Woman in the poems of Jamīl Ṣidqī Al-Zahāwī

The issue of women has consistently been a central theme attracting the attention of writers and poets throughout literary history. This subject, addressed in both prose and poetry, has retained its relevance in the modern era. Particularly from the late 19th century onward, debates surrounding women's rights became increasingly prominent, deeply engaging the intellectual circles of the time. Among these was the Iraqi thinker and poet Jamil Sidqi al-Zahawi (1863–1936), who also served in the Ottoman bureaucracy and joined these debates in defense of women. The discussions between supporters and opponents of women's rights revolved around issues such as the rights denied to women, the means by which those rights could be achieved, and the criteria determining women's societal status. In this context, al-Zahawi addressed not only the legal and political aspects but also the familial, social, and religious dimensions of women's status. Emphasizing the role of women as wives and mothers, he highlighted their place within the family. From a social perspective, he stressed the importance of women's participation in the workforce, their role in societal development, and the necessity of their education. The poet also brought to light some chronic problems of the time, such as the early marriage of girls to elderly men, polygamy, and divorce. He critically engaged with the views of religious figures on women and questioned certain misconceptions and traditions that were mistakenly accepted as part of religion. Al-Zahawi also evaluated the status of women through an East–West lens, harshly criticizing the lower regard for women in the East compared to their Western counterparts. Another major issue that al-Zahawi addressed in his poetry is violence against women. In the patriarchal structure of Iraqi society, men marginalized women and viewed them as commodities. However, al-Zahawi did not limit his poetic representation of women to their suffering. He also described them as beings created by God to bring peace and comfort to men, praising their physical beauty with his distinctive literary style. He depicted features such as the face, cheeks, eyes, stature, and hair in a poetic and expressive manner. This study is based on al-Zahawi's poems concerning women and employs methods of textual analysis and interpretation.