Warda al-Yaziji

Warda al-Yaziji (1838–1924) was a Lebanese Christian poet who rose to prominence in the early twentieth century, and is considered a pioneer for opening up the field of writing to women.

[1][2] As she got older, Warda began teaching at a school while continuing to write and married her husband Francis Shamun in 1866.

[2] Despite the denunciation, her poetry went on to inspire many women, most notably May Ziade who not only became a prominent writer but also went on to teach many courses over Warda's works.

[4] Ziade, in one of her lectures on Warda's poetry had this to say on her poems: "If she informs us that the lines are composed about a female friend, we realize that they contain things addressed to a male friend, but she has hidden them behind the veil of the feminine pronoun to conform to social rules that require a woman to conceal her emotions, even in poetry.

[1] Her support for women's rights led her to unveil herself in public, inspiring the designation of a commemorative portrait of her at the National Library in Beirut.