Cultural Structures in the Novel "Ghurbat Al-Sheeh"

Abstract

This research adopts "Cultural Structures" as its critical methodology, being one of the most significant procedural mechanisms in cultural criticism theory, particularly the conceptual framework developed by Abdullah Al-Ghidhami. It employs this framework to examine the cultural-structural transformations in the novel "Ghurbat Al-Sheeh," which contains both overt and covert structures. These structures are diverse, encompassing cultural, social, and religious dimensions, as well as the influence of customs and traditions on societal groups. The objective is to delve deeper into the novel's narratives rather than merely appreciating its aesthetic qualities.

The study is structured into a preliminary section, which establishes a theoretical foundation for popular heritage, followed by two main parts:

1. Introducing the novel "Ghurba/Al-Sheeh": addressing the linguistic and conceptual meaning of "Ghurba" (alienation/exile) and the scientific definition of "Sheeh" (wormwood).
2. Culture and the terminology of cultural criticism: exploring the mechanisms of cultural criticism.

The core of the research extracts the cultural structures within the novel, organized into two main investigations:

• First: The structure of dominant popular heritage and the subsidiary structures falling under it.
• Second: The structures of the journey and the subsidiary structures associated with it.