📄 Abstract
Nâzik al-Malâ’ika (1923–2007), one of the pioneers of modern Arabic free verse, occupies a distinguished place in contemporary Arabic literature for combining poetic innovation with profound social commitment. Her poetry transcends personal emotion to address the moral, political, and humanitarian crises of the modern Arab world. This paper examines the major social issues reflected in her poetic collection Qarâra al-Mawja (The Depth of the Wave), highlighting her vision of society through a humanistic and reformative lens. Using a qualitative textual and thematic approach, the study analyses selected poems that portray the suffering of marginalized individuals, particularly women, the injustice of honour killings, the sanctity of martyrdom, the tyranny of oppressive rulers, political deception, and the collective struggle for freedom as represented in the Algerian Revolution. The study argues that al-Malâ’ika transforms poetry into an instrument of social criticism, exposing moral decay, inequality, violence, and political oppression while advocating justice, compassion, and human dignity. Her symbolic language, emotional intensity, and innovative free-verse technique enable her to merge personal experience with collective consciousness, making her poetry both aesthetically significant and socially transformative. The paper further demonstrates that Qarâra al-Mawja reflects the socio-political realities of the twentieth-century Arab world and establishes al-Malâ’ika as a poet of humanitarian concern whose literary vision transcends national boundaries. Ultimately, the study concludes that her poetry serves not merely as artistic expression but as a powerful moral discourse that challenges injustice, affirms universal human values, and continues to inspire readers and scholars in the fields of modern Arabic literature, feminism, and social criticism.
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📚 How to Cite:
Dr. Noor Uddin Ahmed, Nurjahan Ansary , SOCIAL ISSUES IN THE POETRY OF NÂZIK AL-MALÂ’IKA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO QARÂRA AL-MAWJA , Volume 12 , Issue 7, July 2026, EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) , Pages: 114 - 123 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.36713/epra28605