Exploring Love, Yearning, and Memories in Majeed Amjad’s Poem "Munich"

Authors : Gonca Kişmir, Aykut Kişmir

Pages : 71-84

Doi:10.26650/jos.1303377

View : 36 | Download : 31

Publication Date : 2023-10-24

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The study explores the process and reasons behind the transfer of memories in the poem "Munich” (1958) by Majeed Amjad. Memories are a way of expressing the personal experiences that are shaped by our thoughts and emotions. These experiences are a crucial part of memories and become more firmly entrenched when shared through storytelling. Remembering is a process, and memories are a reflection of that process. When memories are transformed into stories, they become more deeply ingrained in our minds and become open to reinterpretation. The poem "Munich” is named after the city of Munich in Germany, a place of love for Majeed Amjad and a reminder of his love for someone. This choice of location was influenced by the poet’s historical and cultural context, as well as the autobiographical details of the woman who’d inspired him. By choosing Munich as the setting, Amjad drew upon both the reality of his society and language and the symbolic significance of the place in his memories. The poet Majeed Amjad, who had never left Pakistan, created a vivid image of Munich in his poem named after the city based on the information and memories Charlotte, a German woman he’d met briefly in 1958, had shared with him. Despite not experiencing the city firsthand, he constructed an image of it in his mind through Charlotte’s descriptions and a few photographs, and this allowed him to create a poetic representation of Munich. Using the memory theories of Maurice Halbwachs and Jan and Aleida Assmann, this study also explores how the transfer of intercultural information and memories has been depicted in the poem through Charlotte’s contributions to the poet’s understanding of the city.
Keywords : Kolektif Hafıza, Bireysel Hafıza, Hatıra, Mecid Emced, Münih