A Study of the Poetry of the Pre-Islamic Poet al-Hutaya’ with a Particular Reference to His poem,’Watawi thalathe’

Abstract

The present paper often called “mukhadhram” (living in two eras (Jahiliyat or pre-Islamic and Islamic) and the difficulty he encountered in reaching a compromise between the norms ,conventions and priorities of these two eras. Jarwal bin Aws bin Malik al-Abbassi, who is known by the nickname al-Hutaya’ (600-678) is the pivot of this study. The significance of the current study lies in highlighting his favorite topics, especially eulogy and satire, his allergic relationship with people and his fellow poets and his self-centered views. Also it pays much attention to his type of poetry and its characteristic tone. The approach used here is biographical, albeit sounding outmoded or outdated, i.e., in that it tries to study his poetry in the light of his experiences and different situations he has passed through and their impacts on the type of poetry he has written. This will be followed by a translation (conducted by the present researcher) of his magnum opus ‘ watawit halathe’ (starving for three days) which he wrote in his last year. The formal and thematic aspects of the poem will be discussed. A final assessment of this poem will be provided as a work that has been rightly classified as a landmark in the poet’s career.