Warda al-Yaziji

Warda al-Yaziji (1838–1924) was a Lebanese Christian poet who rose to prominence in the early twentieth century, and is considered a pioneer for opening up the field of writing to women.[1]

Personal life

Born in Lebanon, Warda was raised in an upper-class home and attended a private Christian school in the area.[2] She was the daughter of poet and scholar Nasif al-Yaziji, and her brother was the notable scholar Ibrahim al-Yaziji, because of this she received a high level of education and was taught both French and Arabic.[1] It is said that at the age of 13 she began to write poetry.[1][2] As she got older, Warda began teaching at a school while continuing to write and married her husband Francis Shamun in 1866.[1] They had five children together. After the death of her husband in 1899 she moved to Alexandria, Egypt.[2]

Work

Warda's poetry is said to represent the beginning of a renaissance because it "revived the traditions and aesthetics of poetry in the Golden Ages".[2] She follows the more classical form of qasida which adds femininity to her writing.[3] Unfortunately the qasida form of poetry has always been looked down on because of its embrace of femininity, so scholars have tended to denounced her work.[2] Despite the denunciation, her poetry went on to inspire many women, most notably May Ziade who not only became a prominent writer but also went on to teach many courses over Warda's works.[4] Ziade, in one of her lectures on Warda's poetry had this to say on her poems:

"If she informs us that the lines are composed about a female friend, we realize that they contain things addressed to a male friend, but she has hidden them behind the veil of the feminine pronoun to conform to social rules that require a woman to conceal her emotions, even in poetry."[2]

She first published her book of poems called The Rose Garden in 1867, which would be republished a total of three times.[1]

Impact

Warda's pioneering status can be attributed not only to the male profession that she broke into, but also her support for broader women's rights.[3] This can be seen during Warda's time in Egypt by her writings on women's issues in the Egyptian magazine, "Al Diya".[1] Her support women's rights led her to unveil herself in public, inspiring the designation of a commemorative portrait of her at the National Library in Beirut.[2] Ziade published a eulogy for Warda in "Al-Muqtataf" which held Warda as a model and pioneer for future Arab women.[1]

References
  1. Badran, ed. by Margot; Cooke, Miriam (2004). Opening the gates : an anthology of Arab feminist writing (2. ed.). Bloomington [u.a.]: Indiana Univ. Press. ISBN 0253217032.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  2. Ashour, Radwa (2009). Arab Women's writers: A Critical Reference Guide 1873-1999. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press.
  3. Ashour, Radwa (2009). "Arab Women Writers". Southwest Review.
  4. Meisami, Julie Scott (1998). Encyclopedia of Arabic Literature.
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