Poetic Anthologies in Saudi Literary History: A Critical Study

Abstract

This research examines poetic anthologies in Saudi literary history through critical lens, aiming to explore their approaches, selection criteria, and methods, as well as the motives behind their compilation. The study highlights the importance of poetry as a significant literary form, approached through a selective, evaluative process. It includes an introduction and conclusion summarizing the findings and is structured around key themes: the concept and challenges of naming, authorship trends and motives, selection methods and criteria, and the critical value of these anthologies. The research concludes that the concept of “selection” was less prominent among the authors of Saudi poetic anthologies compared to their focus on profiling poets. The titles of these anthologies often emphasized the poet over the selected texts. Individual authors predominated, driven by national motives to introduce Saudi poetry and poets on both regional and international stages. The approaches and criteria for selection varied, including thematic focus, fame, and artistic quality, with the latter being the most common. However, anthologies allowing poets to choose their own works were the most notable among the selection methods. This diversity in approaches underscores the richness and evolving nature of Saudi poetic anthologies.