A revolution without heroes

In mid-June, the Syrian poet known as Adonis, one of the Arab world’s most renowned literary figures, addressed an open letter to Bashar al-Assad. The stage was set for one of those moments, familiar from revolutions past, in which an intellectual hero confronts an oppressive ruler and voices the grievances of a nation. Instead, Adonis — who lives in exile in France — bitterly disappointed many Syrians. The incident has come to illustrate the remarkable gulf between the Arab world’s established intellectuals and the largely anonymous young people who have led the protests of the Arab Spring.

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