Rare Pre-Islamic Poems in the Light of Intertextuality Theory

Abstract

This research aims to highlight intertextuality in a collection of rare pre-Islamic poems by obscure poets who did not receive sufficient fame, only receiving slight mentions in biographical and literary works. The focus will be on defining intertextuality as a complex linguistic phenomenon, varied in its types, relying on the knowledge and culture of the recipient to distinguish it. It represents the fundamental characteristics of literary creativity, indicating the intertwining and interaction of texts to produce and recreate new texts that reflect a relationship of imitation or emulation among poetic texts. The study will identify the words, meanings, and shared ideas among poets, derived from the accumulated reservoir of experience on one hand and the expressive creative ability of the poet on the other. This reveals the unique style of the poet, which will accompany their internal or external intertextualities in various contexts, as well as the phenomenon of mutual influence and effect among them during the same era, and the extent of the intertwining and connection of the texts.In conclusion, the researcher found that intertextuality is not merely a tool for analyzing pre-Islamic texts but a cultural instrument that helps shape the overall concept of pre-Islamic literature. Through the study of intertextuality, we understand how pre-Islamic poetry was not just an individual representation of the poet's feelings but constituted a significant part of the wisdom and shared cultural heritage that shaped the sentiments of Arab societies during that era. Furthermore, intertextuality helped strengthen the cultural identity of pre-Islamic tribes, reflecting the common foundations of social and intellectual relations, which made these poems interconnected and linked across generations within a continuous cultural context.