Transformations of Dual Address in Abbasid Poetry: Between Convention and Innovation

Abstract

The Abbasid poets’ meticulous attention to stylistic craftsmanship in the structure of the text surpassed that of all who preceded them. This gave rise to an unrestrained desire to create innovative poetic forms that would elevate their status and affirm their mastery, brilliance, and distinction. In light of this movement of development and renewal, the researcher undertakes a rigorous examination of a stylistic feature embodied in the technique of addressing two parties (dual address).In Abbasid poetry, a clear pattern emerges—one that is closely interconnected with pre-Islamic poetry in a relationship whose significance deepens precisely because it embodies both continuity and rupture. This paradox becomes evident when the Abbasid poet simultaneously adopts a stance of disengagement from, and alignment with, pre-Islamic poetic traditions. Such a dual movement provides strong evidence of his desire to assert a distinct poetic identity and demonstrate his ability to depart from established conventions.

 In order to clarify this luminous stylistic feature in Abbasid poetry—endowed with a unique aesthetic quality accessible only to the most refined poetic craftsmanship—the study is organized into an introductory framework and two principal axes:

1. Tracing the foundations of dual address in ancient Arabic poetry through the Umayyad era.
2. Exploring the shifts and developments of dual address in Abbasid poetry.