External Factors and Their Impact on the Structure of the Abbasid Poem

Abstract

 The thematic structure of the Arabic poem has been characterized by two distinct patterns since the pre-Islamic era. The first pattern is that of the single-structured poem, in which the poet addresses a single subject. The second pattern is the multi-structured poem, where the poet tackles more than one subject, often two or three themes within a single composition.

A variety of factors and influences contributed to shaping these patterns of poetic structure. In the Abbasid era, the single-structured poem was significantly influenced by religious and psychological factors, as well as certain intellectual movements such as Sufism and asceticism (zuhd). Additionally, urban development and environmental changes played a role in reshaping the thematic structure of poetry. For instance, poets abandoned traditional introductions like descriptions of ruins (al-muqaddima al-talliyya) and journeys, replacing them with themes more suited to their contemporary environment and lifestyle.

On the other hand, the multi-structured poem was shaped by a commitment to classical traditions and an adherence to older poetic norms established by critics based on pre-Islamic poetry. This adherence was exemplified by figures such as Ibn Qutayba, who imposed upon later poets the framework of multi-thematic compositions