Alif: Journal of Comparative Poetics, No. 42: Literature Confronting Mortality

The articles in this issue of Alif explore how humans have come to confront their mortality across time and space, questioning the nature of loss, grief, and the possibility of an afterlife. They shed light on different cultural receptions of loss, ranging from India to Yemen, Palestine to Iraq, and the Island of Lampedusa to the war-ravaged city of Beirut. Through the exploration and reinterpretation of modern and classical elegiac poetry, children's picturebooks, fictional accounts of war, grief, and displacement, and dramatic treatments of dying and the afterlife, death is dealt with in an intimate fashion.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 576 pages
Publication date: 02 March 2023
Publisher: American University in Cairo Press

This issue of Alif delves into the multifaceted exploration of how humans have grappled with mortality throughout history and across different geographies. Contributions challenge prevailing notions about the essence of loss, grief, and the possibility of an afterlife. Is death merely a transitional phase? Or perhaps, it's simply the culmination of our existence? How have individuals throughout history employed literature and the arts to conceptualize the ever-present presence of death in their lives?

The articles in this issue delve into the deconstruction, critique, and problematization of dominant perspectives on the significance of mortality for human creativity. They offer a comprehensive range of responses to mortality, encompassing anthropological, philosophical, and psychological dimensions. These articles shed light on diverse cultural interpretations of loss, annihilation, and mortality, spanning from India to Yemen, Palestine to Iraq, the Island of Lampedusa to the war-ravaged city of Beirut, among numerous other locations. Through the examination and reinterpretation of modern and classical elegiac poetry, children's picturebooks, fictional accounts of war, grief, and displacement, and dramatic portrayals of dying and the afterlife, contributors offer an intimate exploration of death.

Contributors to this issue include:

Hajjaj Abu Jabr, Egyptian Academy of Arts, Cairo, Egypt
Karam Abu Sehly, Beni-Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt
Hala Amin, Beni-Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt
Shaimaa El-Ateek, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Mohamed Birairi, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt, and American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
Elliott Colla, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
Saeed Elmasry, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
Shaimaa Gohar, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Walid El Khachab, York University, Toronto, Canada.

In conclusion, this issue of Alif presents a thought-provoking exploration of the human experience of mortality, challenging our preconceived notions and offering diverse perspectives on loss, grief, and the afterlife. Through the examination of literature, the arts, and various cultural contexts, contributors provide a rich tapestry of insights into how humans have grappled with the inevitability of death throughout history and across different geographies.

Weight: 982g
Dimension: 242 x 173 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781649032362