Symbolism and the Fragmentation of the Self in Abdul Khaliq Al-Rikabi’s Novel Ali Baba’s Sad Night: A Semantic and Aesthetic Reading
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25130/jfa.18.66.1.2Keywords:
Symbolism, Abdul Khaliq Al-Rikabi, Ali Baba, Iraqi novel, oppression, self, time, woman, dream, cave, authority, alienationAbstract
This study explores the symbolic structure in Layl ‘ala Baba al-Hazin ("Night on Sad Ali Baba") by Abdul Khaliq Al-Rikabi, offering a semantic and aesthetic analysis of the central symbols in the narrative. The research investigates how symbolism functions not merely as a literary ornament but as a core narrative mechanism that embodies existential, psychological, and political distress within the Iraqi context. The study focuses on the symbolic dimensions of the title and main character, spatial and temporal settings, and representations of women, childhood, and dreams. It also analyzes political and social symbolism. The findings reveal that Al-Rikabi reconfigures folkloric and mythical elements—particularly the figure of "Ali Baba"—to construct a narrative of fragmentation and loss, articulating the suffocating realities of the modern Arab experience through layered symbols.
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