Al-Thābit wa al-mutaḥawwil

work by Adonis

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July 15, 2026

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Al-Thābit wa al-mutahawwil (Stability and Change) is a collection of critical essays by the renowned Syrian-born Lebanese poet and literary critic Adonis. Published in 1974, this work delves into the complexities of stability and change within the context of Arab culture and literature. Adonis, a key figure in the modernist movement of Arabic poetry, uses his critical essays to explore themes that also inform his innovative poetic style, which often blends elevated diction with influences from Sufism and Surrealism. The collection is part of his broader body of work that examines Arab history and identity, contributing to the rich tradition of adab, a term encompassing literature, good conduct, and intellectual knowledge in the Arab world.12

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Arabic literature
The 20th century and beyond
…form of the four-volume study Al-Thābit wa al-mutaḥawwil (1974–78; “The Static and the Dynamic”), in which he surveys the entire Arabic literary tradition and concludes that, like the literary works themselves, attitudes to and analyses of them must be subject to a continuing process of reevaluation. Yet what he actually…
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…form of the four-volume study Al-Thābit wa al-mutaḥawwil (1974–78; “The Static and the Dynamic”), in which he surveys the entire Arabic literary tradition and concludes that, like the literary works themselves, attitudes to and analyses of them must be subject to a continuing process of reevaluation. Yet what he actually…
Read More