ARA 4302
Readings in Arabic Literature, Religion and Politics
Schedule/Pensum Spring 2007

18.1.2007	General introduction: Pensum, course content, exam, teaching form, schedule
Introduction to modern Arabic literature

25.1.2007	 Close reading of “Unshūdat al-maÔar” (1953/1960 by Badr Shākir al-Sayyāb)
-	all Arabic source texts are available as MASTERCOPIES in P.A.M 362

-	Student’s presentation: Badr Shākir al-Sayyāb’s live & work (Petter)

Background readings: 
 - Bassam K. Frangieh, “Modern Arabic Poetry: Vision and Reality”, in: Traditions, Modernity and Postmodernity in Arabic Literature: Essays in Honour of Prof. Issa J. Boullata.  K. Abdel Malek/ Wael Hallaq (eds.), Leiden, Brill 2000, pp.221-249 
(not at UiO; MASTERCOPY)
- Paul Starkey, Modern Arabic Literature. Edinburgh University Press 2006, 
Chap. 5 “Poetry: The Modernists”, pp. 79-95 
(not available at UiO; UBTØ can be ordered soon; MASTERCOPY)
- Terri DeYoung, “A new reading of Badr Shākir al-Sayyāb’s ‘Hymn of the rain’”, 	in: Journal of Arabic Literature XXIV, No. 1 (March 1993), pp. 39-61; 	(UiO available; MASTERCOPY)

8.2.2007	Close reading of “MadÐnat Sindibād” (1960 by Badr Shākir al-Sayyāb) – part 1

-	Student’s presentation: Myths and the reception of T.S. Eliot in modern Arabic poetry (Øyvind)

Background readings: 
- EAL, vol. 2, pp. 696-7, art. by I.J. Boullata 
- Crosshatching in Global Culture. A Dictionary of Modern Arab Writers: An 
updated English Version of R.B. Campbell’s “Contemporary Arab Writers”. 2 vols., Beirut 2004 (Beiruter Texte und Studien vol. 101a+b), vol.1, pp.1033-1039 
- M.M. Badawi, A Critical Introduction to Modern Arabic Poetry. Cambridge 
University Press 1975, pp. 250-257 : short overview on al-Sayyāb’s poetical work (UiO available)

15.2.2007          Close reading of “MadÐnat Sindibād” (1960 by Badr Shākir al-Sayyāb) – part 2

	- Student’s presentation: Historical/political background Iraq 1941-1958 (Ane)

Background readings: 
Charles Tripp, A History of Iraq. Second Edition. Cambridge University Press 2000; pp.108-143 “The Hashemite monarchy 1941-58” 
pp. 148-192: “The republic 1958-68”    (available at UiO)

22.2.2007	Close reading of “al-MasÐÎ baÝda l-Òalb” (1957 by Badr Shākir al-Sayyāb)

- Student’s presentation: The symbol of the cross in Arabic poetry (Jan)

Background reading:
		Pannewick, Friederike, “The Martyred Poet on the Cross in Arabic Poetry: Sacrifice, 
Victimization or the Other Side of Heroism?”, in: Martyrdom in Literature: Visions of Death and Meaningful Suffering in Europe and the Middle East from Antiquity to Modernity. F. Pannewick (ed.), Wiesbaden, Reichert 2004, pp. 105-121 (16pp.)
(not at UiO; MASTERCOPY)

1.3.2007            ÝAbdalwahāb al-BayātÐ & the concept of iltizām

- Student’s presentation: Political engagement in modern Arabic poetry (Erlend)

Background readings:
- EAL, vol. 1, pp. 142-43, art. by I.J.Boullata 
		- Crosshatching in Global Culture. A Dictionary of Modern Arab Writers: An updated
English Version of R.B. Campbell’s “Contemporary Arab Writers”. 2 vols., Beirut 2004 (Beiruter Texte und Studien vol. 101a+b), vol.1, pp. 234-238 
- M.M. Badawi, A Critical Introduction to Modern Arabic Poetry. Cambridge 
		University Press 1975, pp. 210-16 
- Verena Klemm, “Ideals and reality: The adaption of European ideas of literary commitment in the post-colonial Middle East – The case of ÝAbdalwahhāb al-BayātÐ”, in: Conscious Voices. Concepts of writing in the Middle East. S.Guth/ P. Furrer/ J.C. Bürgel (eds.), Beirut 1999, pp.143-152 (MASTERCOPY)

8.3.2007           Close reading of “Wa-Ýāda fÐ kafan” (1964 by MaÎmūd DarwÐsh) – part 1

- Student’s presentation: MaÎmūd DarwÐsh’s life & work (Cecilie)

Background readings for 8.3. + 15.3..:
- EAL, vol. 1, art. by Y. Suleiman, pp. 183-84 
- Crosshatching in Global Culture. A Dictionary of Modern Arab Writers: An updated English Version of R.B. Campbell’s “Contemporary Arab Writers”. 2 vol., Beirut 2004 (Beiruter Texte und Studien vol. 101a+b), vol.1, pp. 80-86
	- Anette Månsson, Passage to a new wor(l)d. Exile and restoration in Mahmoud Darwish’s writings. 1960-1995. Uppsala Universitet 2003; esp. pp. 103-124: “Mythological prototypes”.  (UiO available)

15.3.2007         Close reading of “Wa-Ýāda fÐ kafan” (1964 by MaÎmūd DarwÐsh) – part 2
		Close reading of  “ShahÐd al-ughniya” (1966 by MaÎmūd DarwÐsh)
	
		- Student’s Presentation: Survey of the history of modern Palestinian poetry (Mirza)

22.3.2007         Close reading of “Lan abkiya” (1968 by Fadwa Óūqān)

		- Student’s Presentation: Fadwa Óūqān’s life & work (Eli)

		Background readings:
-	EAL, vol.2, art. by I.J.Boullata, pp. 785-86
-	Crosshatching in Global Culture. A Dictionary of Modern Arab Writers: An 
updated English Version of R.B. Campbell’s “Contemporary Arab Writers”. 2 vol., Beirut 2004 (Beiruter Texte und Studien vol. 101a+b), vol. 2, pp. 1130-1134
-	Fedwa Malti-Douglas, Woman’s Body – Woman’s World – Gender and Discourse in Arabo-Islamic Writing. New Jersey, Princeton Univ. Press 1991, pp. 161-178. 
(UiO available)

No teaching 29.3. + 3.4.2007

12.4.2007	 Close reading of “Mā baÝda l-Jaljala” (1964 by Jabrā IbrāhÐm Jabrā), and 
 “Nushūr” (1982 by SaÝdÐ Yūsuf); “ÍayÁh”, “Wa-baÝd” (2004 by Girgis ShukrÐ)

Week 16 + 17	Individual veiledning for semester oppgave

31.5.2007	Leveringsfrist for semester oppgave

ARA 4302
Readings in Arabic Literature, Religion and Politics
Subjects for semesteroppgave 
 Spring 2007

1)	Death and Love: MaÎmÙd DarwÐsh’s poems “Wa-ʽÁda fÐ kafan” and “ʽÀshiq min filasÔÐn”
Oral presentations: 	a) Life & work of MaÎmÙd DarwÐsh (Cecilie, 8.3.)
			b) Survey of the history of modern Palestinian poetry 
(Mirza, 15.3.)

2)	Crucifixion as poetical image in the poems “ShahÐd al-ughniya” by MaÎmÙd DarwÐsh, and “al-MasÐÎ baʽda l-Òalb” by Badr ShÁkir al-SayyÁb

Oral presentations: 	a) Life & work of Badr ShÁkir al-SayyÁb (Petter, 25.1.)
			b) The symbol of the cross in Arabic poetry (Jan, 22.2.)

3)	The ‘mythical method’ in the poetry of Badr ShÁkir al-SayyÁb: 
The poems “UnshÙdat al-maÔar” and “MadÐnat SindibÁd”

Oral presentations: 	a) Myths and the reception of T.S. Eliot in modern 
Arabic poetry (Øyvind, 15.2.)
b) Historical/ political backgrounds in Iraq, 1941-1958
(Ane, 15.2.)

4)	FadwÁ ÓÙqÁn: From personal moan to political engagement

Oral presentation: 	Life & work of  FadwÁ ÓÙqÁn (Eli, 29.3.)

5)	IltizÁm (engagement) in the poetry of ʽAbdalwahhÁb al-BayyÁtÐ

Oral presentations: 	a) The reception of  J.P. Sartre’s concept of littérature engagée
in Arabic literature (Erlend, 1.3.)
b) Life and work of al-BayyÁtÐ