The Mysterious Man Who Demands Clarity from the World: The Semiotics of Anxiety and Tension in Al Muthaqqib Al Abdi’s Nouniyya (535–587 CE-6th Century)

Abstract

This study examines the poem al-Nūniyyah by al-Muthaqqib al-ʿAbdī through the lens of semiotics of passions, following the framework of Greimas and Fontanille. Using a descriptive–analytical approach, it investigates how emotional states are semiotically encoded in the poem and revealed through its linguistic structures.

The findings show that the poem is governed by a persistent and intense passion rooted in the poet’s personal suffering. This emotional energy shapes the text’s semiotic organization—its imagery, tone, and progression—and demonstrates persuasive power capable of influencing perception and judgment, consistent with Aristotle’s view that emotion drives human behavior and thought.

The research recommends wider application of semiotic analysis to Arabic poetry to uncover deep affective patterns and enrich critical understanding of emotional expression in classical literary texts.