A Comparative Study of Resistance Manifestations in Poems by Abolqasem Aref ‎Qazvini and Maroof Rasafi

The literature of resistance is considered the potent voice of the oppressed nations against the arrogance and the oppressing rulers as portrayed by poets in their poems. Among others, Abolqasem Aref Qazvini and MaroofRasafi are two such poets in contemporary Iranian and Iraqi literary scene. The literature of resistance themes are prominently featured in their political-social poems. Therefore, it is important and even quite necessary to study political-social themes present in their poetry. Using a descriptive-analytical method, this study tries to explore manifestations of resistance in poems by AbolqasemArefQazvini and Maroof Rasafi in order to answer the following questions: what shared themes and elements of resistance can be seen in poems by ArefQazvini and MaroofRasafi? What are their poetic features as far as the literature of resistance is concerned? AbolqasemArefQazvini and MaroofRasafi are among renowned Iranian and Iraqi poets who have devoted their poems to serving their homeland, thus earning a reputation as committed poets of literature of resistance. Employing simple and occasionally outspoken language, they point to many elements of the literature of resistance, the most important of which include defending homeland, fighting arrogance, call for unity and avoiding division, complaining about the oppression of rulers, call for the awakening of the Islamic Ummah and other political-social issues mentioned in the paper.