Abu Nuwas: A Genius of Poetry (Makers of the Muslim World)

This is the first book to present the life, times and poetry of one of the greatest poets in the Arab tradition, Abu Nuwas. Author Philip Kennedy provides the narrative of Abu Nuwas's fascinating life, which was full of intrigue and debauched adventure, in parallel with the presentation of his greatest poems, across all genres, in easy and accessible translations, giving commentary where needed. Abu Nuwas (c.756-813) Was One Of The Greatest Arab Poets Of The Classical Period. In Literary History He Is Remembered Chiefly As The Hard-drinking And Eloquent Composer Of Dissolute Wine Poems, From Which He Emerges As One Of The Most Charismatic Figures In World Literature. Yet He Was In Fact An All-round Poet And Exerted A Profound Influence On Abbasid Poetry More Generally; He Is One Of A Handful Of Individuals Who Can Be Deemed To Stand At The Very Heart Of Arabic Literary Culture. In The Narrative Tradition His Impish Persona Appears In Some Stories Of The Thousand And One Nights. Abu Nuwas Presents The Entertaining Life Story Of This Legendary Figure Alongside Accessible Translations Of Some Of His Most Important Poems. With Commentaries, A Glossary And A Guide To Further Reading, This Book Is The Ideal Introduction To A True Genius Of Arabic Literature.--book Jacket. Dangling Locks And Babel Eyes - A Biographical Sketch Of Abu Nuwas (c. 757-814) -- Background And Origins -- Education -- Love For Janan -- The Move To Baghdad -- The Modern Poet -- Sexuality -- Character And Temperament -- Prison -- Sojourn In Egypt -- Death And Afterlife -- Love, Wine, Sodomy...and The Lash - The Lyric Poetry Of Abu Nuwas -- Erotic Poetry -- Two Traditions Of Love Poetry - A Sketch -- A Digest Of Idealized Love -- Inching Towards Frivolity And Lust -- The Psychology Of Master And Servant -- Turning The Tables -- Pandering (to) Satan -- Fear Of Women And Other Anxieties -- Seduction And Rape -- Writing (and) Letters -- Christian Boys -- Wine Poetry -- Beloved Wine -- Failed Cross-wooing And An Orgy -- Two Views Of Time -- Whose Are The Remnants...? -- Trumping The Theologian -- Dialogue With A Jewish Taverner -- Numinous Wine -- Jonah Comes Out Of The Whale -- The Good, The Bad And The Ugly - On Panegyric And Satire -- The Panegyric -- A. Formal And Sober -- B. Less Formal And Less Sober -- C. Occasional And Miscellaneous Eulogy -- Pens Dipped In Bitter Gall - Satire -- Bread And Bereavement -- The Politics Of State And Al-amin -- Spite And Sacrilege -- Tasteless Ja 'far The Barmecide -- The Alchemist And Phony Genealogies -- Isma'il Ibn Abi Sahl -- The Stolen Member -- Quack Philosopher Of Egypt -- Onanist Job -- A Prison Consultation -- Servants And Singing Girls -- Fatal Provocation? -- Some Hunting Poems And A Game Of Polo -- A Saluki Hound -- The Cheetah -- Elegy For A Hound. Philip F. Kennedy. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 139-141) And Index. Inching Towards Frivolity and Lust......Page 6 PREFACE......Page 9 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 13 Background and Origins......Page 14 Education......Page 16 Love for Janan......Page 20 The Move to Baghdad......Page 22 The “Modern” Poet......Page 26 Sexuality......Page 29 Character and Temperament......Page 32 Prison......Page 36 Sojourn in Egypt......Page 38 Death and Afterlife......Page 39 EROTIC POETRY......Page 42 Two Traditions of Love Poetry – A Sketch......Page 43 A Digest of Idealized Love......Page 45 The Psychology of Master and Servant......Page 50 Turning the Tables......Page 53 Pandering (to) Satan......Page 56 Fear of Women and Other Anxieties......Page 60 Seduction and Rape......Page 63 Writing (and) Letters......Page 65 Christian Boys......Page 67 WINE POETRY......Page 70 Beloved Wine......Page 72 Failed Cross-Wooing and an Orgy......Page 74 TwoViews of Time......Page 77 “Whose Are The Remnants ...?”......Page 78 Trumping the Theologian......Page 80 Dialogue with a Jewish Taverner......Page 81 NuminousWine......Page 84 Jonah Comes Out of the Whale......Page 86 THE PANEGYRIC......Page 92 A. Formal and Sober......Page 95 B. Less Formal and Less Sober......Page 102 C. Occasional and Miscellaneous Eulogy......Page 105 “PENS DIPPED IN BITTER GALL”: SATIRE......Page 107 Bread and Bereavement......Page 109 The Politics of State and al-Amin......Page 110 Spite and Sacrilege......Page 111 Tasteless Ja‘far the Barmecide......Page 114 Isma‘il ibn Abi Sahl......Page 115 The Stolen Member......Page 116 Onanist Job......Page 117 Servants and Singing Girls......Page 118 Fatal Provocation?......Page 119 4 SOME HUNTING POEMS AND A GAME OF POLO......Page 122 A Saluki Hound......Page 124 The Cheetah......Page 127 Elegy for a Hound......Page 129 The Polo Match......Page 130 THE ASCETIC POEM......Page 134 A Righteous Dowry......Page 136 Man’s Mortal Genealogy......Page 137 Eloquent Simplicity......Page 138 Sound and Meaning......Page 140 The Permanent Ink of the Angels......Page 141 THE ELEGY......Page 142 For the Barmecides......Page 143 For Waliba ibn al-Hubab......Page 144 For A Sick Friend......Page 145 Again for Himself......Page 146 "WALK THE EVEN PATH WITH ME..." AN AFTERWORD......Page 148 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 152 INDEX......Page 155 Abu Nuwas (c. 756-813) was one of the greatest Arab poets of the classical period. In literary history he is remembered chiefly as the hard-drinking and eloquent composer of dissolute wine poems, from which he emerges as one of the most charismatic figures in world literature. Yet he was in fact an all-round poet and exerted a profound influence on Abbasid poetry more generally; he is one of a handful of individuals who can be deemed to stand at the very heart of Arabic literary culture. In the narrative tradition his impish persona appears in some stories of the Thousand and One Nights.Abu Nuwas presents the entertaining life story of this legendary figure alongside accessible translations of some of his most important poems. With commentaries, a glossary and a guide to further reading, this book is the ideal introduction to a true genius of Arabic literature.