his return from exile: during that period he became preoccupied with the glorious past history of Ancient Egypt and Islam. This was the period during which he wrote his religious poems, in praise of Prophet Muhammad. The maturation of his poetic style was also reflected in his plays, the most notable of which were published during this period.

Plays

Shawqi introduced epic poetry in Arabic literature in the form of plays, such as:

• Majnun Laila
• The Death of Cleopatra
• Antara
• The Princess of Andalusia

Poetry

• Shawqiyyat (A sizeable anthology of his poetic works)
• Nahj Al-Burda (A tribute to the Prophet Muhammad)

Reference

• Glimpses of Ahmed Shawqi’s Life and Works, Egypt Magazine, Issue No. 19-Fall 1999.