The Emergence of Playwriting in Arabic Literature

Lazaar, Mohammed; Hadou, Noureddine Abdelwahed

مجلة النص
Volume 12, Numéro 1, Pages 728-739
2025-06-02

The Emergence Of Playwriting In Arabic Literature

Authors : Lazaar Mohammed . Hadou Noureddine Abdelwahed .

Abstract

This article explores the historical trajectory of playwriting in Arabic literature, highlighting theatre as a Western art form that was not embraced by Arab cultures until the mid-19th century. It traces the origins of theater to ancient religious rituals and its subsequent development in Greek civilization. The article also examines the factors that delayed the emergence of theater in the Arab world, including political and social instability, the dominance of poetry as a primary artistic expression, and religious and cultural prohibitions on music, dance, and gender mixing. It further reviews the early stages of theater in Lebanon, its migration to Egypt, and the rise of prominent playwrights like Tawfiq al-Hakim. The article also touches on the history of Syrian theater, its pioneers, and the evolution of playwriting genres, concluding that efforts to root theater in Arabic literature have often been driven by subjective, rather than objective, motives.