ARABIC LITERATURE 1

Arabic Literature 1 is one of the characterising courses of the degree in Languages, Cultures and Societies of Asia and North Africa. The course intends to introduce the student to the main “classic” literary genres in Arabic, their history and developments, and their principal authors and works in the period between the 5th century to the birth of the “Arabic Renaissance” or nahda (XVII c.). Through this course the student must acquire a clear perspective of the history of Arabic classical literature, being able to identify the main poetry and prose genres, and developing a set of useful strategies in analyzing more complex Arabic texts of different kinds.

Essential methodological knowledge for the study of Classical Arabic literature.
Knowledge of a historical perspective of the main literary genres and authors in their socio-cultural and political context.
Ability in analysing classical literary texts through the study of their stylistic characteristics, and their essential poetic and rhetorical devices.

Elementary morphosyntax and lexical knowledge in Arabic.

The course aims to offer a general introduction to the history of ancient and premodern Arabic literature, from a diachronic perspective, emphasizing the distinctive cultural processes from the pre-Islamic era to the advent of the Nahdah. Particular attention will be paid to the most relevant authors and personalities of classical Arab culture as well as to the main literary phenomena.
If possible, seminars on Arabic literary culture will be held by external guests.
Main topics:
- Poetry in the Pre-Islamic Era. Formal and cultural characteristics of the qasida.
- The advent of Islam: The Koran, the legal and religious texts and poems.
- Literature in the Omayyad Period: Developments in poetic genres: the gazal and the khamriyya. The prose production. .
- Poetry in the first Abbasid Period: Modernist and “Traditionalist” poets.
- Poetry in the late Abbasid Period: Adab literature and Maqama.
- Intellectual debates in the Abbasid Epoch
- The contribution of the translation movement in the Andalus. Arab-Andalusian poetry: Muwashshah and zajal.
- Prose since the late Abbasid Period and other salient genres until the Nahda.

Letteratura araba. Dall'epoca preislamica all'età postclassica, v. 1. eds. F. M. Corrao e M. Ruocco, Milano, Le Monnier, 2024
Antologia della letteratura araba. Dalle origini al XVIII secolo, a cura di Mirella Cassarino, Antonella Ghersetti, Letizia Osti, Samuela Pagani, Roma, Carocci, 2023

Further readings:
Ghersetti Antonella, La letteratura d'adab, IPO, Roma, 2020
Allen, Roger, La letteratura araba, Bologna, Il Mulino, Bologna 2006 (only the chapters relating to classical or premodern age)

The exam will consist of an interview on the topics covered, including the texts studied in class.

oral

The lecturer has a duty to ensure that the rules regarding the authenticity and originality of exam tests and papers are respected. Therefore, if there is suspicion of irregular conduct, an additional assessment may be conducted, which could differ from the original exam description.

Regarding the grading scale, scores will be assigned according to the following schema:
A. Scores in the 18-22 range will be awarded in the presence of: Sufficient knowledge and applied
comprehension of the program;
B. Scores in the 23-26 range will be awarded in the presence of: Fair knowledge and applied
comprehension of the program;
C. Scores in the 27-30 range will be awarded in the presence of: Good or excellent knowledge and
applied comprehension of the program;
D. Honors will be awarded in the presence of excellent knowledge and applied comprehension of
the program.

Lectures, including reading, translation, and analysis of some texts; if possible, seminars and guest lectures.