Ameen Rihani: Walt Whitman’s early Arab reception

Abstract

Walt Whitman’s formal and thematic innovations influenced and continue to influence countless poets around the world. His reception in Arabic language and literature started just a few years after his death. This thesis traces how Ameen Rihani, the founding father of Arab-American literature, reconstructed Whitman’s poetics in both Arabic and English. It shows how Rihani introduced and naturalized Whitman’s free-verse style into Arabic poetry. Moreover, Rihani’s poetry has contributed significantly to the Arab-American cultural dialogue by borrowing Whitman’s themes. Thus, this thesis investigates Ameen Rihani’s critical and creative reception of Whitman’s work. It shows how Whitman, through Rihani’s mediation, influenced modern Arabic literature.