Early Twentieth Century Arab Exile Literature: A Case Study of Elia Abu Madi’s Poetry

Abstract

During the time when Arab countries, especially Lebanon experienced political and economic problems, a group of literary writers wanted to emigrate to other countries such as America, Brazil, Canada in order to enhance the living better than before. Part of this group of literary writers is Elia Abu Madi who is considered the best poet.Besides, his poetry was taken as the starting point for poems of the modern era. He was affected by political and economic problems, therefore emigrated to America and produced many works of exile literature during the time whenliving abroad, e.g. poetry, short stories, etc.

The objective of this research is to analyze Elia Abu Madi’s Arab exile literature about the role and concept of Elia Abu Madi as well as poetry in the form of writing, literature and invention that appears in poetry.

The results of analysis showed that Elia Abu Madi played a major role in the evolution of exile poetry published to the public through a variety of writing methods in order for the readers to get poetic flavor from imagination at the same time combining language and style, analogy, comparison, metaphor, the use of words with opposite meanings, the use of the same words but different meanings so that the content thereof becomes clear, represents the power of life. The readers can feel the difference and see imagery that comes out of the mind, thoughts and hope, the use of life philosophy in poetry, imagination of life with purity and well-being.