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Title REINSCRIBING POST-SPACE: A STUDY OF SPATIAL METAPHORS IN THE POETRY OF TAUFIQ RAFAT AND RIZWAN AKHTAR

Author(s) Syeda Marium Zara

Abstract Title: Reinscribing Post-Space: A Study of Spatial Metaphors in the Poetry of Taufiq Rafat and Rizwan Akhtar This study examines the poetry of Taufiq Rafat and Rizwan Akhtar, emphasizing their engagement with the representation and reclamation of spaces in postcolonial Pakistan through reading of spatial metaphors present in their poetry. This research argues that these poets, through their poetic works, reinterpret spaces which are marked by colonial histories, connecting them to pre-colonial cultural practices and converting them into spaces of resistance and identity formation. This spatial reclamation not only challenges the colonial legacies embedded in the landscape but also creates a distinct voice for Pakistani English literature within global literary discourse. The research employs textual analysis as a research strategy in order to read the spatial metaphors in the poems and extract the spatial representation embedded in them. By employing the theoretical frameworks of Russell West-Pavlov’s concept of “spatial metaphors,” W. J. T. Mitchell’s concept of “ideological map,” and Sara Upstone’s concept of “post-space,” the study highlights the political and cultural dimensions of spatial representation in Rafat and Akhtar’s poetry. While Rafat’s poetry explores the historical and cultural shifts in rural and urban landscapes, reflecting the tensions that are present between colonial erasure and indigenous resilience, Akhtar, in turn, portrays the fragmented contemporary spaces, blending personal and collective experiences to reclaim urban and rural spaces of cultural significance. Together, their works emphasize the centrality of space in postcolonial identity and cultural renewal. This research underscores that Rafat and Akhtar’s poetry not only critiques colonial spatial practices but also redefines the postcolonial landscape by reclaiming it for cultural memory and continuity. Their contribution positions Pakistani English literature as an evolving field that negotiates history, identity, and spatial politics on a global stage

Type Thesis/Dissertation

Faculty Languages

Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2025-03-06

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