COMP 614 Approaches to Pre-Modern Arabic Literature in Light of Contemporary Literary Theory and Hermeneutics

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1 Course Outline Spring Semester 2016 COMP 614 Approaches to Pre-Modern Arabic Literature in Light of Contemporary Literary Theory and Hermeneutics Program Core Compulsory Course Course Teacher/s: Dr. Nijmeh Hajjar Credit Value: 3 Pre-requisites: COMP 611, COMP 612 Co-requisites: COMP 613 Course Duration: 14 weeks; Semester 2 Total Student Study Time: 126 hours, including 42 contact hours of lectures and seminars. AIMS This course aims to introduce contemporary literary theory as applied to texts from premodern Arabic literature across different genres in poetry and prose. It will address the following questions: Is there one general theory of interpretation which forms the basis of perception and understanding of pre-modern/classical Arabic literature? How have contemporary/modern critics (from the early 20th century) approached the pre-modern Arabic literary heritage? And what are the dynamics of theory and practice, old and new, in the contemporary criticism of a most significant literary output in the Arabic cultural history? The course will cover major contemporary attempts to theorise about the history, nature, meaning and art of the pre-modern Arabic literary culture. It will discuss various types and systems of criticism used to describe, justify, analyse and / or judge pre-modern Arabic literary arts. The course will also address the question of hermeneutics, how contemporary critics of pre-modern Arabic literature perceive and understand previous attempts of literary criticism, both in the modern and the pre-modern periods. Students will study examples of contemporary texts representing different types of theoretical and practical literary criticism. They will learn to read and understand pre-modern Arabic literary genres from various perspectives, historical, socio-cultural, psychological, Marxist, structuralist, linguist, feminist, and other theories of criticism. Students will be also introduced to current debates about different theories of literary criticism, their perception and understanding of pre-modern Arabic literature, along with their methods and limitations of interpretation. INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOME This is a core course for the Comparative Literature program. The learning outcomes of this course are directly linked to those of the program since they will learn to read and understand pre-modern Arabic literary genres from various perspectives, historical, socio-cultural, psychological, Marxist, structuralist, linguist, feminist, and other theories of criticism. This is will thus provide students with the most sophisticated, interdisciplinary, critical tools to study the literary and cultural products of the Arab world, the west and the rest of the world, a main learning outcome of the program. This course also enables students to acquire the following skills:

2 1) Subject-specific skills: the ability to: a. recognise the main trends in contemporary/modern literary theory as applied to premodern/classical Arabic literature, both poetry and prose; b. demonstrate understanding and appreciation of the diversity of approaches, keeping in mind that many critics of the pluralist approach have employed a variety of methods across their various works on different authors, literary genres and periods; and c. interpret examples of various schools and trends of literary theory and hermeneutics keeping in mind the dynamics of theory and practice, time and genre in the criticism of the pre-modern Arabic literature. 2) Core academic skills: the ability to: a. apply critical methods to understand various approaches of literary criticism, and to read and write about literary theory and hermeneutics as applied to pre-modern Arabic literary genres; b. analyse works of literary criticism in order to understand and appreciate their original methods and applications; and c. judge works of literary criticism by using a variety of primary and secondary sources and maintaining academic integrity. 3) Personal and key skills: the ability to: a. engage critically with concepts, definitions, and a wide range of sources; b. formulate topics of inquiry, raise questions & conduct independent research; and c. construct persuasive and well-documented arguments in accordance with scholarly standards. LEARNING/TEACHING METHODS Lecture, 1 hour: The lecture is based on research in primary sources & relevant scholarly works; detailed notes and power point presentations will be made available to students via the course Learning Management System, after the weekly lecture; new technologies (audio-visual and electronic media) will be used in class to further engage students with the subject matter, and enable them to achieve the specific skills and learning outcomes Seminar and Student Presentations, 2 hrs: Seminars are designed to enable students to achieve learning outcomes, particularly core academic and personal skills. Weekly seminars include: Reading & discussing examples of, and studies on literary theory & hermeneutics as applied to pre-modern Arabic literature. Students will be provided with a Selection of Reading Material before the start of semester. This selection is only meant as a small sample to stimulate their interest, & an introduction to a proper understanding of the topics discussed. Students are advised to use this selection together with references on their reading list to prepare for seminar discussions, for background reading to supplement the lectures, & for preparing their essays & class presentations; Giving students general guidelines for writing essays, for conducting research (in the 2

3 library & online), and for using critical sources and maintaining academic integrity; Students class presentations (see below) One-to-one tutorial: Each student will have 3-4 hours per semester as personal tutorials. ASSIGNMENTS Assignments for this Core Course include: 1. Literary Theory Essay (3000 words, 30%). Due week 7 (10-14/4/2016) 2. Applied Criticism Essay (3000 words, 30%). Due week 13 (22 26/5/2016) 3. Annotated Bibliography (500 words, 5%): Prepare an annotated bibliography of ten scholarly works on contemporary approaches to pre-modern Arabic literature. Students are required to comment on books and articles, which they have actually consulted. Due week 4 4. Book Review (500 words, 5%): Prepare an analytical and critical review of one book from the Annotated Bibliography list, commenting on the author s aims and objectives, methodology, and argument etc. Students will also present their Book Review as part of the Seminar Activities (see below). 5. Essay Synopsis (500 words, 5%): Write a brief outline for one of the above essays explaining the main questions, theoretical framework and sources (this shouldn t overlap with the Book Review). Students will also present their Essay Synopsis as part of the Seminar Activities (see below). 6. Final Written Examination: (3 hours 20%). This is a formal assessment. Students will be examined on knowledge acquired during lectures & seminars. The exam will be scheduled within the final examination week as published in the academic calendar. 7. Seminar Activities: These include: a. Written preparation: Students are required to prepare for weekly reading (from the Selection of Reading Material); write comments and questions using the prescribed texts as well as studies on literary analysis and criticism in Arabic and English; and engage in group discussions via the course Learning Management System. Two written submissions per student will be marked each semester (500 words, 5%). b. Class participation: Students are required to actively participate in the seminar discussions. To further engage them, each student will get the chance to lead the discussion at least once per semester (depending on student numbers). c. Two class presentations of the Book Review and Essay Synopsis (approx. 10 minutes each). Schedules will be planned in the 1 st week of semester; presentations will begin week 3. ASSESSMENT The proposed assessment for this Core Course consists of the following: 1. Literary Theory Essay (3000 words, 30%) Due week 7 (10-14/4/2016) 2. Applied Criticism Essay (3000 words, 30%) Due week 13 (22-26/5/2016) 3. Annotated Bibliography (500 words, 5%) Due week 4 (20-24/3/2016) 4. Book Review (500 words, 5%) 5. Essay Synopsis (500 words, 5%) 6. Final Written Examination: (3 hours, 20%). To be scheduled during the examination week published in the academic calendar. 3

4 7. Seminar Written Preparation: Two written submissions per student will be marked each semester (500 words, 5%). 4

5 SYLLABUS PLAN Week One: Introduction and Orientation General orientation: course structure, bibliographic guidance, readings Conceptual framework and definitions: o Pre-modern/classical Arabic literature o Literary theory and hermeneutics Week Two: Early Western Orientalist Traditions The old generation of Orientalists: establishing critical editions of manuscripts of premodern Arabic literature, poetry and prose; and engaging in textual criticism (R. Basset, T. Chenery) Later generation of Orientalists: philological and literary criticism in historical and social context (R. A. Nicholson) Translation activities by Western specialists and generalists: translation into Western languages of ancient and pre-modern Arabic texts (G. Gabrieli) Week Three: Early Arab Responses to Orientalist Activities and Cultural Westernisation Learning from the Orientalist efforts and techniques; engaging in textual criticism with the aim of recovering the Arabic literary heritage Rejecting Westernising trends and returning to the origins: reviving / publishing old Arabic works of criticism; authoring original works on classical Arabic criticism and creative literature using the old techniques of balagha and bayan (Mustafa Sadiq al- Rafi i) Engaging in a dialogue of cultures and double criticism of the Orientalist and Arabic classicist discourses: beginning of comparative criticism (comparing and contrasting Western and Arabic interpretations of Classical Arabic texts, eg. Alf Layla wa Layla); trans-creating classical Arabic texts into Western languages; and writing original multilingual criticism of pre-modern Arabic literature (Ameen Rihani). Week Four: Influence of Modern Western Criticism and Literature Influence of modern Orientalists using new techniques from the humanities and social sciences (philosophy, sociology, anthropology) to read pre-modern Arabic literature (A. J. Arberry, S. A. Bonebakker,, H. A. R. Gibb, I. Goldziher, G. E. von Grunebaum, C. Pellat) Influence of modern Western literature and literary criticism on Arabic creative authors and critics: o New Arabic criticism of both modern and pre-modern Arabic literature o New Arabic hermeneutics: modern interpretation of pre-modern texts; and new criticism of the old criticism(s) (Antoun Ghattas Karam; Jabir Asfur) Week Five: Modes of Modern Criticism Classical mode: o Textual criticism: establishing the authoritative text of works, especially poetry o Interpreting pre-modern poetry using pre-modern dictionaries and old texts of literary criticism Neo-Classical mode: o Theoretical and practical academic criticism 5

6 o Impressionistic appreciation by creative writers and non-academic critics (Marun Abbud) New criticism in light of modern literary and cultural theories Week Six: Theoretical and Practical Criticism: Taha Husayn and his Influence Cartesian scepticism and the questioning of authenticity of ancient pre-islamic poetry The controversy over ancient and modern / old and new regarding classical Arabic poetry, rhetoric, and stylistics Taha Husayn s relativistic / pluralistic criticism Week Seven: Various Approaches of Academic Criticism Critical historical surveys of pre-modern Arabic literature and literary criticism (Ihsan Abbas, Shawqi Dayf, Taha Ibrahim, Umar Farrukh, Muhammad Mandur) Historical and social criticism: examining the literary production of a particular period, or works of individual authors against the historical surroundings and the authors life and times (eg. Ahmad Muhammad al-hufi on al-ghazal; Jibra il Jabbur on Umar b. Abi Rabi a) Comparative literary criticism: studies on the influences of Greek, Persian and Syrian literatures on classical Arabic literature, and classical Arabic influences on world literatures (Muhsin Jassim Al-Musawi, from postcolonial theory and Freudian discourse analysis) Week Eight: Applied Pluralistic Criticism Combining different types of criticism (impressionistic, historical, textual, formal, analytical, moral, mythic) Employing a variety of modern strategies and techniques in literary criticism linked to cultural criticism and social sciences: sociology, philosophy, psychology Studies on the aesthetics of classical Arabic literature and on specific literary genres in poetry and prose Examples: o The use of a philosophical aesthetic approach, concepts of time, poetic symbols and humour as a sociological indicator ( Abd al-karim al-yafi) o Freudian analysis of classical Arabic poets ( Abbas Mahmud al- Aqqad) Week Nine: The Arabic Literary Heritage in Light of Marxist & Socialist Criticism At the theoretical level: o The committed literature theory (Ra if Khury) o Reconstructing ancient/pre-islamic Arabic literature in the light of historical materialism (Husayn Mruwwa) At the practical level: o Humanism in pre-modern Arabic literature and culture (Ra if Khury) o Reading Arabic literary heritage in light of new realism (Husayn Mruwwa) Week Ten: Pre-Modern Arabic Literature in Light of Structuralism, Linguistics and Semiotics Re-discovering classical Arabic systematic literary criticism (eg. al-jurjani s Asrar al- Balagha) 6

7 Presenting al-jurjani as a precursor of modern structuralism (Kamal Abu Deeb) Re-reading classical texts, including texts of literary criticism and linguistics in light of modern structuralism, semiotics and linguistics (Muhammad Miftah) Week Eleven: Criticism of Pre-Modern Arabic Poetry: Theory and Practice Early attempts at theorising about Arabic poetry: the contribution of Arab critics in the Mahjar (Ameen Rihani), and the Arab world ( Abbas Mahmud al- Aqqad) Developing more sophisticated theory of Arabic poetics ( Izz al-din Isma il, Adonis) Re-reading classical Arabic poetry in the light of: o The picture theory and the visual turn on ancient Arabic poetry (Ahmad Shboul) o Feminist criticism on pre-modern poetry of Arab women (Nijmeh Hajjar) Week Twelve: Theory of Classical Arabic Poetics: The Contribution of Adonis New criticism: writing a new history of Arabic poetry based on the language of poetry itself in its movements and its relationship with things Re-interpreting the pre-modern criticism of Arabic poetry Developing a new Arabic poetics: examining the relationship between Arabic poetry and the Qur an, and between poetry and thought Week Thirteen: Theory of Classical Arabic Narration Socio-Cultural Criticism and the contribution of: o Abdelfattah Kilito on the Maqama o Said Yaktine on al-sira al-sha biyya Week Fourteen: The Future of Criticism of Pre-Modern Arabic Literature Absolutist vs. relativistic criticism; old vs. new; authenticity vs. modernity An integrative approach to interpret pre-modern Arabic literary heritage, dynamically, combining a great variety of theories, systems, disciplines and strategies INDICATIVE READING LIST أبو ديب كمال. الرؤى المقنعة: نحومن ج بنيوي دراسة الشعرا جاه. القاهرة الهيي ة المصر ة العامة ١٩٨٦. أدونيس. الشعر ة العر ية. ب وت دار الا داب ٢٠٠٠. أدونيس. الثابت والمتحو ل: بحث الا تباع والا بداع عند العرب. ٤ أجزاء. طبعة جديدة. ب وت دار السا ٢٠٠٦. إسماعيل عز الدين. الا سس ا جمالية النقد العر ي. القاهرة دار الفكر العر ي ١٩٩٢. حج ار نجمة. مديح الن ي الشعر والغناء العر ي: غاياتھ وأساليبھ. دراسة فني ة ونقدي ة. ب وت بيسان ٢٠١٢. حس ن طھ. الا دب ا جاه. القاهرة دار المعارف ١٩٤٧. ليطو عبد الفتاح. ا ح اية والتا و ل: دراسات السرد العر ي. الدار البيضاء دار تو قال ١٩٨٨. اليا عبد الكر م. دراسات فنية الا دب العر ي. دمشق مطبعة جامعة دمشق ١٩٦٣ طبعة ٢ ب وت دار ا حياة ١٩٧٢. يقط ن سعيد. الرواية وال اث السردي: من أجل و جديد بال اث. ب وت المركز الثقا العر ي ١٩٩٢. 7

8 Abu Deeb, Kamal. Towards a Structural Analysis of Pre-Islamic Poetry. International Journal of Middle East Studies. April Lacan, Jacques. The Four Fundamental Concepts of Psychoanalysis. Trans. Alan Sheridan, ed. Jacques-Alain Miller. Harmondsworth, Penguin Books, Rihani, Ameen, F. The Quatrains of Abu'l-Ala. USA, BiblioLife, Shboul, Ahmad. Different Journeys: Place, Self and Imagination in the Classical Arabic Poetic Tradition. In Literature & Aesthetics, Vol. 16/2 (Dec. 2006), pp Williams, Raymond. Marxism and Literature. Oxford, Oxford University Press,