Elegy for Wife in Arabic and Farsi Poetry: the Case of Jarir Ibn Atieh and Khaqani Shervani based on the American School

Elegy involves the most sincere affections. Elegy for father, mother, brother, sister and spouse existed in ancient Arabic Poetry but elegy for wife is rare in comparison with elegy for husband. In addition, elegy for wife exists in Farsi Literature. This study reviewed elegy of Jarir Ibn Atieh and Khaqani Shervani for their wives based on the American School of Comparative Literature and René Wellek Theory. The purpose of this study was to investigate literary and cultural commonalities of Ancient Arabic and Farsi Literature. In addition, this study found that rare elegies for wives exist in Arabic and Farsi poems. Based on the American School, the culture of the poet has been effective in accepting this literary genre and the complicated poetic language of Jarir and Khaqani has become soft and simple in these poems. This is because the poet has had deep sighs and wails and has been mourning. This shows the sincerity of emotions in the poems of these two poets. Descriptive-analytical methodology was used in this study.