Ta'thīr al-Thaqāfah al-Gharbiyyah 'alā al-Adab al-'Arabī al-Ḥadīth: Dirāsah Taḥlīliyyah Naqdiyyah

Abstract

This study explores the profound and multidimensional influence of Western culture on modern Arabic literature. Rather than viewing this influence simply as an imitation of Western literary forms, the study considers it a broader intellectual and epistemological interaction that contributed to significant changes in Arabic narrative, poetry, and literary criticism. It traces the development of this cultural encounter from the French Expedition to Egypt in 1798 through the translation movement, educational missions to Europe, the Arab Renaissance (Nahḍah), and the literary transformations that followed. Using descriptive-analytical, historical, and comparative approaches, the study examines Western influence on Arabic poetry, particularly through the Dīwān School, Apollo School, Mahjar literature, and the Free Verse movement. It also considers its impact on prose genres such as the novel, drama, and short story, as well as on modern literary criticism. The findings indicate that Western cultural influence has produced both opportunities and challenges. It encouraged literary renewal, introduced new genres and techniques, and expanded the possibilities of artistic expression. At the same time, excessive imitation sometimes weakened the connection with the classical Arabic literary heritage and contributed to tensions surrounding cultural identity and intellectual orientation. The study therefore argues for a balanced and critical engagement with Western modernity—one that benefits from its constructive contributions while maintaining and represent three interrelated motivational orientations within McClelland’s framework.