The structure of time in the news of Abbasid poetry (132-300 AH), a study of narrative structure

Abstract

Time is one of the most important elements of narrative structure, as it contributes to defining the event in literary texts and clarifying the nature of the event for the recipient. It is important to note that the presence of time differs in prose and poetry, as does the presence of other narrative elements. This is due to the nature of poetry, which tends toward brevity and condensation in conveying events, unlike prose, which requires detailed narration and precise time. The nature of time in Abbasid poetry varies from one poet to another, depending on the nature of the news being conveyed. These stories cannot be separated from the temporal structure, which is an essential element in accurately and explicitly explaining events. News stories are not narrated arbitrarily without a specific time frame that gives them a real existence and a realistic character. The temporal structure in Abbasid poetry has taken two approaches: the first is a temporal structure based on indirect statements (psychological time), while the second is a temporal structure based on direct statements (real time). This study will examine the stories conveyed in Abbasid poetry according to the structure of the time stated indirectly and the structure of the time stated directly.