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The Anthologistâs Art
AbÅ« Manṣūr al-ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ« and His YatÄ«mat al-dahr
Series: - Brill Studies in Middle Eastern Literatures, Volume: 37
Author:
Why did premodern authors in the Arabic-Islamic culture compile literary anthologies, and why were these works remarkably popular? How can an anthology that consists of reproduced material be original and creative, and serve various literary and political ends? How did anthologists select their material, then record and arrange it?
This book examines the life and works of AbÅ« Manṣūr al-ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ« (350â429/961â1039), an eminent anthologist from NÄ«shÄpÅ«r, paying special attention to his magnum opus, YatÄ«mat al-dahr (The Unique Pearl), and its sequel, Tatimmat al-YatÄ«ma (The Completion of the YatÄ«ma). This book is a direct window on to an anthologistâs workshop in the second half of the fourth/tenth century. It examines the methodological consciousness expressed in ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«âs selection and arrangement, and his sophisticated system of internal references and cross-references to other works; how he selected from his contemporariesâ oeuvres; how he sought, recorded, memorized, misplaced, and sometimes lost or forgot his selections; how he scrutinized the authenticity of material, accepting, questioning, or rejecting its attribution; and the errors and inconsistencies that resulted from this process.
This book examines the life and works of AbÅ« Manṣūr al-ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ« (350â429/961â1039), an eminent anthologist from NÄ«shÄpÅ«r, paying special attention to his magnum opus, YatÄ«mat al-dahr (The Unique Pearl), and its sequel, Tatimmat al-YatÄ«ma (The Completion of the YatÄ«ma). This book is a direct window on to an anthologistâs workshop in the second half of the fourth/tenth century. It examines the methodological consciousness expressed in ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«âs selection and arrangement, and his sophisticated system of internal references and cross-references to other works; how he selected from his contemporariesâ oeuvres; how he sought, recorded, memorized, misplaced, and sometimes lost or forgot his selections; how he scrutinized the authenticity of material, accepting, questioning, or rejecting its attribution; and the errors and inconsistencies that resulted from this process.
Bilal Orfali, Ph.D. (2009), Yale University, is associate professor of Arabic studies at the American University of Beirut. He is editor of In the Shadow of Arabic (Brill, 2011); Sufism, Black and White, with Nada Saab (Brill, 2012); The Comfort of the Mystics, with Gerhard Böwering (Brill, 2013); and The Book of Noble Character, with Ramzi Baalbaki (Brill, 2015).
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عÙاء ÙÙاÙÙØ Ø§Ù٠شر٠91/2Ø ØªÙ Ùز-ÙاÙÙ٠اÙØ£ÙÙ 2017
Alaa Kayali, al-Mashriq 91/2, July-December 2017
"اÙÙتباب اÙذ٠بÙ٠أÙدÙÙا دراسة جادة Ù٠تأÙÙØ© Ùع٠ÙÙØ©Ø Ø³ØªØªØ±Ù ÙÙا ش٠أثرÙا ÙبÙرا Ù٠اÙدراسات اÙعربÙØ©Ø ÙÙÙ ØªØ·Ø±Ø ÙتعاÙج عددÙا ÙبÙرÙا ٠٠اÙأسئÙØ© اÙأدبÙØ© ÙاÙØ«ÙاÙÙØ©Ø ÙتÙØªØ Ø§Ùباب أ٠ا٠عدد جدÙد ٠٠اÙأسئÙØ© اÙ٠تعÙÙÙØ© باÙØ£ÙÙاع اÙأدبÙØ© اÙعربÙØ© اÙÙدÙÙ Ø©Ø Ùطر٠اÙتأÙÙ٠اÙعربÙØ©Ø ÙعÙاÙØ© اÙأدباء باÙÙصÙØ±Ø ÙرØÙاتÙ٠اÙأدبÙØ© ÙاÙÙ ÙÙÙØ©Ø ÙتذÙ٠اÙأ٠راء ÙاÙÙزراء ÙاÙÙÙÙاد ÙاÙأدباء ÙÙأدب Ù٠اÙÙرÙÙ٠اÙرابع ÙاÙخا٠س اÙÙجرÙÙÙ."
٠رÙ٠٠شتاÙÙØ Ø§Ùشر٠اÙØ£ÙØ³Ø·Ø 16 ر٠ضا٠1437\21 ÙÙÙÙÙ 2016Ø Ø§Ùعدد 13720
Maryam Mishtawi, Al-Sharq al-Awsat, 21 June 2016, issue 13720
"The Anthologist's Art is a welcome contribution to our knowledge of literary anthologies and of adab in the fourth to the fifth/tenth to the eleventh centuries. It points the way to further inquiries into the networks through which adab circulated and the tastes that informed its evaluation."
Matthew L. Keegan, in: Al-Abhath 64 (2016)
"Bilal Orfail's study is an important work of literary scholarship. It is important both for its detailed account of al-ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«'s career (his works, his methods, and his legacy) as well as for the attention it pays to an exemplar of a genre that has played a critical role in the development and perservation of classical Arabic poetic and literary traditions."
Adam Talib, Durham University, in: Journal of the American Oriental Society 139/1 (2019)
"The Anthologist's Art offers a truly comprehensive picture of the YatÄ«mat al-dahr and Tatimmat al-YatÄ«ma. The amount of questions Orfali discusses makes it an important survey that has few equals in the history of Arabic literature. Its undoubted merit consists in contextualizing the enormous quantity of materials collected by ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«' within the broader socio-literary framework of the century in which he lived and within the type of works through which he chose to express himself. Ultimately, it offers a further, indispensable, piece of knowledge of a central activity for cultivating adab (not yet sufficiently appreciated) that was anthologizing."
Francesca Bellino, Università degli Studi di Napoli "L'Orientale", in: Annali, sezione Orientale 79 (2019)
عÙاء ÙÙاÙÙØ Ø§Ù٠شر٠91/2Ø ØªÙ Ùز-ÙاÙÙ٠اÙØ£ÙÙ 2017
Alaa Kayali, al-Mashriq 91/2, July-December 2017
"اÙÙتباب اÙذ٠بÙ٠أÙدÙÙا دراسة جادة Ù٠تأÙÙØ© Ùع٠ÙÙØ©Ø Ø³ØªØªØ±Ù ÙÙا ش٠أثرÙا ÙبÙرا Ù٠اÙدراسات اÙعربÙØ©Ø ÙÙÙ ØªØ·Ø±Ø ÙتعاÙج عددÙا ÙبÙرÙا ٠٠اÙأسئÙØ© اÙأدبÙØ© ÙاÙØ«ÙاÙÙØ©Ø ÙتÙØªØ Ø§Ùباب أ٠ا٠عدد جدÙد ٠٠اÙأسئÙØ© اÙ٠تعÙÙÙØ© باÙØ£ÙÙاع اÙأدبÙØ© اÙعربÙØ© اÙÙدÙÙ Ø©Ø Ùطر٠اÙتأÙÙ٠اÙعربÙØ©Ø ÙعÙاÙØ© اÙأدباء باÙÙصÙØ±Ø ÙرØÙاتÙ٠اÙأدبÙØ© ÙاÙÙ ÙÙÙØ©Ø ÙتذÙ٠اÙأ٠راء ÙاÙÙزراء ÙاÙÙÙÙاد ÙاÙأدباء ÙÙأدب Ù٠اÙÙرÙÙ٠اÙرابع ÙاÙخا٠س اÙÙجرÙÙÙ."
٠رÙ٠٠شتاÙÙØ Ø§Ùشر٠اÙØ£ÙØ³Ø·Ø 16 ر٠ضا٠1437\21 ÙÙÙÙÙ 2016Ø Ø§Ùعدد 13720
Maryam Mishtawi, Al-Sharq al-Awsat, 21 June 2016, issue 13720
"The Anthologist's Art is a welcome contribution to our knowledge of literary anthologies and of adab in the fourth to the fifth/tenth to the eleventh centuries. It points the way to further inquiries into the networks through which adab circulated and the tastes that informed its evaluation."
Matthew L. Keegan, in: Al-Abhath 64 (2016)
"Bilal Orfail's study is an important work of literary scholarship. It is important both for its detailed account of al-ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«'s career (his works, his methods, and his legacy) as well as for the attention it pays to an exemplar of a genre that has played a critical role in the development and perservation of classical Arabic poetic and literary traditions."
Adam Talib, Durham University, in: Journal of the American Oriental Society 139/1 (2019)
"The Anthologist's Art offers a truly comprehensive picture of the YatÄ«mat al-dahr and Tatimmat al-YatÄ«ma. The amount of questions Orfali discusses makes it an important survey that has few equals in the history of Arabic literature. Its undoubted merit consists in contextualizing the enormous quantity of materials collected by ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«' within the broader socio-literary framework of the century in which he lived and within the type of works through which he chose to express himself. Ultimately, it offers a further, indispensable, piece of knowledge of a central activity for cultivating adab (not yet sufficiently appreciated) that was anthologizing."
Francesca Bellino, Università degli Studi di Napoli "L'Orientale", in: Annali, sezione Orientale 79 (2019)
Preface
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
List of Illustrations
Note on Editions and Manuscripts of the Yatīma and Tatimma
1. The Art of Anthology in Premodern Arabic Literature
Anthology and Adab
Approaches to the Study of Arabic Literary Anthology in Modern Scholarship
Motives for Anthologizing
A Map of Arabic Poetry Anthologies
2. Life and Legacy of ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«
AbÅ« Manṣūr al-ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«
Legacy of ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«
Bibliography of ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«
Printed Authentic Works
Printed, Authenticity Doubtful
Printed, Authenticity Rejected
In Manuscript, Authentic works
In Manuscript, Authenticity Uncertain
In Manuscript, Authenticity Rejected
Works Surviving in Quotations
Lost Works
3. An Anthologist at Work: The Organization and Structure of the Yatīma and Tatimma
Organization
Prominent Litterateurs
Courts, Dynasties and Other Patrons
Cities and Sub-Regions
Critical Awareness in the Organization of the Yatīma and Tatimma
Selection of Material
The Arrangement of Entries in a Chapter: Proximity and Resemblance
References and Cross-References
Cross-References
References in the Tatimma to the Yatīma
References to the Earlier Version of the Yatīma
References to Other Works by ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«
Later Additions to the Yatīma
Authenticity and Misattribution
Forgotten, Lost, and Inconsistent Material
4. The Sources of ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ« in YatÄ«mat al-Dahr and Tatimmat al-YatÄ«ma
Written Sources
DÄ«wÄns
Books
Other Written Media
Oral/Aural Sources
Main Guarantors in the Yatīma
Main Guarantors in the Tatimma
Conclusion
5. Material within the Entry
Categorization and Arrangement of Material within Entries
The Biographical Summary
Dates
Deaths of Poets
Religious Views
Training and Education
Professions
Families of Litterateurs
Characterization of Litterateurs and Their Literary Oeuvres
Geographical Context
Social Context
Historical Context
Comparing Litterateurs
Knowledge of Persian
Relations between Contemporaries
Physical and Character Features
Patronage
Patron-Littérateur Relations
Admission to a Court
Meeting a Patron
Leaving a Court
Prison Incidents and Stories
Description of Courtly MajÄlis
Evaluating Literary Production
Conclusion
Appendix 1: Outline of the Yatīma and Tatimma
Appendix 2: Sources of Yatīmat al-Dahr
Appendix 3: Sources of Tatimmat al-Yatīma
Appendix 4: Comparisons between Poets
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
List of Illustrations
Note on Editions and Manuscripts of the Yatīma and Tatimma
1. The Art of Anthology in Premodern Arabic Literature
Anthology and Adab
Approaches to the Study of Arabic Literary Anthology in Modern Scholarship
Motives for Anthologizing
A Map of Arabic Poetry Anthologies
2. Life and Legacy of ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«
AbÅ« Manṣūr al-ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«
Legacy of ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«
Bibliography of ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«
Printed Authentic Works
Printed, Authenticity Doubtful
Printed, Authenticity Rejected
In Manuscript, Authentic works
In Manuscript, Authenticity Uncertain
In Manuscript, Authenticity Rejected
Works Surviving in Quotations
Lost Works
3. An Anthologist at Work: The Organization and Structure of the Yatīma and Tatimma
Organization
Prominent Litterateurs
Courts, Dynasties and Other Patrons
Cities and Sub-Regions
Critical Awareness in the Organization of the Yatīma and Tatimma
Selection of Material
The Arrangement of Entries in a Chapter: Proximity and Resemblance
References and Cross-References
Cross-References
References in the Tatimma to the Yatīma
References to the Earlier Version of the Yatīma
References to Other Works by ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ«
Later Additions to the Yatīma
Authenticity and Misattribution
Forgotten, Lost, and Inconsistent Material
4. The Sources of ThaÊ¿ÄlibÄ« in YatÄ«mat al-Dahr and Tatimmat al-YatÄ«ma
Written Sources
DÄ«wÄns
Books
Other Written Media
Oral/Aural Sources
Main Guarantors in the Yatīma
Main Guarantors in the Tatimma
Conclusion
5. Material within the Entry
Categorization and Arrangement of Material within Entries
The Biographical Summary
Dates
Deaths of Poets
Religious Views
Training and Education
Professions
Families of Litterateurs
Characterization of Litterateurs and Their Literary Oeuvres
Geographical Context
Social Context
Historical Context
Comparing Litterateurs
Knowledge of Persian
Relations between Contemporaries
Physical and Character Features
Patronage
Patron-Littérateur Relations
Admission to a Court
Meeting a Patron
Leaving a Court
Prison Incidents and Stories
Description of Courtly MajÄlis
Evaluating Literary Production
Conclusion
Appendix 1: Outline of the Yatīma and Tatimma
Appendix 2: Sources of Yatīmat al-Dahr
Appendix 3: Sources of Tatimmat al-Yatīma
Appendix 4: Comparisons between Poets
Bibliography
Index
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