Arabic Prose Poetry

Abstract

This article attempts to outline the most significant linguistic and conceptual transformations brought about by the developing periodical press and the translation movement in Egypt toward the beginning of the twentieth century. Both these phenomena entailed the need for new writing practices, which in turn led to intense discussions about the form and status of the literary/poetic text. While poetry constitutes the core of this discussion, the most relevant conceptual transformation that shall be highlighted here is the unprecedented move to involve prose as an equal component or tool of expression into the debate on how to (re)define poetry.