The Duality of Anxiety and Hope in Idris Jammaa's Poetry

Abstract

This research examines the interplay between anxiety and hope in Idris Jammaa's poetry and evaluates their influence on shaping his emotional character. A psychological approach was employed to analyze the connection between the underlying causes of anxiety and hope and their reflection in Jammaa’s poetic works. The study focused on a sample of both his personal and national poems, which encapsulate his psychological and social experiences. The structure of the research consists of an introduction, a preface, and two main sections: the first section explores the theme of anxiety in Jammaa’s poetry, while the second focuses on the theme of hope. The findings indicate that anxiety is a prevailing element in his emotional (al-wajdaniya) poetry, contributing to a sense of pessimism and isolation. In contrast, his national poetry conveys a sense of optimism for the future of his country, despite ongoing political struggles. The research further reveals that Jammaa’s emotional response to nature varies: he adopts a pessimistic outlook when engaging with it subjectively, but expresses optimism when viewing it in relation to his homeland.