The Misrepresentation of The Druse Community in Browning’s Unsuccessful Tragedy “The Return of the Druses” (1843): An Analytical Study

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Ismael M. Fahmi
Lanja A. Dabbagh

Abstract

There are a number of literary texts which earn their raison d’etre from the exotic nature or unfamiliar features in the subject matter of the creative work. One of the brilliant and of standing poets of all ages is Robert Browning. Robert Browning (1812-1889) chose a literary genre alien to his powers as a poet, and a topic beyond the range of a man who had little firsthand knowledge of the Levant. Since he had the power to transfer historical stories magically to forever recited and read poems all over the world and through all ages till the recent one. This poet composed a tragic play entitled The return of the Druses (1843). Literary histories tell us that it was a failure on all accounts. One of the logical reasons for this failure was presumably Browning’s ignorance of the culture he wished to depict in this work. This article is an analysis of the play, to which very little attention was paid even by the specialists in Browning studies. The conclusion is that Browning provided for the readers and spectators a rather weak image of the Druses as individuals and as a community. They are shown to be gullible and misguided as a community. Their leadership is shown as cunning, dishonest, and Machiavellian.

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How to Cite
Fahmi, I. M. and Dabbagh, L. A. (2020) “The Misrepresentation of The Druse Community in Browning’s Unsuccessful Tragedy: ‘The Return of the Druses’ (1843): An Analytical Study”, Koya University Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(1), pp. 69-72. doi: 10.14500/kujhss.v3n1y2020.pp69-72.
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Articles
Author Biographies

Ismael M. Fahmi, Department of English, College of Languages, Salahaddin University, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

I was born in Baghdad from a family with roots in Qara Dagh, Sulaymaniyah province. I attended the best private and public schools in Adamiyah district. I finished high school in June 1978 as the top graduate in Al Rusafa in Baghdad. My undergraduate years in the Dept.of English, College of Arts, Baghdad University were crowned with being Top Graduate of all English Departments in the entire republican June 22nd 1982, and the Beaver of the Silver Medal as the Second Best Graduate of Baghdad University that year. I attend more than fifty local and international conferences of languages. My slogan is Vincit Omnia Veritas (The Truth will be Victorious). 

Lanja A. Dabbagh, Department of English, College of Languages, Salahaddin University, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Lanja, got BA in English Language and Literature. MA in English language and Linguistics/ Psycholinguistics "Language Acquisition". PhD in English Language and Linguistics/ Literary Discourse Analysis "Dramatic Discourse Analysis". Started working in 1993 after graduation as a translator for 4 years at the college of Medicine. Started working in 2001 as a member of the teaching staff at the college of Arts. Member of the scientific committee at the English Department. Head of the German Department. Hobbies are:  Reading, writing, listening to classic music, and shopping  

References

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Chesterton, G.K. (1936) Robert browning. London: Macmillan and Company Limited.

Devance, W.C. (1935) A browning handbook. New York: Cornell University Press.

Gridley, R.E. (1972) Browning. London: London University Press.

Jack, I. (1973) Browning’s major poetry. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Woodhouse, A.S.P. (1965) The poet and his faith: Religion and poetry in England from Spenser to Eliot and Auden. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.