Manifestations of Ideology in the Elements of Ahmad Abd al-Ghafur Attar's Plays

Abstract

This research analyzes ideological discourse in Saudi theater, focusing on the work of Ahmed Abdul Ghafour Attar, one of its pioneers. The aim is to ascertain how his ideological ideas, with their religious, political, social, and nationalist dimensions, are reflected in early theatrical texts. A descriptive-analytical approach is employed to identify the intellectual perspectives that contributed to shaping the implicit ideological discourse concealed behind elements of dramatic structure. The research concludes that Attar's discourse in his plays parallels his arguments scattered throughout his other non-literary works. These works draw upon the heritage of Islamic and Arab cultures as primary reference points, while simultaneously confronting opposing calls for renewal and modernity originating in the West. Furthermore, his use of translation and Arabization is not divorced from his ideological discourse, which is integrated into the elements of theatrical construction. The research also suggests a possible link between the themes of the plays of pioneering Saudi playwrights and their intellectual visions. It is recommended to expand its study, analyze the work of others, and take advantage of modern critical approaches to link texts to the historical and social context, in order to enrich cultural studies concerned with the analysis of ideological discourse.