بازخوانی سروده «العار الّذی نتقیه» از أمل دنقل بر پایه نظریه رمزگان‌ زیبایی‌شناختی پی‌یر گیرو و نظریه کهن الگوی یونگ

This study analyzes Amal Dunqul’s poem “Al-ʿĀr al-Ladhī Nattaqīhi” through a semiotic approach, using Pierre Guiraud’s theory of aesthetic codes and Jung’s archetypal theory. The research aims to explore the system of signs shaping the poem and to examine how it conveys concepts such as national identity, betrayal, and the reconstruction of collective relations. Using a descriptive-analytical method, the study offers a close reading of the poem in light of Guiraud’s code theory. The analysis shows that Dunqul’s poem is not merely a literary text but a reflection of social struggles, aspirations, and collective ideals in modern Arab poetry. Through symbolic and linguistic elements, the poet invites reflection on both personal and national responsibility. The poem also serves as a powerful document of identity crisis and national concern in the Arab world. Dunqul’s use of linguistic codes, binary oppositions (e.g., death/life, betrayal/loyalty), and archetypes such as the “Mother” (as the nation) and the “Wise Old Man” (as collective wisdom) creates a layered depiction of Egypt’s psychological and social condition after the 1967 defeat. These archetypes play a central role in shaping the poem’s meaning and emotional depth.
Extended abstract
 
1. Introduction
Lyric poetry is one of the oldest literary forms, with roots tracing back to ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, and the Arab world. It has traditionally been intertwined with music and personal emotion (Al-Ekhtiar, 1955: 3–6). Unlike epic or dramatic poetry, the lyric form reflects the direct feelings and thoughts of the speaker, with a clear presence of the poet’s “I” (Kouhestanian, 2023: 219). Although personal experiences in lyric poetry are transformed through artistic language and structural elements, the connection between poet and audience—whether listener or reader—has always played a fundamental role. With the advent of Romanticism and the rise of modern poetry, this connection evolved from overt expression to more introspective and internalized tones (Anani, 2023: 51–52).
Despite their strong social and political undertones, the poems of Amal Dunqul often resonate with lyricism due to their emotive and personal language. Through symbolic expression, he transforms individual emotions—such as sorrow, hope, and pain—into shared artistic experiences. This transformation is a core feature of lyric literature and grants his poetry a lasting human and emotional depth. Dunqul, as a committed and critical voice, employs a symbolic language to portray complex issues and fundamental challenges within Arab society, thereby earning a distinctive and influential place in contemporary Arabic poetry.
His poem “Al-ʿĀr al-Ladhī Nattaqīhi” (The Shame We Avoid), from the collection Maqtal al-Qamar, exemplifies his ability to craft multilayered poetic structures rich in semantic signs. Through the use of symbols, poetic imagery, and cultural references, the poem offers fertile ground for interpretive and semiotic analysis. Dunqul’s blending of the personal with the collective reflects not only his lyrical sensibility but also his broader engagement with national and existential questions in the modern Arab world.
In order to reach scientific results, the present study raises the following questions:

How is the significance of the aesthetic codes of the poem manifested?

2.Which codes play a more prominent role in the poet's poem and how can this prominence be interpreted?
 
2. Research Methodology
The present study, which was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method and citing library sources, attempts to analyze and examine the hidden semantic layers of the poem “Al-ʿĀr al-Ladhī Nattaqīhi” by Amal Dunqul, using the theory of aesthetic codes of Pierre Giraud's three codes (logical, aesthetic, and social). This study attempts to identify and interpret the appearance of social and aesthetic signifiers in the text of the poem through a careful reading of the semantic and semiotic structures.
 
3. Discussion and Results
The poem “Al-ʿĀr al-Ladhī Nattaqīhi” by Amal Dunqul is one of the prominent works in contemporary Arabic literature, raising profound and intricate questions about national identity, betrayal of the homeland, and the reconstruction of collective relationships. This poem, grounded in aesthetic codes—particularly archetypes and semantic oppositions—mirrors the socio-political crises of the poet’s nation. According to Pierre Guiraud, imagination plays a crucial role in activating archetypes within aesthetic codes. That is, the archetype flows unconsciously through the poet’s imaginative process into the poetic text, and it is through these aesthetic codes that readers perceive and interpret the embedded archetypal structures (Guiraud, 2020: 132). The central concern of this study is to analyze the structural and thematic dimensions of Dunqul’s poem with a particular focus on its aesthetic coding and symbolism, in order to uncover its latent semantic layers and psychological resonance. The research seeks to explore how the poet employs archetypes such as the “Mother” and the “Wise Old Man,” as well as core binary oppositions—life/death, loyalty/betrayal, insider/outsider—to articulate emotional and national transformations. The necessity of this research arises from the idea that aesthetic codes in Dunqul’s poetry are not only expressive tools for personal emotion but also representational mechanisms for collective and historical experiences. Adopting a qualitative approach and textual content analysis, this study draws its data from the poem itself and interprets its conceptual structure based on Pierre Guiraud’s theory of aesthetic codes.
Findings reveal that Dunqul portrays the deep socio-political contradictions of his society through the “Mother” archetype as a symbol of the nation, and the “Wise Old Man” as an embodiment of national wisdom (Jung, 1989: 112). In addition, the poem’s semantic contrasts establish a system of semiotic dualities that highlight key concepts such as identity, betrayal, and the renewal of the homeland. Ultimately, the poem serves as a notable example of social romanticism, artistically reflecting the psychological and emotional experiences of a people confronting national crisis.
 
4. Conclusion
This study analyzed Amal Dunqul’s poem “Al-ʿĀr al-Ladhī Nattaqīhi” using Pierre Guiraud’s theory of aesthetic codes, with a focus on symbolic structures and archetypes. The findings revealed that the poem’s core meaning emerges through layered aesthetic codes, particularly via archetypal figures and semantic oppositions. The “Mother” archetype serves as the central symbolic axis in the poem, representing the nation in both its vulnerable and transformative states. Initially, the mother symbolizes abandonment and betrayal—suggesting a failure in national responsibility. However, the poem later reframes this image by invoking potential restoration and protective agency, as seen in lines that evoke both despair and renewed duty. This shift reflects a movement from loss toward collective awakening and responsibility.
The “Wise Old Man” archetype also appears as a guiding figure, representing political wisdom and the possibility of returning to shared cultural values. Together, these archetypes construct a dynamic code system that bridges personal emotion and historical consciousness. Additionally, semantic binaries such as life/death, betrayal/loyalty, and insider/outsider amplify the tension within the poem, reinforcing themes of identity, exile, and moral choice. Among the aesthetic codes analyzed, the “Mother” archetype was found to play the most prominent role. Its emotional depth, cultural resonance, and symbolic flexibility make it an especially potent code for expressing national trauma and the hope for regeneration. Dunqul’s strategic use of this archetype activates both collective memory and individual sentiment, engaging readers at multiple psychological levels.
The poem exemplifies social romanticism, combining emotional lyricism with political critique. Dunqul’s symbolic language and aesthetic structure transform personal anguish into a collective call for renewal. His poetry thus transcends mere individual expression, offering a vision of national introspection and future reconstruction. By decoding the aesthetic systems within Dunqul’s work, this study highlights how symbolic archetypes and oppositions serve as powerful tools for representing complex socio-political realities. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of contemporary Arabic literature and demonstrate the value of semiotic-literary analysis in interpreting modern poetic texts.
 
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