Eleni Kondyli

Associate Professor

ekondyli[at]turkmas.uoa[dot]gr

3 hours per week

Course Objectives

Introduction to the literature of a language unknown for most of us, which nevertheless influenced the whole world. Information on the development of the Arabic literature in the course of history. Relations with other literary traditions within the Islamic world and with the ‘other’ world.

Course Structure

Since knowledge and inquiry are the aims of this course, we always start by commenting an unknown text (Arabic translated into Greek): the intention is to trace the period, the content and the historical context and thus be able to categorize it.

What was and what is the Arab world. Differences with other cultures of the region.

The literary production of the pre-Islamic era. The Quran, a text of sublime beauty. The literary production during the Omeyyads. The gleam of adab. The literary production of the East, until the 11th century. The literary production of the West, until the 11th century. The Arabic literary production between the 11th and 13th century. Makama (etc). The popular literary production.

Nahda: the origins and the issue of the Arabic bilingualism. Nahda: prose and its meaning, types of literature. Nahda: Arabic poetry within the culture of a wealthy tradition and the break-through of globalisation.

Assessement

Written final examination.

Bibliography

Ελένη Κονδύλη Μπασούκου, Εισαγωγή στη λογοτεχνία των Αράβων, εκδόσεις Ελληνικά Γράμματα, Αθήνα 2001.

Blachère Régis, Histoire de la littérature arabe. Des origines à la fin du XVe siècle, Jean Maisonneuve, Paris, 2003, 453 p.

Toelll Heidi, Zakharia Katia, À la découverte de la littérature arabe, du VIe siècle à nos jours, Flammarion, Paris, 2003, 388 p.

Bencheikh Jamel Eddine, Poétique arabe; suivi de Essai sur un discours critique, Gallimard, coll. « Tel », Paris, 1989, 279 p.

Classical Arabic texts in: http://rabat.unesco.org/majaliss/sommaire.php3

Aboubakr Chraïbi (dir.), Les Mille et Une Nuits en partage, Unesco / Sindbad, Paris / Arles, 2004, 524 p.