The Art of Quatrains in the Poetry of Abu Nuwas: A Descriptive and Analytical Study

Abstract

This study investigates the art of quatrains in the poetry of Abu Nuwas through a descriptive and analytical approach. Although the quatrain is generally regarded as a poetic form introduced into Arabic literature through intercultural literary exchange, it became evident in the works of several Abbasid poets, particularly following the emergence of the dobayt form during the Abbasid period. The study examines the concept of the quatrain from both linguistic and technical perspectives, tracing its historical origins and development while identifying the factors that contributed to its dissemination in Arabic literary tradition. It also explores the distinctive characteristics of Abbasid poetry, with particular emphasis on its openness to innovation and poetic experimentation. In addition, the study analyzes selected quatrains by Abu Nuwas, focusing on his wine (khamriyyāt) and love (ghazal) poetry to reveal their structural, aesthetic, and semantic features. The findings demonstrate that Abu Nuwas's employment of the quatrain constitutes a significant manifestation of his poetic innovation and reflects his sophisticated understanding of poetic structure and its expressive capacities. His quatrains may therefore be viewed as an early precursor to a poetic form that later achieved broader recognition in Eastern literary traditions, particularly in Persian literature. The study concludes by recommending further scholarly investigation into non-conventional poetic forms in classical Arabic literature and a reassessment of the contributions of innovative poets to the development of new structural and aesthetic paradigms that transcend the traditional dichotomy between form and content.