A Critical Discourse Analysis of Language and Power in Al-Husseini Theatre's Play

This study explores the intersection of language and power in the context of Al-Husseini Theatre through the lens of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), focusing specifically on the play Al-Hur Al-Riahi's Voice by Ridha Al-Kufaji. Using Fairclough’s and Van Dijk’s CDA models, the research analyzes how discursive strategies—such as positive self-representation and negative other-representation—are employed by the character Al-Hur to construct ideological meaning and assert social power. The analysis is conducted at both the micro level (linguistic structures like sentence modes and vocabulary formality) and the macro level (themes of dominance, power, and ideology). Results show that Al-Hur frequently uses formal language, imperative sentences, and rhetorical questions to assert authority and justify his moral stance. At the macro level, power emerges as the most dominant theme, with language functioning as a tool to challenge and transform ideological hierarchies. The study concludes that CDA is effective in exposing underlying power dynamics and ideological constructs in theatrical discourse, offering insights into how language can both reflect and produce social change.