Fadwa Toukan
Encyclopedia
Fadwa Touqan was well-known for her representations of resistance to Israeli occupation in contemporary Arab poetry
.
, particularly those living under Israeli occupation
.
Born in Nablus to the wealthy Palestinian Touqan
family known for their accomplishments in many fields, she received schooling until age 13 when she was forced to quit school at a young age due to illness. One of her brothers, Ibrahim Touqan
, known as the Poet of Palestine, took responsibility of educating her, gave her books to read and taught her English. He was also the one who introduced her to poetry. Touqan eventually attended Oxford University, where she studied English
and literature.
Fadwa Touqan's eldest brother is Ahmad Toukan
, former Prime Minister of Jordan.
Touqan eventually published eight poetry collections, which were translated into many languages and enjoy renown throughout the Arab World. Her book, "Alone With the Days," focused on the hardships faced by women in the male-dominated Arab world. After the Six-Day War
, Touqan's poetry focused on the hardships of living under the Israeli occupation. One of her best known poems, "The Night and the Horsemen," described life under Israeli military rule.
Touqan died on December 12, 2003 during the height of the Al-Aqsa Intifada
, while her hometown of Nablus
was under siege. The poem Wahsha: Moustalhama min Qanoon al Jathibiya (Longing: Inspired by the Law of Gravity) was one of the last poems she penned while largely bedridden.
Touqan is widely considered a symbol of the Palestinian cause and "one of the most distinguished figures of modern Arabic literature."
Touqan's poetry is set by Mohammed Fairouz
in his Third Symphony.
Arabic poetry
Arabic poetry is the earliest form of Arabic literature. Present knowledge of poetry in Arabic dates from the 6th century, but oral poetry is believed to predate that. Arabic poetry is categorized into two main types, rhymed, or measured, and prose, with the former greatly preceding the latter...
.
Overview
Touqan's poetry is known for her distinctive chronicling of the suffering of her people, the PalestinianPalestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
, particularly those living under Israeli occupation
Israeli-occupied territories
The Israeli-occupied territories are the territories which have been designated as occupied territory by the United Nations and other international organizations, governments and others to refer to the territory seized by Israel during the Six-Day War of 1967 from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria...
.
Born in Nablus to the wealthy Palestinian Touqan
Touqan
Touqan is a prominent Palestinian & Jordanian family based in Nablus and Al-Salt. During Ottoman times they were the only household that ever came close to centralizing all of the District of Nablus under their rule, and their members held the post of district chief longer than did any other local...
family known for their accomplishments in many fields, she received schooling until age 13 when she was forced to quit school at a young age due to illness. One of her brothers, Ibrahim Touqan
Ibrahim Touqan
Ibrahim Abd al-Fattah Touqan was a Palestinian nationalist poet whose works rallied Arabs during their revolt against the British. Touqan was born in Nablus, Palestine during Ottoman times. He was the brother of poetess Fadwa Touqan and he tutored and influenced her to write poetry...
, known as the Poet of Palestine, took responsibility of educating her, gave her books to read and taught her English. He was also the one who introduced her to poetry. Touqan eventually attended Oxford University, where she studied English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and literature.
Fadwa Touqan's eldest brother is Ahmad Toukan
Ahmad Toukan
Ahmad Toukan was a Palestinian political leader who was Prime Minister of Jordan from 26 September 1970 to 28 October 1970.- Overview :Toukan was born on 15 August 1903 in Nablus, Palestine....
, former Prime Minister of Jordan.
Touqan eventually published eight poetry collections, which were translated into many languages and enjoy renown throughout the Arab World. Her book, "Alone With the Days," focused on the hardships faced by women in the male-dominated Arab world. After the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
, Touqan's poetry focused on the hardships of living under the Israeli occupation. One of her best known poems, "The Night and the Horsemen," described life under Israeli military rule.
Touqan died on December 12, 2003 during the height of the Al-Aqsa Intifada
Al-Aqsa Intifada
The Second Intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada and the Oslo War, was the second Palestinian uprising, a period of intensified Palestinian-Israeli violence, which began in late September 2000...
, while her hometown of Nablus
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
was under siege. The poem Wahsha: Moustalhama min Qanoon al Jathibiya (Longing: Inspired by the Law of Gravity) was one of the last poems she penned while largely bedridden.
Touqan is widely considered a symbol of the Palestinian cause and "one of the most distinguished figures of modern Arabic literature."
Touqan's poetry is set by Mohammed Fairouz
Mohammed Fairouz
Mohammed Fairouz is an Arab American composer.Having fulfilling many commissions and created a substantial body of frequently performed works, he is considered one of the most sought after composers of the young generation. Fairouz began composing at an early age and studied at the New England...
in his Third Symphony.
External links
- Samar Attar: A discovery voyage of self and other: Fadwa Tuqan's sojourn in England in the early sixties, Arab Studies QuarterlyArab Studies QuarterlyArab Studies Quarterly is an English-language academic journal devoted to Arabist studies. It was established in 1979 by the late Professors Edward Said and Ibrahim Abu-Lughod. They envisioned the journal to be a platform for academic research to counter anti-Arab propaganda veiled by academic...
(ASQ), Summer, 2003. - Lawrence Joffe Obituary in The Guardian, 15 December 2003