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Ahmed Shawqi

Ahmed Shawqi (1868 - 1932) (Arabic: ‫ ;)أحمد شوقي‬Egyptian poet and

dramatist who pioneered the modern Arab literary movement, most
notably introducing the genre of poetic epics to the Arabic literary
tradition. Shawqi also produced distinctive poetry that is widely
considered to be the most prominent of the 20th century Arabic literary
movement.

Life
Raised in a privileged setting, his
family was prominent and well-
connected with the court of the
Khedive of Egypt. Upon
graduating from high school, he
attended law school, obtaining a
degree in translation. Shawqi was
then offered a job in the court of
the Khedive Abbas II, which he
immediately accepted.

After a year working in the court

of the Khedive, Shawqi was sent to
continue his studies in Law at the
Universities of Montpellier and
Paris for three years. While in France, he was heavily influenced by the
works of French playwrights, most notably Molière and Racine.

He returned to Egypt in 1894, and remained a prominent member of

Arab literary culture until the British forced him into exile in southern
Spain, Andalusia, in 1914. Shawqi remained there until 1920, when he
returned to Egypt. In 1927 he was crowned by his peers Amir al-
Sho’araa’ (literally: the Prince of Poets) in recognition of his considerable
contributions to the literary field.

Works
Shawqi’s work can be categorized into three main periods during his
career:

The first coincides with the period during which he occupied a

position at the court of the Khedive, consisting of eulogies to the
Khedive: praising him or supporting his policy.
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The second comprised the period of his exile in Spain. During this
period, his feeling of nostalgia and sense of alienation directed his
poetic talent to patriotic poems on Egypt as well as the Arab
homeland.

The third stage occurred after his return from exile: during that
period he became preoccupied with the glorious past history of
Ancient Egypt and Islam. This was the period during which he wrote
his religious poems, in praise of Prophet Muhammad. The maturation
of his poetic style was also reflected in his plays, the most notable of
which were published during this period.

Plays

Shawqi was the first in Arabic literature to write poetic plays. He wrote
five tragedies:

Majnun Laila (literally: the Crazy about Laila), his first play.

Cleopatra's Demise, his most famous play.

'Antara

Ali bek al-Kabeer

Qambeez

and two comedies:

As-Set Huda (literally: Madam Huda)

Al-Bakhila (literally: the Miser)

in addition to a prose play: the Princess of Andalusia.

Poetry

Ash-Shawqiyyat, his sellected works, in four volumes, including Nahj

al-Burda, a tribute to the prophet Muhammed

A long poem about the History of Islam, named The States of Arabs
and the Great Men of Islam.

Prose

Shawqi wrote several ill-written novels. A few survived. He also wrote

chapters of prose, as he called them, about several and unrelated subjects,
and collected them under the title: the Markets of Gold.