Since the late nineteenth century, modern Palestinian resistance poetry has been an expression of the Palestinian peoples' national culture and their historical struggle for self-determination and a homeland. This study examines Palestinian resistance poetry written during the ten year period following the June War of 1967, which tripled the land area of the state of Israel. English translations of three prominent Palestinian poets: Fadw a T uq an, Mahm ud Darwish, and Samih al-Q asim, are preceded by commentaries on the history of Palestinian poetry prior to 1967, and on the post-1967 occupation of Palestine. The poetry is analyzed according to four themes: the identity theme, the wound theme, the freedom fighters, and woman's place. Through the study of Palestinian resistance poetry in its historical context, the reader may develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between Palestinian national culture and the struggle for a homeland.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Lehigh University, 2009. / Adviser: Amardeep Singh.

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity International University, 2000. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-120).

This dissertation consists of two parts. Part one is a translation of the Egyptian history within the Futuh Misr wa Akhbaruha of Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam. The Futuh Misr, as I refer to it in this dissertation, is a ninth century history written by the Egyptian historian/legalist, Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam. Its pages encompass the history of pre-Islamic Egypt, as Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam saw it, the conquest of Egypt, North Africa and Spain. The section on Egypt, and even North Africa and Spain, is one of the oldest histories we have dealing with this conquest. The second half of this dissertation is an historical analysis of Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam's history on the conquest of Egypt. Although at first glance the Futuh Misr does not seem to yield much useful information, it is surprisingly deceptive, particularly the Egyptian section. I have examined this section and have analyzed the contents to see what they reveal about the history of that time. From the themes that emerge, it is obvious that Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam's Futuh Misr not only provides useful information about the Arab conquest of 640 CE, but gives modern scholars an incite into the mentality of the author and his time period, and thus adds to our understanding of the attitude of historians during the medieval period in the Islamic world.

<p> In Jewish Studies in general and Jewish literary studies in particular, the autobiography has taken on renewed significance in the twenty-first century. A recent wave of Hebrew autobiographical writing has reinvigorated long-standing debates about the connections between family drama and national history in the modern state of Israel. This dissertation examines the discourse of selfhood generated by a select group of authors from the 1950s-1990s, the decades immediately preceding the genre's current boom. The "confessional mode of Israeli literary autobiography," as I designate this discourse, exposes the religious underside of early Israeli life writing. </p><p> The proposed genealogy uncovers a heretofore unacknowledged stream of autobiographical writing positioned at the nexus of public and private expression. Starting with Pinhas Sadeh's <i>Hah&barbelow;ayim kemashal</i> (1958), I deconstruct the author's sacred-profane terminology and his embrace of sacrificial tropes. I then explore David Shahar's <i>Kayitz bederekh hanevi'im</i> (1969) and <i>Hamasa le'ur kasdim</i> (1971), two works engaging with the Lurianic kabbalistic mythology of fracture and restoration (<i> tikkun</i>). The next turn in my discussion, Hanokh Bartov's <i> Shel mi atah yeled</i> (1970), focuses on the development of individual memory and artistic identity. Haim Be'er's confessional oeuvre anchors the final two chapters, which reveal the therapeutic and theological motivations behind <i>Notsot</i> (1979) and <i>H&barbelow;avalim</i> (1998). </p><p> My interdisciplinary engagement offers fresh readings of these autobiographical performances. The narratives by Sadeh, Shahar, Bartov, and Be'er deploy memories as a conscious, aesthetic act of self-construction. Riffing on the portrait of the artist as a young man, each author reveals the intimate connections among memory, trauma, and artistic creation. Concurrently, they mediate their religious identities in the new Jewish state, Oedipally rejecting the father's faith. The combination of literary self-reflexivity with spiritual self-accounting (<i>h&barbelow;eshbon nefesh</i>) links these Israeli writers with the classic confessional "double address," which engages both God and the human reader. My analysis thus contributes a new consideration of the relationship between author and audience in modern Hebrew culture. </p>

An analysis of the songs composed by some Occitan poets and some Andalusian poets showed a striking similarity. The forms, genres and melodies adopted by the Occitan poets in the Middle Ages were relatively similar to the songs composed earlier by Andalusian poets. On the other hand, an analysis of some of the themes developed by the Occitan poets helped conclude that the idea of "courtly love" might have had its roots in the Arabic/Andalusian literature.

<p> Poetry is a creative instrument of inquiry and revelation expressed through images, sounds, and metaphors. In this dissertation, I argue that Solomon Alkabez's poem "Lecha Dodi" (Come, My Beloved) demonstrates this hypothesis. The poem's mythological story connects with people of diverse Jewish movements in many lands, inviting their participation and varied expressions. While singing the poem keeps historic traditions alive, the song itself inspires communities to express the poem's beauty in ever-changing ways. The poem's mythos embraces the following concepts that are explored in this work: <i> Adam Kadmon, Shekhinah,</i> and <i>Tikkun ha-Olam.</i> Its logos, which follow structured grammatical forms, and archetypal mythos are examined in this study. </p><p> Drawing on insights from C. G. Jung, wisdoms revealed in Kabbalistic text and inherent within Hebrew terminology, this paper examines sacred time, ceremonial space, and Kabbalistic motifs in Lecha Dodi. Further, it addresses the question: "What Kabbalistic motifs in Lecha Dodi parallel those found in depth psychology?" For in this work, I argue that the process of individuation, imagery, and alchemical symbolism in Jung's writings find common ground in the mystical landscape of Kabbalah, as this poem illustrates. </p><p> Rediscovering the poem's motifs may shed light on, and contribute to, reconstructing the balance, harmony, and healing requested in our frenzied world today. In the process, according to Kabbalah's alchemical nature, one's foothold in the mundane world may scatter and shatter one's self through transitional experiences of disrepair and chaotic disarray. These aspects of Kabbalah are reflected in Jung's writings on shadow, descent, and death. Meanwhile, codes embedded in the poem identify pathways on Kabbalah's <i>Etz Hayim</i> (Tree of Life). In turn, the psyche may travel these pathways during such shadow periods, or times necessary to repair and individuate itself. In this way, the poem's Kabbalistic motifs share motifs that are common to depth psychology and mysticism. This dissertation seeks to imagine Lecha Dodi's essence forward for future generations. It includes the author's original musical composition, a production designed to express the beauty of this mystical poem. </p><p> <b>Keywords:</b> <i>Adam Kadmon,</i> Alkabez, <i> Etz Hayim,</i> individuation, Jung, Kabbalah, Lecha Dodi, Luria, Shabbat, <i> Shekhinah,</i> soul, <i>Tikkun ha-Olam</i></p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Lehigh University, 2009. / Adviser: Elizabeth Fifer.

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity International University, 2000. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-120).

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity International University, 2000. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-120).