Nazik Al-MalaikaNazik Al-MalaikaBy By Eman Khaleel Al-Houty Eman Khaleel Al-Houty

(2202113831)(2202113831)Tuesday December 5,2006Tuesday December 5,2006

Iraqi poet & critic, born in Baghdad on 23Iraqi poet & critic, born in Baghdad on 23 rdrd , , August, 1923.August, 1923.

Her first poem in Arabic, when she was 10 years Her first poem in Arabic, when she was 10 years old. old.

Her father was a skilled grammar teacher; he Her father was a skilled grammar teacher; he composed an encyclopedia entitled: “The composed an encyclopedia entitled: “The Knowledge of The Common People”; 20 vol.Knowledge of The Common People”; 20 vol.

He took upon himself teaching her Arabic He took upon himself teaching her Arabic grammar; which enriched her language. grammar; which enriched her language.

He wrote some poems, including an epic of three He wrote some poems, including an epic of three thousand lines( a journey to Iran 1955). thousand lines( a journey to Iran 1955).

Her mother was a poet as well ( Um Nizar Al-Her mother was a poet as well ( Um Nizar Al-Malaika).Malaika).

She was excused from any household She was excused from any household responsibilities completely.responsibilities completely.

Modern poets: Mahmoud Hassan Ismail, Omar Abu-Modern poets: Mahmoud Hassan Ismail, Omar Abu-Risha, Al-Zahawy.Risha, Al-Zahawy.

She used to discuss her poetry with her family, She used to discuss her poetry with her family, mainly her parents. mainly her parents.

Arabic department, the Higher Teachers' Training Arabic department, the Higher Teachers' Training College in Baghdad, earning her B.A. in 1944.College in Baghdad, earning her B.A. in 1944.

Participating in social events; (reciting her poems, Participating in social events; (reciting her poems, and publishing them in college journals.and publishing them in college journals.

As a student she registered in the musical As a student she registered in the musical instrument department (the Middle-Eastern lute) instrument department (the Middle-Eastern lute) of the Fine Arts Institution.of the Fine Arts Institution.

Attended acting classes in the drama department. Attended acting classes in the drama department. Studying French at home with her brother Nizar, Studying French at home with her brother Nizar,

English student, who was more than a friend to English student, who was more than a friend to her.her.

Modernism, English and French works. Modernism, English and French works. She got a scholarship to study literary criticism at She got a scholarship to study literary criticism at

Princeton University, New Jersey. Princeton University, New Jersey. In 1954 continued her studies at the University of In 1954 continued her studies at the University of

Wisconsin, where she obtained an M.A. in Comp. Wisconsin, where she obtained an M.A. in Comp. literature. literature.

Poetic stylePoetic style characteristics:characteristics: 1.1. terseness of languageterseness of language2.2. eloquenceeloquence3.3. original use of imageryoriginal use of imagery4.4. the music of the verse. the music of the verse. 1947 “The Lover of The Night”; romantic symbol 1947 “The Lover of The Night”; romantic symbol

of poetry, imagination & dreams, beauty of of poetry, imagination & dreams, beauty of stars & the moon, and flickering of the lights on stars & the moon, and flickering of the lights on the river water.the river water.

““Cholera” is her well-known poem that made Cholera” is her well-known poem that made

her the major advocate of her the major advocate of the new poetry the new poetry movementmovement in the late 1940’s with Al-Sayyab. in the late 1940’s with Al-Sayyab.

CholeraCholera It is night.It is night.Listen to the echoing wailsListen to the echoing wailsrising above the silence in the dark,rising above the silence in the dark,to the mystifying cries over the dead,to the mystifying cries over the dead,The agonized, overflowing griefThe agonized, overflowing griefclashing with the wails.clashing with the wails.In every heart there is fire, In every heart there is fire, in every silent hut, sorrow,in every silent hut, sorrow,and everywhere, a soul crying in the dark.and everywhere, a soul crying in the dark.A voice cries in every place:A voice cries in every place:this is what death has destroyed, this is what death has destroyed, Death, death, death.Death, death, death.O lament of the Nile this is what death has done.O lament of the Nile this is what death has done.

It is dawn.It is dawn.Listen to the footsteps of the passerby, Listen to the footsteps of the passerby, in the silence of dawn.in the silence of dawn.Listen, look at the mourning processions,Listen, look at the mourning processions,ten, twenty, no… countless.ten, twenty, no… countless.Listen to the mourners,Listen to the mourners,To the pitiful child.To the pitiful child.They are dead, dead, dead,They are dead, dead, dead,without number, without future.without number, without future.Everywhere lies a corpse, mournedEverywhere lies a corpse, mournedwithout a eulogy or moment or silence.without a eulogy or moment or silence.This is what the hand of death has done,This is what the hand of death has done,Death, death, death.Death, death, death.Humanity protests against the crimes of death.Humanity protests against the crimes of death.

Cholera, Cholera, in the cave of corpses and terror,in the cave of corpses and terror,in the cruel silence of eternity,in the cruel silence of eternity,in which death is a cure,in which death is a cure,cholera has raised its head,cholera has raised its head,vengeance, descendingvengeance, descendingon the radiant, cheerful valley,on the radiant, cheerful valley,screaming in madness,screaming in madness,deaf to those who cry.deaf to those who cry.Its claws have left their traces everywhere;Its claws have left their traces everywhere;in the hut of the peasant womanin the hut of the peasant womanecho only the cries of death,echo only the cries of death,Death, death, death.Death, death, death.Cholera is the vengeance of death. Cholera is the vengeance of death. The silence is bitter,The silence is bitter,except for echoes glorifying God.except for echoes glorifying God.Even the gravedigger has succumbed,Even the gravedigger has succumbed,the muezzin is dead,the muezzin is dead,and who will eulogize the dead?and who will eulogize the dead?There are only laments and sighs,There are only laments and sighs,and children without fathers or mothersand children without fathers or motherscrying with anguished hearts,crying with anguished hearts,certain to be plucked by the evil disease.certain to be plucked by the evil disease.~~~~~~O cholera, death’s phantom,O cholera, death’s phantom,You have left nothing but the sorrow of death,You have left nothing but the sorrow of death,Death, death, death.Death, death, death.

O Egypt, my heart is torn by the ravages of deathO Egypt, my heart is torn by the ravages of death..

On Friday, 27,Oct. 1947, I awoke, and heard that the number On Friday, 27,Oct. 1947, I awoke, and heard that the number of theof the

dead has risen to a thousand a day. I became depressed and dead has risen to a thousand a day. I became depressed and agitated. I carried a note book & a pen and left our crowded agitated. I carried a note book & a pen and left our crowded

house to a house to a place where a huge building was being built next to ours. I sat place where a huge building was being built next to ours. I sat

and and started writing my poem " Cholera." I have heard in the radio started writing my poem " Cholera." I have heard in the radio

that thethat thedead were being carried on top of one another in carriages dead were being carried on top of one another in carriages

driven driven By horses. So I tried following the rhythm of the horses' trot “ :By horses. So I tried following the rhythm of the horses' trot “ :

It is night. It is night. Listen to the echoing wailsListen to the echoing wailsrising above the silence in the dark,rising above the silence in the dark,to the mystifying cries over the dead,to the mystifying cries over the dead,

الليُل= الليُل= سَكDن سَكDن GاْتJاألَّن َدDى Dَص َوDْقGع إلى Uأَصِغ GاْتJاألَّن َدDى Dَص َوDْقGع إلى Uأَصِغ

, , Gاألمواْت على Uالصمِت Dتحِت Uالظلمِة ع=مGق , في , Gاألمواْت على Uالصمِت Dتحِت Uالظلمِة ع=مGق في , تضطرُب= تعلو jاْت Dرَخ Dَص , تضطرُب= تعلو jاْت Dرَخ Dَص

, يلتهُب= يتَدفق= jحزٌن , يلتهُب= يتَدفق= jحزٌن Gاآلهاْت َصDَدى فيه اآلهاْتG يتعَّثJر َصDَدى فيه يتعَّثJر

In those lines of In those lines of unequal lengthunequal length, I was able to express my , I was able to express my feelings. feelings.

The classic form could not express the tragedy of Cholera. I The classic form could not express the tragedy of Cholera. I found found

myself successfully expressing my emotions with myself successfully expressing my emotions with the new the new formform::

Death, Death, Death. Death, Death, Death. Humanity laments the crimes of death. Humanity laments the crimes of death.

Gالموْت الموْت= الموْتG الموْت= الموْت= الموْت= Gالموْت يرتَكُب= ما تشَكو البشريyِة= الموْتG تشَكو يرتَكُب= ما تشَكو البشريyِة= تشَكو

since that day she wrotesince that day she wrote blank verseblank verse..

After her return from USA, 1951, she started After her return from USA, 1951, she started writing prose; especially in the field of literary writing prose; especially in the field of literary criticism, and feminism, in addition to other poetic criticism, and feminism, in addition to other poetic & literary & literary works:works:

1.1. Sparks and Ashes/Shaazaya wa Ramaad, 1949: (a Sparks and Ashes/Shaazaya wa Ramaad, 1949: (a preface of a theory of new poetry metrics).preface of a theory of new poetry metrics).

2.2. 1953, (1953, (Women between the extremes of : Passivity and EtWomen between the extremes of : Passivity and Ethical choice.hical choice.) ) 'Al-Mar'a Baina 'ltarafain, al-Salbiyya wa 'l-akh-'Al-Mar'a Baina 'ltarafain, al-Salbiyya wa 'l-akh-laq',laq',

• The Poem " The Poem " Lament of a Worthless WomanLament of a Worthless Woman; ; Picture Picture in Baghdadi Avenuein Baghdadi Avenue / Martheyat Emra’a la Quimata / Martheyat Emra’a la Quimata laha; Surah min Zuqaq Bagdadi.laha; Surah min Zuqaq Bagdadi.

She left, no cheek turned pale, no lip trembled.She left, no cheek turned pale, no lip trembled.The doors did not hear the story of her death.The doors did not hear the story of her death.No window’s curtain over flew with sorrow and gloomNo window’s curtain over flew with sorrow and gloomTo follow the tomb until it disappeared To follow the tomb until it disappeared The news tumbled down the avenue its echo not finding a The news tumbled down the avenue its echo not finding a

sheltershelterSo it stayed forgotten in some hole, its depression the moon So it stayed forgotten in some hole, its depression the moon

lamenting.lamenting.~~~~~~The night surrendered itself, without worry, to the morning The night surrendered itself, without worry, to the morning The light brought the voice of the milk girl, and the fastingThe light brought the voice of the milk girl, and the fastingWith the moaning of a starved cat of which nothing remained With the moaning of a starved cat of which nothing remained

save save bones.bones.The fussing of salesmen, and the struggle of lifeThe fussing of salesmen, and the struggle of lifeKids threw stones at one another in the middle of the road Kids threw stones at one another in the middle of the road While dirty water flooded the avenue, and the windWhile dirty water flooded the avenue, and the windToyed with the gates at roof tops, aloneToyed with the gates at roof tops, aloneIn a state of semi-oblivion. In a state of semi-oblivion.

1.1. The Bottom of the Wave/Qarárat al-Mawja, 1957 : The Bottom of the Wave/Qarárat al-Mawja, 1957 : the July 14, 1958 revolution was a great source of the July 14, 1958 revolution was a great source of inspiration.inspiration.

2.2. Issues of Contemporary Poetry/ Qadaya 'l-Shi'r al-Issues of Contemporary Poetry/ Qadaya 'l-Shi'r al-Mu'asir, 1962 Mu'asir, 1962

3.3. Al-Sawma'a wal-Shurfa Al-Hamraa, 1965 Al-Sawma'a wal-Shurfa Al-Hamraa, 1965 4.4. Tree of the Moon/Shaýarat al-qamar, 1968 Tree of the Moon/Shaýarat al-qamar, 1968 5.5. The Tragedy of Life & and a Song for The Tragedy of Life & and a Song for

Human/Ma'sát al-hayát wa Augniya li-l-insán, epic Human/Ma'sát al-hayát wa Augniya li-l-insán, epic 1970 1970

6.6. Al-Taýzi'iyya fi-l-Mujtama' al-‘Arabi, 1974 Al-Taýzi'iyya fi-l-Mujtama' al-‘Arabi, 1974 7.7. The Sea Changes its Colors/Yugayyir alwána-hu l-The Sea Changes its Colors/Yugayyir alwána-hu l-

bahr, 1974bahr, 19748.8. For Prayer and Revulotion/Li-l-Salat wa-l-thawra, For Prayer and Revulotion/Li-l-Salat wa-l-thawra,

197319739.9. Sykolojia Al-Shi'r, 1979 Sykolojia Al-Shi'r, 1979 10.10. Al-Aamal Al-Nathriya Al-Kamila, 2002 (2 vols.) Al-Aamal Al-Nathriya Al-Kamila, 2002 (2 vols.)

Short story writer.Short story writer. One of her earliest Stories,  One of her earliest Stories,  JasmineJasmine , ,

describes a woman's effort to establish describes a woman's effort to establish a friendship with her young sister. a friendship with her young sister.        

  The Sun Beyond the Mountain TopThe Sun Beyond the Mountain Top , , describes an Arab Woman's emotions describes an Arab Woman's emotions and thoughts while she is giving  birth.and thoughts while she is giving  birth.