Repetition in the poetry of Mughmas bin Dagher Al-Hilli)

Abstract

Repetition is one of the most prominent stylistic phenomena in poetic language, as it plays an active role in imparting a unique rhythmic and aesthetic breath to texts and granting them a distinctive expressive character. This poetic technique reached its finest manifestations in the works of the poet Mughamis ibn Dagher al-Hilli, who adopted repetition—at its phonetic, semantic, and structural levels—as a central artistic pillar that reveals the depth of his emotional experience and the intensity of his inner sentiment. A careful contemplation of his poems places us before a coherent poetic structure in which sounds resonate, words intertwine, and structures recur, to the extent that the poem becomes a living entity pulsating with internal rhythm that amplifies its psychological and aesthetic effect.

For al-Hilli, repetition is not a mechanical or merely formal reiteration, but a conscious art that contributes to highlighting meanings, intensifying connotations, and adding a musical dimension that aligns with the oral reception of Arabic poetry, where the auditory and the emotional intertwine, and the text transforms into an interactive space that captivates the recipient and draws them into the poet’s emotional realms. Through this artistic pattern, al-Hilli was able to endow his texts with a special character that distinguishes them, combining the beauty of sound with the grandeur of meaning, making repetition a creative tool that reflects his ability to shape a poetic experience unique in its depth and impact.

Repetition in his poetry is charged with psychological and expressive functions, extending beyond the formal aspect to merge with the semantic structure of the text, reinforcing the presence of emotion and passion, and enriching suggestive power. It is also observed that the poet employs repetition in moments of intense emotion, or when seeking to affirm a meaning or a social value, reflecting his artistic awareness of the importance of this technique in persuasion and influence.

Repetition thus became part of the poet’s artistic identity, a hallmark that characterizes his poetic discourse and affirms his belonging to a linguistic and aesthetic environment that values rhythm, orality, and emotional impact. The study of repetition in the poetry of Mughamis ibn Dagher opens the way to a deeper understanding of the nature of his artistic language and highlights his ability to transform the simplest linguistic tools into expressive means of profound effect on the recipient.