Master’s Degree Awarded to Ms. Samar Ali Mohammed Humaid in Arabic Literature and Criticism

Ms. Samar Ali Mohammed Humaid was awarded a Master’s Degree in Arabic Literature and Criticism with an average of Excellent and a grade of (95) for her thesis titled: The Semiotics of Isotopy and Contrast in the Poetry of Al-Fudhool, which was submitted to the Department of Arabic Language, Faculty of Languages – Sana’a University. The MA defense was held on Saturday, December 6, 2025.

The MA Viva-voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:
# Committee Members Designation Position
1 Prof. Ameena Yusuf Mohammed Internal Examiner Chair
2 Dr. Huda Ahmed Al-Saidi Main Supervisor Member
3 Assoc. Prof. Ali Hamoud Al-Samhi External Examiner Member
The study aimed to explore the latent meanings of Al-Fudhool’s poetic texts, uncover their semiotic codes, and delve into the depth of their significations. It approached these poems as symbolically inscribed narratives reflecting Al-Fudhool’s personal trajectory, encapsulating themes of love, homeland, and the aspiration for freedom, as shaped by the simplicity and aesthetics of his native environment.
The study yielded a number of key findings summarized as follows:
 Isotopy in Al-Fudhool’s poetry emerged as a salient phenomenon warranting a semiotic approach, which uncovered hidden signifiers embedded within the poet’s structural use of language.
 Phonetic isotopy and its semiotic dimensions were shown to arise through repetition, harmony, and the deliberate insistence on particular sounds, words, or phrases, reflecting a psychological dimension closely tied to the poet’s inner state.
 Contrast was established as a semiotic technique capable of conveying indicative meaning, with phonetic contrast forming a system of signs that contributes to textual identity, whereby sounds transform into symbols imbued with emotional and cultural significance.
 Al-Fudhool’s poetry was found to integrate binary oppositions, generating a network of signs and themes such as homeland/exile, life/death, and light/darkness.
 Al-Fudhool’s poetic legacy was affirmed as rich, fertile, and enigmatic, worthy of continued exploration and interpretive engagement.
In light of these findings, the researcher recommended:
 Expanding the application of semiotic studies to Yemeni poetry to uncover patterns of isotopy and contrast across multiple textual levels.
 Employing modern semiotic theories and advanced analytical frameworks to derive deeper and more complex insights into textual phenomena, with particular emphasis on manifestations of isotopy and contrast.
 Encouraging continued scholarly engagement with Al-Fudhool’s poetry as a profound literary corpus that merits sustained critical exploration.
The defense session was attended by a number of academics, researchers, students, colleagues, and the researcher’s family.