The Effect of Western Criticism on Arabic Criticism: "Al- Bah̩th‘an el Jodoor of Khalida Sa‘id As A Sample

Abstract

This paper deals with criticism written by Khalida Sa‘id in her book " Al-Bah̩th ‘an el Jodoor " (Looking for Roots) which showed that she was affected by "New Criticism" of Brooks, Allen Tate, Wimsatt and other New Critics. That effect was clear in her way of dealing with indirect expressing poetic meanings, ambiguity, symbols, myths, poetic imagery, poetic innovation, meter and rhyme. The research showed that Sa‘id was moderate in her opinions and was not literal. She dealt with New Criticism in a special way with a special concentration on "form" and "meaning". Form - meaning binary was a central point in her criticism according to the arab critical environment, which was far from comprehensive way in criticizing poetry, or this binary was Sa‘id's way to prove methodology for her criticism.