Representations of the Self and the Other in the Love Discourse of Ibrahim Nagi: An Analytical Approach in Light of Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis Theory

Abstract

This article falls within the field of literary discourse analysis and seeks to explore the representations of the Self and the Other in the love discourse of the Egyptian poet Ibrahim Nagi, one of the leading figures of modern Arabic Romantic poetry. The study adopts an analytical approach based on Norman Fairclough’s model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), which offers tools for unpacking the complex relationships between language, power, identity, and cultural context.  The central research question addressed is: how is the image of the loving Self constructed in Nagi’s poetry, and conversely, how is the Other—particularly in its feminine representation—portrayed within a poetic space saturated with emotions, symbols, and ruptures? From this perspective, the article examines the intricate relationship between the Self and the Other as reflected in Nagi’s love poems, using linguistic and semantic mechanisms that express fascination, betrayal, longing, and internal conflict—all of which contribute to the (re)production of selfhood in a state of tension between desire and defeat. The study argues that Nagi does not present love discourse in its traditional sentimental form; rather, he engages in a kind of poetic identity construction, wherein the Other becomes a mirror through which the Self takes shape, and love emerges as a symbolic arena for negotiating values, belonging, and existence. The analysis is carried out on three levels: discourse structure (representational system), discursive practice (linguistic strategies), and social practice (context of production and reception).The findings reveal that Nagi’s love discourse is marked by a persistent tension between the meaning-seeking Self and the unreachable Other. His poetry reflects a transformation in emotional and social relations in early 20th-century Egypt, where the personal intersects with the collective, and the aesthetic blends with the cultural. Thus, Nagi’s love poetry cannot be reduced to purely emotional expression, but should be read as a multi-layered discourse intertwining the personal with the civilizational, and the individual experience with broader cultural narratives.