The Pre-Islamic Poet Likened His Camel to a Wild Animal: Muallaqat Poets are a Model

Abstract

Throughout examining the poetic similes in which the poet compares his camel to beast animals, a question comes to the reader’s mind: why does the poet liken his camel to a zebra or an oryx?

To answer this question and to reach the meaning behind this analogy, the reader needs to examine the texts and the environment circumstances the poet faced. They have shaped the poet’s concepts and they help readers understand his poetry.

Animals played a role in the pre-Islamic poetry as they had a role in pre-Islamic civilization. They had a religious importance, in addition to their importance in human life as a means of traveling. Further, the animal was considered an equivalent to the poet's self in various situations, the poet hides behind his curtain and shows what he fears to show through the image of the animal. The reason is that the poetic scene borrowed from environment elements and likened to the lived reality, is more informative in conveying the message. Therefore, we find the poet makes the animal as important as a human.