Description
Book SynopsisThis study deals with the most radical of the badīʿ ("novel") poets of the ʿAbbāsid period, Abū Tammām. After a critique of classical badīʿ theory it proposes a redefinition of the new poetry as an exegetical metapoesis and on that basis provides analyses, accompanied by original translations, of five of Abū Tammām's most celebrated political odes and of extensive selections from his renowned anthology, the Ḥamāsah.
Trade Review"...a pioneering effort... This is a very important book and will be required reading for everyone interested in Abu Tammam and Abbasid poetry in general." International Journal of Middle East Studies, 25. "...eine scharfsinnige und kenntnisreiche Studie, die unser Verständnis der Abbasidendichtung wesentlich fördert." Renate Jacobi, Zeitschrift für Geschichte der arabisch-islamischen Wissenschaften, 1993. "...a mature work free from triviality and graced with a wealth of intelligent explanatory notes." J. Derek Latham, Journal of Semitic Studies, 1992. "...stimulating and neatly produced monograph...original..." Geert Jan van Gelder, TLS, 1992. "Il s'agit d'un ouvrage qui contient plusieurs idées intèressantes, des points de vue originaux, des formulations heureuses d'idées…" Lidia Bettini, Bulletin Critique des Annales Islamologiques, 1994. "This book by Stetkevych is very stimulating and thought provoking." A. Schippers, Bibliotheca Orientalis, 1995. "Suzanne Stetkevych's book is a landmark study and an outstanding scholarly achievement." Peter Heath †, Journal of Near Eastern Studies, 1996.
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Note on Translations Preface Part One: Abū Tammām and the Arabic Critical Tradition Introduction 1. A Reformulation of Badīʿ 2. Al-Ṣūlī's Akhbār Abī Tammām 3. Al-Āmidī's Muwāzanah 4. Al-Jurjānī's Wasāṭah Conclusion Part Two: Panegyrist to the Caliphal Court Introduction 5. Time's Beardless Youth: A Panegyric to the Caliph al-Maʾmūn 6. The Tragacanth's Fruit: A Panegyric to Abū Saʿid Thaghrī 7. A Morsel in Destruction's Hand: A Panegyric to al-Muʿtaṣim on the Capture of Bābak al-Khurramī 8. The Virgin whom the Hand of Fate Had Not Deflowered: The Panegyric to al-Muʿtaṣim on the Conquest of ʿAmmūriyah 9. The Poet Sets His Brilliant Gems: The Panegyric to al-Muʿtaṣim on the Immolation of al-Afshīn Conclusion Part Three: Abū Tammām and the Arabic Anthology Introduction 10. The Process of Collection: Hadīth and Poetry 11. The Ḥamāsah as Literary Ijmāʿ 12. Composition and Conception of the Ḥamāsah 13. Bāb al-Ḥamāsah: Theme and Variations 14. Metaphorical Relationships 15. Antithetical Relationships: Bāb al-Hijāʾ Conclusion Appendix Bibliography Index
