Muhammad Maghout has been credited as the father of Arabic free verse poetry, liberating Arabic poems from the traditional form and revolutionizing the structure of the poem. While in prison in the 1950s, he wrote his first poems on cigarette papers as a personal memoir of his prison experience, later discovered to be revolutionary poetry. Without formal education, his future work tapped into his vivid imagination, innate mastery of words, and intuition. He wrote for theater, TV, and cinema. Maghout's work combined satire with descriptions of social misery and malaise, and what he viewed as an ethical decline among rulers in the region. Some of his themes included the problems of injustice and totalitarian governments. The struggle of the marginalized was at the heart of all his work. His first theatrical production, "The Hunchback bird", was originally a long poem that he wrote while in hiding in a small, low-ceilinged room. A dialogue emerged within the poem, transforming it to his first theatrical production. This was followed by another play, "The Clown", played by the renowned Lebanese actor Antoin Kerbaj. He cooperated with Syrian actors Dureid Lahham and Nihad Qal'i to produce some of the region's most popular and acclaimed theatrical works, such as Kasak ya Watan (Toast to the homeland), Ghorbeh (Estrangement), and "Dayat Tishreen" (October's Village).
Al-Maghout is also known for his book "I will betray my homeland", a collection of columns concerned with the dream of freedom.
Al-Maghout died in April 2006 at the age of 72.
Quotesedit
"Policemen, Interpol men everywhere; you search for the perfect crime... there is only one perfect crime; to be born an Arab."
"I am the one who has not been killed yet at war, by earthquake or street accident."
"The Arab world is astonishingly devoid of listening devices, simply because nobody speaks there"
Worksedit
Poetryedit
1959: Sadness in the moonlight (Huzn fi daw when qamar)
1964: A room with millions of walls (Gurfa bi malayin al-judrán)
1970: Joy is not my profession (Al-farah laysa mihnati)
2001: The rose slayer (Sayaf al-zohour)
2005: East of Eden, West of God (Sharq Adan, Gharb alaah)
2006: The red bedouin (Al-badawi al-ahmar)
Booksedit
I will betray my homeland (Sa akhoun watani) A best seller collection of essays that transcends time and location
The rape of "Kana" and her sisters (Ightisab kana wa akhawateha) is a collection of quotes and interviews by Al-Maghout. (Kana and her sisters are Arabic words that dictate the case of words following them.)
Theateredit
The hunchback bird (Al-ousfour al ahdab)
The Clown (Arabic: المهرج, romanized: al-Muharej)[2]
October Village (Arabic: ضيعة تشرين, romanized: Da'yat Tishrin)[3]
^Al-Shetawi, Mahmoud F. (2013). "Arabic Adaptations of Shakespeare and Postcolonial Theory". Critical Survey. 25 (3). Berghahn Books: 4–28. ISSN 0011-1570. JSTOR 24712406. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
^Hamdan, Mas'ud (2004-03-01). "The Carnivalesque Satires of Muhammad al-Maghut and Durayd Lahham: A Modern Layer of Comic Folk Drama in Arab Tradition". Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism. XVIII (2). University of Kansas: 141. from the original on 2022-03-21. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
Further readingedit
Kociejowski, Marius "The Street Philosopher and the Holy Fool: A Syrian Journey" (Sutton, 2004; new edition by Eland Books in 2016) contains an account of a meeting with the poet pp. 216–224
External linksedit
Arab literary giant Mohammad al-Maghout dies
The life of a little-known Syrian poet
January 01, 1970
muhammad, maghut, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, december,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Muhammad al Maghut news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message Muhammad al Maghout 1934 April 3 2006 Arabic محمد الماغوط was a renowned Syrian writer and poet Muhammad al Maghoutمحمد الماغوطBorn1934Salamiyah SyriaDied3 April 2006 aged 72 Damascus SyriaOccupationpoet playwright columnistLanguageArabicNationalitySyrianLiterary movementModernismNotable worksA Room with Million WallsEast of Eden West of GodI will betray my homelandSadness in the Moonlight Contents 1 Biography 2 Quotes 3 Works 3 1 Poetry 3 2 Books 3 3 Theater 3 4 TV 3 5 Movies 3 6 Translations 4 Awards 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksBiography editHe was born in the town of Salamiyah Hama Governorate in Syria to an Isma ili family citation needed He was married to the poet Saniya Salih 1 Muhammad Maghout has been credited as the father of Arabic free verse poetry liberating Arabic poems from the traditional form and revolutionizing the structure of the poem While in prison in the 1950s he wrote his first poems on cigarette papers as a personal memoir of his prison experience later discovered to be revolutionary poetry Without formal education his future work tapped into his vivid imagination innate mastery of words and intuition He wrote for theater TV and cinema Maghout s work combined satire with descriptions of social misery and malaise and what he viewed as an ethical decline among rulers in the region Some of his themes included the problems of injustice and totalitarian governments The struggle of the marginalized was at the heart of all his work His first theatrical production The Hunchback bird was originally a long poem that he wrote while in hiding in a small low ceilinged room A dialogue emerged within the poem transforming it to his first theatrical production This was followed by another play The Clown played by the renowned Lebanese actor Antoin Kerbaj He cooperated with Syrian actors Dureid Lahham and Nihad Qal i to produce some of the region s most popular and acclaimed theatrical works such as Kasak ya Watan Toast to the homeland Ghorbeh Estrangement and Dayat Tishreen October s Village Al Maghout is also known for his book I will betray my homeland a collection of columns concerned with the dream of freedom Al Maghout died in April 2006 at the age of 72 Quotes edit Policemen Interpol men everywhere you search for the perfect crime there is only one perfect crime to be born an Arab I am the one who has not been killed yet at war by earthquake or street accident The Arab world is astonishingly devoid of listening devices simply because nobody speaks there Works editPoetry edit 1959 Sadness in the moonlight Huzn fi daw when qamar 1964 A room with millions of walls Gurfa bi malayin al judran 1970 Joy is not my profession Al farah laysa mihnati 2001 The rose slayer Sayaf al zohour 2005 East of Eden West of God Sharq Adan Gharb alaah 2006 The red bedouin Al badawi al ahmar Books edit I will betray my homeland Sa akhoun watani A best seller collection of essays that transcends time and location The rape of Kana and her sisters Ightisab kana wa akhawateha is a collection of quotes and interviews by Al Maghout Kana and her sisters are Arabic words that dictate the case of words following them Theater edit The hunchback bird Al ousfour al ahdab The Clown Arabic المهرج romanized al Muharej 2 October Village Arabic ضيعة تشرين romanized Da yat Tishrin 3 Exile Ghorbeh Cheers Nation Kasak ya watan The Poppy Anemone Shaqaeq al nomaan Outside the flock kharej al sareb TV edit The night tales Hakaya al lyl Where is the mistake Wayn al ghalat The musk valley wady al misk Movies edit The borders Al hodoud The report Al taqreer Translations edit Joy is not My Profession translated by John Asfour and Alison Burch Signal Editions Montreal 1994 Awards edit2005 Prize for Poetry Al Owais Award administered by the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation 2000 Medal of the Experimental Theater Cairo 1973 Prize of Said Aql of Theater 1950 Prize For Poetry An Nahar Newspaper References edit Saniya Salih Banipal Al Shetawi Mahmoud F 2013 Arabic Adaptations of Shakespeare and Postcolonial Theory Critical Survey 25 3 Berghahn Books 4 28 ISSN 0011 1570 JSTOR 24712406 Retrieved 2023 12 06 Hamdan Mas ud 2004 03 01 The Carnivalesque Satires of Muhammad al Maghut and Durayd Lahham A Modern Layer of Comic Folk Drama in Arab Tradition Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism XVIII 2 University of Kansas 141 Archived from the original on 2022 03 21 Retrieved 2023 12 06 Further reading editKociejowski Marius The Street Philosopher and the Holy Fool A Syrian Journey Sutton 2004 new edition by Eland Books in 2016 contains an account of a meeting with the poet pp 216 224External links editArab literary giant Mohammad al Maghout dies Farewell Mohammad al Maghout Interview with Mohammad Al Maghout Early 2004 Mohammed Al Maghout The Syrian Poet with a Satiric Pen The life of a little known Syrian poet Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Muhammad al Maghut amp oldid 1210881457, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
