The Reflection of Folk Beliefs in the Poetry of Mutanabbi

Folk beliefs are among the most important elements of imagery in poetry. Folklore is like a mirror which reflects the spiritual characteristics of a nation and their background through proverbs, stories, myths, songs, and customs. Poets sometimes portray these beliefs so beautifully and delicately in order to elevate their poetry. The poets of the Abbasid era such as Mutanabbi, Sharif Razi, and Mahyar Deilami have been able to enrich and beautify their poetry through the common knowledge of that time and combining them with folk beliefs. The mastery of the poets of the Abbasid third era over their culture, their frequent use of proverbs and slang terms, and their use of ancient mythological culture, beliefs, and customs have let folklore culture into their works. The frequent use of beliefs in their poetry shows their realistic view towards life and their close relationship with their audience regarding social issues. Employing a descriptive-analytical method, an attempt has been made here to study folklore beliefs in the poetry of Mutanabbi. It will be easier to understand the poetry of Mutanabbi if we learn about the folk beliefs and the culture of his time. The results of this study show that Mutanabbi has been successful to enrich his poems by employing many of these folk beliefs. It also argues that his use of these beliefs not only did not diminish the value of his poetry, but also added to its rhetorical beauty. Moreover, the reflection of these beliefs in his poems reveals his collectivism.