Stylistics in the Ode “Hadith Palestine” by Ahmed Al-Waeli: A Semantic-Rhetorical Analysis

Stylistics is one of the braches of literary criticism that particularly focuses on the data of linguistics and rhetoric and deals with its text and structure to reveal inherent aesthetics in it and show the reader expressive patterns, leading to distinguish the works of writers. Sheikh Ahmad Al-Waeli is one of the contemporary poets who took an active style in his political poems, especially “Hadith Palestine”. He talks about the will of the people of this land in particular and the Arabs in general to defend their usurped rights. This study aims to analyze the ode at two levels i.e. semantic and rhetorical by taking into account the descriptive-analytical method, to reveal its inherent connotations and reach its wonderful aesthetics. The results of this study show that the poet employs tandem at the semantic level and contrast to understand ideas about the land of Palestine and Palestinian uniqueness and increasing sense of patriotism.  He applauds the Palestinian fighters who did not leave their resistance on the occupied land. In terms of rhetoric, the poet uses verbal repetition in a special way to alert the addressee that the concept presented through repetition needs more caution and awareness. The dialogue that takes place in the ode by asking questions from a child and answering by his father, prepares the reader to reflect about the right of the Palestinians to demand and the invalidity of the occupiers. Although the father, while answering to the child, expects the good and success in the future for his country, to not forget the depression weighing on his shoulders, which is racist and hateful on the part of the Zionists who try to promote it from time to time that the Arabs are not equal to them.