Literature: Age of Rhetoric

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

This course takes as the basis for literary exploration and analysis a selection of classical Arabic texts from the mature Abbasid period onward, a period in which the art of rhetoric (balaghah) was increasing valorized. We will look at genres such as poetry, adab (belles lettres), and maqamat with a view to examining the relations between literature, religion, political power and aesthetics. Class time will be devoted primarily to discussion and analysis of the texts and critical readings, and, as needed for accuracy, translation into English. The final three weeks of the semester will be devoted to the research and presentation of individual research projects, selected according to individual student interests in consultation with the instructor. The class is conducted in Arabic.