As a Gulf Arab nation, Bahraini literature had its roots in oral traditions of poetry, folktales, and proverbs, with a heavy influence from the Pearling industry.

Later, Bahrain was part of the Islamic Golden Age, with Bahraini scholars contributing to Arabic literature and religious texts.

In the 20th century, Bahrain underwent an “literary awakening” which saw a large shift away from predominantly religious writings. One of the modern pioneers of Bahraini writing is Ebrahim Al-Arrayedh, who blended both traditional and contemporary themes in his poetry.

Bahrain gained its independence from Britain in 1971, and this represented yet another major shift in Bahraini literature. This was also the start of literary associations and clubs in Bahrain where writers could share their work.

Modern Bahraini literature focuses on issues of globalization, political reform and gender issues. 

Whenever a country is in the world news regarding human rights issues, writers speaking out against authoritarianism are sure to follow, and in this regard Bahrain is no exception.