Identity in Mahmoud Darwish's Poem 'The dice player'

Abstract

AbstractThis article focuses on Mahmoud Darwish's long and creative journey in the world of poetry in the context of the Palestinian struggle as represented in his great poem 'The dice player'. The Darwishian world as he portrays it in the 'The dice player' is populated with images of existence, resistance and creativity. Darwish's role in modern Arab poetry and culture is widely acknowledged and celebrated. His voice was unique, authentic and in tune with the music of many souls in Palestine, the Arab world and even worldwide. Indeed, Darwish contributed definitively to the construction of Palestinian identity, and the Palestinian people informed and featured prominently in Darwish's poetry. Darwish's 'dice player' is highly praised in Arabic poetry becaues it embodies emblems of intellectual maturity and identity that are personal and plural, worldly and local. It is crafted with an aesthetic balance that ripples with consciousness, art and humanity.