Abu al-Atahiyahs poetry between signifier and signified ( a structural study

Abstract

The concept of the signifier and the signified originates from structuralism, which seeks to establish an interpretation that examines the relationship between words, objects, and ideas outside the general context. The signifier and the signified together form a cognitive circle that leads to meaning through the gateway of subjective experience, which emerges in the poet as a result of prolonged familiarity with literature and deep engagement with its domains. A poem, therefore, is nothing more than the culmination of the poet’s intellectually vibrant thought  .The dialectic between the signifier and the signified becomes more powerful and influential on the recipient when the poet’s expression is more effective in style. The poetic collection of Abu al-Atahiya is rich in oppositional binaries that entice the reader to delve deeply into his literary system in order to facilitate the understanding   of     certain coherent meanings embedded within his poetry  .