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.