The Other in the Poetry of Ibn Sara Al-Andalusi

Abstract

The dialectic of the "Other" in poetry has garnered significant attention from researchers and critics, as the relationship between the concept of the "Self" and the "Other" is intertwined and interdependent. The existence of the Self is defined by the presence of the Other, and this existence is realized through the divergence among individuals and social groups, as well as through differences in consciousness, values, and concepts. However, the interdependence of the Self's existence with the Other is a fluid, relative, and changeable condition. What is considered the "Other" now may not be so later, depending on the shifting and volatile relationship between the Self and the Other.  Most researchers and critics have referred to the relationship between the Self and the Other in terms of terminology within psychology, classifying the components of the Self as the "Ego," "Id," and "Other." The concept of the "Other" entered critical discourse, leading to studies that explore the subjectivity of the poet in relation to the subjectivities of others, or the poet's perception of the differing Other. 

Criticism of the "Other" has often appeared in the context of satire, which manifests in the critique of the ideology held by the Other, though at times, it has also appeared in the context of praise. In this sense, the image of the Other has been either positive or negative. Therefore, in this study, we address both the positive and negative aspects of the Other according to the poet's intellectual perspective and vision.  Through an examination of the poetic work of Ibn Sara al-Andalusi, it is evident that the Other is depicted in various forms—religious, political, intellectual, cultural, and more. All these representations of the "Other" are present in his poetry, classified accordingly. The critique of the "Other" often appeared in the context of satire, representing a critique of the ideology held by the Other, while at times, it emerged in the context of praise. Thus, the image of the Other, in this sense, has been either positive or negative. In this discussion, we explore both the positive and negative aspects of the Other, based on the poet's intellectual perspective and vision.