Aesthetics of Multidirectional Memory in Agha Shahid Ali's Selected Poems

Haran, Fatima Majeed; Mohammed, Prof. Dr. Awfa Hussein

doi:10.25130/Lang.10.2.P2.23

Aesthetics of Multidirectional Memory in Agha Shahid Ali's Selected Poems

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Fatima Majeed Haran

Prof. Dr. Awfa Hussein Mohammed

English Department, College of Education for Women, Tikrit University, Tikrit, Iraq

https://doi.org/10.25130/Lang.10.2.P2.23

Abstract

This study explores the aesthetics of multidirectional memory and mnemonic devices in Anglophone poetry, particularly in Agha Shahid Ali's collection "Rooms Are Never Finished" and related poems. Drawing on Michael Rothberg's theory of multidirectional memory, which posits that collective memories of different histories of suffering, grief, and loss can coexist and interact rather than compete, the study suggested that Ali uses poetry as a site for negotiating overlapping memories. The study argues that memory in Ali's poetry functions as a dynamic, relational process rather than a static or singular narrative. Through close readings of selected poems, the study demonstrates how Ali employs a range of mnemonic devices, including repetition, intertextual allusion, and sensory imagery that serve as mechanisms for remembering and reshaping personal and collective histories. Also, the study emphasizes the ghazal form's role in showcasing fragmentation, autonomy, and continuity in memory.

Keywords

Multidirectional memory

Mnemonic devices

Agha Shahid Ali

Ghazal form

Historical loss