Painting of a zebra at the nest Semiotic study

The zebra has long raced against time in ancient Arabic poetry, striving toward the pleasures of life. It became an exalted poetic symbol, making its presence prominent in the works of poets. Accordingly, this study, titled The Semiotics of the "Zebra" in the Poetry of Al-A’sha, explores the representation of the zebra in his poetry. Al-A’sha is classified among the cosmopolitan poets due to his extensive travels across Arab and Persian lands. This study seeks to unveil the image of the zebra in his poetry, delve into its semantic dimensions in classical Arabic poetry, and address the lack of scholarly focus on its symbolism in Al-A’sha’s works. The research is structured into an introduction, two main chapters, and a conclusion summarizing the findings. The introduction outlines the research significance, objectives, and key questions. The first chapter examines relevant concepts, meanings, and provides an overview of the poet. The second chapter conducts a semiotic analysis of the zebra’s portrayal in Al-A’sha’s poetry. Finally, the conclusion presents the study’s key findings, followed by a bibliography of sources and references.