Topic question

Hispano-Arabic literature
1. Write a paragraph about each of the following works, mentioning their
author, the period they were written in, the topics of the work and its
significance.
Tawq al-Hamama (Dove’s Necklace)
Tawq al-Hamama was written by Ibn Hazm of Cordoba (d. 1064), an innovator
in the field of muwashshah and one of the most original minds in Andalusia.
The work is an essay on psychology, anatomy, and manifestations of love in joy
and sorrow. It is a pioneer work on chivalric work which parallels Andreas
Cappellanus’ The Art of Courtly Love. It is universally recognized as one of the
greatest Medieval literature classics.
al-ʿIqd al-Farīd (The Unique Necklace)
al-‘Iqd al-Farid is the first example of belles lettres, written by Ibn ‘Abd Rabbihi
(d. 940). It heavily borrows from the encyclopedic collections of al-Jahiz and
Ibn Qutaybah.
2. Explain how is zajal different from muwashahat?
Both zajal and muwashshah were new and lively creations that rose from the
fusion of Arab and Provençal cultures. They were based on the refrain for a
chorus and so meant to be sung.
Muwashshah was more courtly.
3. What are the main characteristics of muwashahat and who are the most
prominent authors. Name two. Zajal was more popular and most notably
practiced by Ibn Quzman (d. 1160).
Muwashshah was usually a love poem, though mystics also adopted it. It
consists of rhymed Arabic strophes joined by recurrent 2-line Kharjah, or envoi,
in Romance or pungent, colloquial Arabic. It was represented by al-Tutili (d.
1126), Ibn Baqi (d. 1145), Ibn Sahl (d. 1251) and Ibn al-Khatib (d.1374). In this
way the love traditions of Jamil and ‘Umar made its way into Provençal courtly
love.
4. What are the main characteristics of zajal and who is its most prominent
author?
Zajal was more popular and most notably practiced by Ibn Quzman (d. 1160).
Folkloric tradition
1. What is it that distinguishes the folkloric literary tradition from other forms
of Arabic literature?
Classical written text was inaccessible to the illiterate masses, so a separate
body of oral narrative was formed, which consisted of dialects or mixed Arabic
as opposed to the standardized written Arabic. This oral tradition started from
the early days of Islam.
2. What is the most popular form of the folkloric tradition? Mention three
examples.
The most popular form of the folkloric tradition is the Sirah, which means “life”
or “biography”. It details the adventures and achievements of tribal or national
heroes and lacks high style by nature so it’s less close to the epic than to the
popular romances of the Middle Ages. For example, Sirat Bani Hilal, Sirat
Baybars, and Sirat ‘Antar.
3. Alf Laylah wa Laylah contains stories that seem to have been added at
different places and times. Explain.
Alf Laylah wa Laylah, like other folklore, was recited in coffeehouses by
professional storytellers who embellish with witty asides and fresh anecdotes
to increase donations. Alf Laylah wa Laylah exists in different forms in the
present, which can be traced back to a now-lost 15th Century composite with
three major strains. With the first translation by Antoine Galland, he added
stories from oral sources from outside like Ali Baba, Sinbad, and Aladdin. Later,
bowdlerized version became a fixture in nurseries, and watered-down version
exist in America and Europe.
4. Antoine Galland was the first to translate The One Thousand and One Night
to a European language in the eighteenth century. What are some stories that
he added to the written work?
Antoine Galland added stories from oral sources from outside Alf Laylah wa
Layla like those of Ali Baba, Sinbad, and Aladdin.
5. Alf Layla wa Layla was rarely mentioned by the Arabs and was not
considered as a classical work of Arab literature. Explain.
In view of Arabic culture as a whole, the status of Alf Laylah wa Layla as the
prime representative to the West is ironic. Its creators were gifted, but semi-
literate. Its language is a mix of classical and vernacular, but this blend was
purified in modern Arabic version as the original styles was deemed as too
inelegant by Arab critics. Though it was a brief fad among the educated Arabs
of the Abbasid era, it was rarely mentioned and only with disfavor until very
recently. Since the 1950’s Arab scholars began to recognize its importance as
folklore, a largely delayed response to Western influence. Because of the
translations’ popularity, Westerns wrongly thought that the Arab version is a
revered one.