The Metaphor of Power in Abu Tammam’s Poem “Fateh Amuriyah”: A Mystical Reading

Abstract

This research deals with the metaphors in Abu Tammam’s poem “Fateh Amuriyah” (The Conquest of Amuriyah) to reveal the major mental metaphor from which other verbal metaphors branched out, and which rhetorical and stylistic studies may be unable to do. The research selected the mystical studies, because of its interest in mental metaphors that appear in the expression. The research is divided into an introduction and three sections. The first section began by explaining the impact of the first recipient (The Praised Caliph) in creating these metaphors, as the Caliph was known to prefer force, which made Abu Tammam conform to the Caliph’s mentality and build his poem on a major metaphor, which is (Life is power). The second section dealt with the effect of the opening verses of the poem in revealing the great metaphor. This beginning established a major metaphor through the comparison between the sword and books and preferring the sword over books. The research demonstrated that this beginning is not - only - to be compatible with the occasion of the poem, but rather it is the product of a mentality that glorifies power and prefers it over science. Therefore, the research revealed partial metaphors that celebrate devastation in the third section. The research concluded that the metaphors in Abu Tammam’s poem relate to a mentality framed within the framework of power.