The Trajectories of Transformation in the Cultural and Literary Life in Libya during the Twentieth Century

Abstract

This research provides a study and analysis of "The Trajectories of Transformation in the Cultural and Literary Life in Libya during the Twentieth Century," a pivotal period in Libyan history marked by profound political, social, and intellectual changes that directly impacted the creative landscape. The study aims to trace these trajectories and monitor how writers and intellectuals responded to the successive conditions and eras, starting from the late Ottoman rule, passing through the long period of Italian occupation, then the phase of the British and French Administrations, and finally reaching the era of independence (The Libyan Kingdom).

The research adopted an integrated methodology that combines the historical approach to track temporal phases and their impact, the descriptive approach to monitor the cultural situation, and the analytical approach to extract findings and interpret literary phenomena.

The study showed that the Italian occupation represented a phase of cultural disruption and isolation, where the cultural scene nearly vanished entirely, with the exception of the cultural resistance led by Folk Poetry as an almost sole form of expression for the people's issues and concerns. During the phase of the two administrations, a gradual easing occurred, paving the way for the phase of literary maturity in the era of independence, where educational institutions like the Libyan University were established, and the Press flourished, providing the necessary platforms for the emergence of a new generation of writers.

The research focused on the main creative fields: Poetry (with its shifts from classicism to nationalism and reform), and the Short Story and Novel, which witnessed a boom and the emergence of Libyan pioneers. The research concludes with findings that affirm that Libyan literature, while influenced by literary schools in the Arab Mashriq, maintained its unique character and distinction in monitoring the Libyan lived reality and the national concern, highlighting the pivotal role of cultural institutions in building the modern cultural scene.