The Incorporation of Poetry into Andalusian Prose from the Fourth Hijri Century to the Fall of al-Andalus

This doctoral dissertation investigates the phenomenon of incorporating poetry into prose texts in Andalusian literature, viewing it as an artistic and semantic practice that played a significant role in enriching the stylistic structure of prose and deepening its expressive dimensions. The study seeks to uncover the underlying motivations behind this practice and to examine its aesthetic and functional roles within prose discourse. It further aims to demonstrate the Andalusian prose writers’ ability to draw upon the poetic heritage and skillfully adapt it to the conventions and demands of artistic prose in ways that serve their textual purposes. The dissertation consists of an introduction, a preliminary chapter, three main chapters, and a conclusion. It adopts an integrative methodological approach that combines descriptive, analytical, and historical methods through the close analysis of selected samples of Andalusian prose texts. The study examines the various techniques of poetic incorporation, identifies the sources of the poetic verses and their thematic functions, and explores the nature of the relationship between poetry and prose. It also seeks to reveal the reasons that prompted prose writers to embed poetic verses within their texts and to assess the degree to which such integration harmonizes with the overall textual context. The dissertation concludes that the employment of poetry in Andalusian prose constitutes a refined and deliberate stylistic choice that contributed to enhancing textual cohesion, intensifying semantic richness, and increasing the persuasive and affective impact of prose discourse on the recipient. Moreover, this practice played a vital role in connecting prose writing to the Arabic literary heritage in a manner that serves the objectives and functions of the text. The study reveals a high level of artistic awareness of the nature and potential of poetic language, as well as a conscious recognition of its capacity to serve the aims of prose discourse, whether in persuasion, influence, or clarification.