AN INTRINSIC ANALYSIS OF MAHMOUD DARWIS A LOVER FROM PALESTINE

Abstract

This study examines the intrinsic elements of Mahmoud Darwish's poem A Lover from Palestine and how these elements shape its meaning and emotional impact. As poetry increasingly circulates on digital platforms such as Poem Hunter and TikTok, Darwish's work continues to resonate with young readers through its rich metaphors and expressions of love, pain, and humanity, despite criticism of its intense emotionality and figurative density. Using a qualitative descriptive method grounded in Wellek and Warren's theory of intrinsic elements, this research analyzes the poem's inner elements (theme, tone, message, and imagery) and physical elements (diction and typography) through close reading and textual marking. The findings show that the poem's central theme is love for the homeland intertwined with a broader sense of humanity, conveyed through a gentle yet emotionally charged tone that immerses readers in the suffering and struggle of the Palestinian people. Its message frames love for one's homeland as both feeling and resistance, sustained by strength and hope amid hardship. Visual, emotional, and implied sound imagery—such as comparisons of the beloved's eyes to a forest and a thorn—deepen the poem's emotional resonance, while metaphor-rich diction and free-verse typography, marked by varied punctuation, reinforce its dynamism and expressive intensity. Overall, this study demonstrates that Darwish's poem functions not merely as personal expression but as a vehicle for social and political resistance, articulating universal values of love, loss, and hope through the Palestinian experience.