Dissimilarity and Horizon of Expectation: A Reading in a Pre-Islamic Text

Abstract

This paper aims to develop and illustrate a model of ancient Arab literary criticism by employing key concepts from German reception theory articulated by Hans Robert Jauss and Wolfgang Iser. Specifically, the study highlights the creative dimensions manifested in Nabigha Al-Dhubyani's reception of Hassan ibn Thabit's poetry, focusing explicitly on their differing perspectives during the renowned recitation incident. In doing so, the paper explores particular mechanisms of literary reception, notably ‘conjoint reading,’ which Iser encourages through the concepts of ‘indeterminacy’ and the ‘horizon of expectation,’ establishing a dynamic relationship between the text and its contemporary audience. Moreover, the analysis considers the profound influence of initial receptions on subsequent interpretive processes, a phenomenon described by Jauss as ‘the merging of horizons’.