The Simile And Its Argumentative Role In The Poetry Of The Crusades (Ibn al-Qaysrani as a model)

Abstract

This study started from the new demonstrative rhetoric theory that flourished by the Brussels School, which adopted the essence of this theory, emphasized by the thinker “Perelman”. It is based on the fact that the literary discourse - whatever its kind - has a argumentative power that goes beyond the rhetorical function of the aesthetic and entertaining function to the function of argumentation that aimed at influencing the recipient and convincing him about the issues and ideas that the rhetorical image carries - and also the discourse in general - and directing his mind, conscience and behavior to the requirements of these issues and those ideas, or -at least- to increase his conviction in it.

In this study, I chose the poet Ibn al-Qaysrani, who was a poetic pole in his ear at the time of the Crusades, so I concentrated on a group of his poems investigating the argumentative power of his rhetorical images in which he relied on the simile technique, which is - in traditional Arabic rhetoric - the sensitive nerve of the rhetorical image, or is the essence of poetry as decided by the ancient rhetoricians.

The study was based on the Pragmatics approach, which was an integrated mean of research procedures, in addition to the fact that the argumentative topic was one of the most important topics of the deliberative approach, which was considered the most prominent linguistic curriculum.

This study reached several results, including: The modern rhetorical lesson went beyond limiting the function of the simile to  the rhetorical function of clarifying the meaning. The study revealed the distinctive poetic position of the poet Ibn al-Qaysrani, who was a poetic pole of his era. It also  recommended the necessity of shedding the spotlight of scientific studies and research on the writers of our rich Arab heritage and his distinguished poets.