Between Two Worlds: The Mahjar Literary Movement
The Mahjar Literary Movement was a major landmark in the development of Arabic literature and language, as well as the articulation of the specific Arab-American diasporic experience.
In partnership with the University of Chicago Center for Middle Eastern Studies and with the support of a grant from the US Department of Education, we’ve developed an afikra lesson plan and curricular material that explores the impact of the Mahjar literary movement and the experience of Arab writers in the diaspora.
In this blog, you’ll find a brief introduction to the themes and figures the lesson plan explores.
What was the Mahjar Literary Movement?
The Mahjar (المهجر) was a Romanticist migrant literary movement active from the late 19th to mid-20th century. It was started by Arab writers who had emigrated mostly from Ottoman Lebanon, Syria and Palestine to the US.
They were similar in many ways to the ‘Nahda’ movement that preceded them. Inspired, changed, and influenced by their encounter with the Western world, the Mahjar writers were committed to renewing and reimagining ‘the form and essence of Arabic literature and language.’
The Mahjar movement stemmed from Arabic romanticism which in turn was borne out of Arabic neoclassical poetry. Similar to Western Romanticism, Mahjar writers sought to break out of standard structures, with emphasis on themes such as love, spirituality and the figure of ‘the poet’ as a lone figure.
What does ‘Mahjar’ mean?
Al Mahjar (pronounced: al mah-jar) means the refuge or the diaspora in Arabic. It comes from the Arabic root hajara, which means to leave or abandon.
The Pen League
From Left to Right: Nasib Arida, Khalil Gibran, Abd al-Masih Haddad, and Mikhail Naimy
The first significant Mahjar literary circle was actually established in South America. But the most impactful and widely known was al-Rabitah al-qalamiyyah or ‘The Pen League’ in English. The Pen League was started unofficially in 1916 by Nasib Arida and Abdul Massih Haddad. In 1920, it was reformed in New York by Ameen Rihani, Khalil Gibran and Nasib Arida. The group soon became an active literary circle and the heart of North American Arab literature.
As put by Mikhail Naimy, the Pen League’s Secretary, the group’s fundamental purpose was to: ‘To lift Arabic literature from the quagmire of stagnation and imitation, and to infuse a new life into its veins so as to make of it an active force in the building up of the Arab nations.’
Key Members of the Mahjar Literary Movement
Khalil Gibran
Born in Bcharre, Lebanon, Khalil Gibran emigrated to Boston at the age of 12. Gibran is best known for his book The Prophet. Beyond his work as an author, though, he also considered himself an artist. He wrote in both English and Arabic, and much of his writing explored the Arab-American immigrant experience.
Gibran was also politically active was particularly outspoken about the Great Famine of Mount Lebanon that took place between 1915 and 1918 during the First World War. In a letter he wrote to Mary Haskell, he accused the Turkish government of purposefully planning the famine. Gibran also wrote a poem dedicated to the victims of the famine entitled ‘Dead Are My People’.
Elia Abu Madi
Elia Abu Madi was a poet and journalist, whose work is best known for the way it harnesses language and draws on traditional Arabic poetic motifs. Abu Madi was born in Lebanon, lived in Alexandria for a time before moving to the United States. In New York, he started working as an editor for a number of Arabic-language newspapers and magazines, including Mir ‘at al-gharb. In 1929, Abu Madi launched Al-Samīr which eventually became a daily newspaper.
Afifa Karam
Afifa Karam was a journalist, writer, and translator. She worked for Al-Hoda, an Arabic-language daily newspaper based in New York. She also wrote three Arabic Language novels, all of which confronted questions of Arab vs American values and gender roles. She was also outspoken about women’s rights and Arab Feminism through her work with the Mahjar.
Abd al-Masih Haddad
Abd al-Masih Haddad was a Syrian writer and journalist. He showcased the works of many of the Mahjar members by publishing them in his magazine As-Sayeh.
Ameen Rihani
Ameen Rihani was a Lebanese-American writer, political activist and intellectual. He was part of the early development of Arab nationalist thought. He is often referred to as the ‘founding father of Arab American literature.’ His work is celebrated as pioneering a bridge between East and West. In poetic terms, Rihani is ‘credited with introducing free verse into Arab poetry.’
Rihani advocated for a number of political causes including East-West relations, liberation of modern-day Syria and Lebanon from the Ottoman Empire, and the future of Palestine vis-à-vis the Zionist project.
afikra Lesson plan about the Mahjar Literary Movement
High school teachers looking to include content about the Arab world in their lessons can use afikra’s classroom resource: Between Two Worlds, The Mahjar Literary Movement, which focuses on the Arab-American immigrant experience and its impact on literature and identity.
What’s included?
This resource includes:
Informational slides that are ready for classroom use
Thought-provoking readings
Stimulating discussion questions
Student activities
All together, this resource is designed to help students develop an enduring understanding of how the immigrant experience shaped the writing and thought of Arab writers in America during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
What will students learn?
To establish a foundation for understanding Mahjar literature, students will delve into the historical context of Arab immigration to the United States. Informational slides and readings will provide an overview of the reasons behind Arab migration, the challenges faced by immigrants, and the formation of Arab-American communities.
By examining primary and secondary sources, students will gain insights into the socio-cultural factors that influenced the writing of Arab writers living in diaspora.
Students will be introduced to important writers of this movement, including Khalil Gibran, Elia Abu Madi and Abd al-Masid Haddad. Students will also explore themes such as cultural identity, assimilation, displacement, nostalgia, and cultural dialogue between East and West. Discussion questions will encourage students to analyze the unique ways in which the Al-Mahjar writers portrayed these themes, as well as the similarities and differences among their works.
This resource paves the way for fostering empathy, promoting cultural understanding, and encouraging students to appreciate the rich tapestry of voices within their own classrooms and beyond.