Historicism of the Literary Text “Ra’yyat al-Buhturi” lamenting the caliph al-Mutawakkil as a model

Abstract

Objectives: The study aims to analyze the viewpoint of Al-Buhturi (204-280 AH/820-897 AD) expressed in his poetry after the assassination of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil (205-247 AH/822-861 AD) in light of the new historicism. The purpose is to explore the historical, cultural, and social aspects present in his poetry, as well as to reveal the underlying codes within the mind of the poet himself, his society, and his era.

Methods: The research methodology employed the "New Historicism" approach, which belongs to the post-modern critical methods. The theoretical section presents the problem of the term and the concept of literary historicism.

Results: The results indicate that this poem contains multiple textual codes within two main trajectories: the first is the replacement of the artificial nerve with the real tribal nerve, which was a severe blow to the Abbasid caliphs, leading to their marginalization and control. The second is that Al-Buhturi, as a model of the Bedouin immersed in the pleasures of civilization, was mundane in his vision of death. His concern for preserving his acquired culture was secondary to his lamentation over his caliph and his close associates or his display of patience with the decree of God.

Conclusion: The study demonstrates that the "New Historicism" is a critical approach applicable to literary texts, providing new and contrasting results to other critical approaches. It delves into the depths of the text, revealing textual codes that are not apparent in external readings.