"The Woman and Cultural Consciousness in Khairi Al-Badiri’s Poetic Experience"

Abstract

Cultural criticism represents one of the modern critical trends that seeks to deconstruct literary discourse, reveal its components, and examine its relationship to the cultural patterns embedded within it, whether consciously or unconsciously by the creator. In this context, the image of woman emerges as a mirror reflecting societal transformations and embodying the dialectic of values ​​between tradition and modernity. The presence of women in modern literature has become a central issue, pulled in opposing directions by visions of liberation on the one hand, and discourses of power on the other. She is sometimes employed as a symbol of freedom and dignity, and at other times as a tool for consolidating and reproducing political centralism. This research begins with a study of the poetry of Khairi al-Badiri, a contemporary Iraqi poet, aiming to analyze the image of woman and uncover the cultural patterns that shape her textual presence. The research adopts a descriptive-analytical approach to read the intentions and visions underlying the poetic discourse, focusing on the relationship of this image to the strategies and effects of power. The reading revealed that Al-Budairi's woman appeared in two main images: the first is that of the sacred, protective mother, embodying a safe haven and guardian of values, representing a symbol of stability and steadfastness in the face of transformations—a presence that often intersects with the discourse of authority in reinforcing centralism. The second image is that of the inspiring beloved, where woman becomes a realm of emotional and aesthetic revelation, bestowing upon existence its spiritual dimension and strengthening collective belonging, thus making her a symbol of revelation and openness more than a mere physical presence. Between these two images, Al-Budairi was able to blend tradition and innovation, transforming the image of woman from its traditional framework into a broader space that reflects the dialectic between the poetic text and the cultural and political systems that frame it.