The Mythological Readings of the Moon in Badr Shakir al-Sayyab's Poems

In the depiction of the social and political situation, contemporary poets utilize natural phenomena, such as the moon, which serves as both a poetic symbol and a mythological emblem. This usage plays a significant role. Therefore, it becomes imperative to purposefully interpret the mythological portrayals that are rooted in collective unconscious and archetypes inherent within the poet. Based on this, the portrayal of the moon in a poet's poetry reflects his/her style of thinking. This study aims to explore the visual implications of the mythological narrative surrounding the moon in Badr Shakir al-Sayyab's poems, employing a descriptive-analytical approach. The term 'qamar' (moon) appears 83 times, 'badr' (the full moon) 3 times, and 'hilal' (the crescent moon) 5 times in his poetry. Based on the results, we can conclude that the portrayal of socio-political issues through the moon symbol signifies a protest against the governing system within Iraqi society. This issue is illustrated in Sayyab's utilization of the myth of the moon and the archetypal analysis of the animus (masculine manifestation) and anima. The archetypal portrayal of animus embodies wisdom and guidance, while the archetypal manifestation of anima represents immortality and passion.