Bilingual Verse explores multilingual poetry as more than just a literary technique, revealing its power to express complex themes of cultural identity and displacement. It examines how poets strategically weave multiple languages, creating unique effects impossible to achieve in monolingual compositions. For example, poets often use language mixing to express feelings of alienation or to create a sense of belonging within a diaspora. Delving into the nuances of code-switching, the book reveals how poets manipulate linguistic contrasts to evoke humor, irony, or heightened emotional impact.
This academic exploration begins by defining bilingual verse and establishing its historical context, then progresses through thematically organized case studies. One section focuses on migration and cultural identity, while another investigates stylistic effects. Drawing from literary analysis, linguistic theory, and cultural studies, the book provides a multifaceted perspective on multilingual poetry.
Ultimately, it challenges traditional notions of linguistic purity and expands the possibilities of poetic expression, making it a valuable resource for students, scholars, and anyone interested in the intersection of poetry, linguistics, and cultural hybridity.
