Application of the methods of Comparative Literature to the study of genres.

This class will examine Arabic poetic production from the classical to the modern period, focusing on the historical development of Arabic poetic form (including the qasida, elegy, and the wine ode) as well as the intersections between poetry, Islamic mysticism, philosophy, and political discourse. For the pre-modern component, the class traces the developments of the qasida form and its functions in Sufism and Islamic philosophy. For the modern component, we will examine the recapitulation of these poetic models, symbols, and intersections in Arabic anticolonial poetics (from neoclassical poetry to modern free verse). Throughout the semester, we will think about the entanglements of poetic expression, Islamic knowledge traditions, and socio-political critique. We will also reflect on the place of the literary tradition in poetic modernism. In every class, we will address secondary literature (written in English) as well as perform a close reading of the Arabic text. While some primary sources will be accompanied by translation, knowledge of Arabic is a prerequisite for the course.

Knowledge of Arabic language needed.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.