The Repercussions of the Outsider in Adjacent Literary Structures and Contemporary Iraqi Dramatic Text: The Play "Playing on the Nawa" as a Model

Abstract

Abstract

          The concept of the outsider is embodied in several concepts and implications that point to the same meaning and convergence in content. The outsider is the person who feels alienated and psychologically detached, a separation from the self. The conflict between the self and the object shifts from the external to the internal realm of the human psyche. The reason for this separation is the distance between reality and essence, and between reality and place. The problem lies not only in what exists, but rather in what does not exist as it should be. From this arose the idea for the current research, which comprises four chapters. The first chapter deals with the methodological framework, encompassing the research problem centered on the following question: What are the implications of the outsider in neighboring literary structures and contemporary Iraqi theatrical texts? The importance and need for this research were established. The research aims to identify the implications of the outsider in neighboring literary structures and contemporary Iraqi theatrical texts. The research is timed to cover the period between 2020 and 2024, geographically confined to Iraq, while the thematic focus is on the implications of the outsider in these structures. The first chapter, which examines the relationship between contemporary Iraqi plays and neighboring literary traditions, concludes with a definition of the key terms used in the research title.

The second chapter focuses on the theoretical framework and comprises two sections. The first section addresses the concept of the outsider in neighboring literary structures, while the second examines the outsider in international plays. The second chapter concludes with a review of previous studies and the indicators derived from the theoretical framework.

The third chapter details the procedural framework (research procedures). It includes the research population, consisting of five contemporary Iraqi plays, and the research sample, which comprises one contemporary play: "Playing on the Core." This sample was selected purposively to align with the research population, and the researcher justified the selection process to achieve the research objective. The researcher utilized the indicators of the theoretical framework as a tool for analyzing the samples, and the research methodology employed was descriptive-analytical. Chapter Four focuses on the research findings, the most important of which are:

1. The repercussions and horrors of wars, fueled by human suffering and subjected to the tyranny of rulers and the values ​​of power, are reflected in the behavior of the "non-belonger" character. The deteriorating political situation produces a citizen who is "non-belonger," unfit to defend their identity and homeland.
2. The dimensions of the concept of "non-belonger" are embodied as a dominant theme in the dramatic structure of the events, relying on multiple dramatic approaches based on the principle of creating an underlying meaning that contradicts the apparent meaning.

The chapter also includes a number of conclusions, the most important of which are:

1. Some "non-belonger" characters exhibit psychological behavior in dealing with situations and events within the drama that resembles madness. The reality perceived by others is contrary to what the "non-belonger" character sees.
2. Some of the (outsider) characters possessed alien and disparate aspects, lacking identity and possessing unknown personalities. They appeared out of nowhere and attempted to sow discord among the characters, much like any occupier or colonizer, thus unleashing political dimensions within the structure of the theatrical text.

The researcher then presented several suggestions and recommendations related to the research topic, and concluded the study with a list of sources and references.