The Psychological Dimensions of Poetic Imagery in Al-Khansaa’s Elegy: The Eye Motif as an Expression of Grief and Subconscious Emotions

Abstract

Objectives: This study examines the psychological dimensions of poetic imagery in Al-Khansaa’s poetry and their influence on the composition of her imagery. It specifically focuses on the motif of the eye as an example, exploring its emotional connotations and connection to the subconscious.

Methods: The study employs a descriptive-analytical approach to provide a comprehensive analysis of the linguistic and stylistic characteristics of Al-Khansaa’s poetic collection.

Results: The findings reveal that Al-Khansaa’s poetry bears a psychological imprint that reflects her deep inner impulses. Her poetic collection predominantly focuses on elegy, particularly lamentations for her brothers Sakhr and Mu'awiya. She replaces traditional preludes with ocular motifs at the openings of her poems, driven by psychological depth. The eye in her poetry serves as an objective correlative for her brother Sakhr. Poetic imagery in her work functions both internally, as a reflection of her personal grief, and externally, as a means of engaging her audience. The study also indicates that through the cascade of poetic images, Al-Khansaa attempts to reconstruct her internally defeated self and maintain her coherence.

Conclusions: The study reveals that Al-Khansaa dedicated her abundant poetic talent almost entirely to elegy. The strong connection between elegy, the poet’s psychological state, and emotional responses vividly mirrors her sorrowful and longing soul overwhelmed by loss. Thus, elegy serves as a fertile ground for psychoanalytical literary studies.