The Topic of Death and Resurrection in Khalil Hawi’s Poetry “The River of Ashes”

Abstract

This study investigates the death and resurrection phenomenon in Khalil

Hawi’s volume of verse The River of Ashes. The poems in this volume come

in the form of fertility myths which stand for the cycle of birth and death.

The River of Ashes contains two polarized visions. The first one is haunted

with pessimism and futility, while the second bears the spirit of optimism

and hope for a new resurrection of the Arab nation in the form of a bright

future.

Khalil Hawi, in this volume, implements myths of fertility, resurrection

and death, thus, exposing cultural agony maturing to define a comprehensive

vision of the past, present and future.

These myths include: The myth of Ulysses.

The myth of Tammuz and Ishtar.

The myth of Prometheus.