This book, originally published in 1988, traces the development of Arabic drama from its beginnings in Lebanon in the mid-nineteenth century to its maturity reached in Egypt in the second and third decades of the twentieth. A brief discussion of the indigenous dramatic tradition is followed by an examination of the way in which modern drama was imported and adapted from the West independently by Marun Naqqash in Beirut and Ya'q b Sann ' in Cairo, both of whom were inspired by Italian opera and influenced by French comedy. The subsequent search for Egyptian identity is examined through the work of these writers in whose hands Arabic drama attained its maturity, notably Ibrahim Ramzi, Muhammad Taymur and Antun Yazbak. The book is written in a manner accessible to the non-Arabist as no knowledge of Arabic is presupposed.

This book provides the first authoritative, comprehensive critical survey of creative writing in Arabic from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day, a period which saw profound changes in the very concept of literature. Muhammad Ali's drive for modernization in Egypt early in the nineteenth century began a process of westernization which gathered momentum, eventually spreading from Egypt and Syria to the rest of the Arab world, aided by the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire. With the spread of secular education, printing and journalism, a new reading public appeared. A significant translation movement resulted in the borrowing of Western ideas as well as of literary forms: the novel, the short story and drama. Against the background of the rise of nationalism, the conflict between Islam and westernization, and the search for identity (intensified later by diverse ideologies), the traditional conception of literature as a display of verbal skill was replaced by the view that literature should reflect and indeed change social and political reality. The contributors to this volume of the Cambridge History of Arabic Literature examine the attempts made by Arab men and women to adapt the new imported forms as well as the indigenous literary tradition to meet the requirements of the modern world, and their achievement in making a major contribution to world literature.

This is the first book in English that gives a concise and authoritative survey of the whole of modern Arabic literature since the mid-nineteenth century with a view to helping the general reader as well as the student to form a clear picture of the literary achievements of the modern Arabs. The drive for modernization, which started in Egypt and Syria early in the nineteenth century and which gradually spread to the rest of the Arab world, resulted in the introduction of secular education, printing, journalism, and much translation of western thought and literature. Consequently, a new reading public and a new conception of literature emerged. Inspired by rising nationalism and the conflict between Islam and westernization, writers sought to reflect and indeed change social and political reality, instead of merely displaying their verbal skill. This book examines the attempts made by Arab authors including Nobel winner Naguib Mahfouz to define this cultural identity and meet the needs of the modern world by adapting the imported forms of the novel, short story, and drama, as well as their indigenous poetic and prose tradition.

Coleridge's theories, insights and practical criticism underlie nearly all subsequent criticism in English. It was not only that he turned decisively away from eighteenth century views (clearly and usefully surveyed in the first chapter). His powerfully general theories of the imagination and of poetic language and structure provided permanent insights. He saw the plays as organic structures of poetic effects, the product of conscious artistry. These served Shakespeare's deep human insight, both psychological and moral. Dr Badawi provides a lucid analysis of the elements of Coleridge's criticism of Shakespeare, demonstrating the relationship with his criticism generally, and bringing out its originality, its validity and its influence on our concepts of poetic language, dramatic form and our response to the whole medium.

This book is the first critical survey of modern Egyptian drama during the period of its maturity from the 1930s to the present day. A discussion of the work of Tawfiq al-Hakim is followed by an examination of the less experimental plays of his successors, Mahmud Taymur, Bakathir and Fathi Radwan.

This book is the first critical survey of modern Egyptian drama during the period of its maturity from the 1930s to the present day. A discussion of the work of Tawfiq al-Hakim is followed by an examination of the less experimental plays of his successors, Mahmud Taymur, Bakathir and Fathi Radwan. A major section is devoted to the work of the new wave of dramatists who contributed to the revival of the Egyptian theatre in the wake of the army revolution of 1952. In the final chapter verse drama is examined, both in the traditional plays of Shawqi and Aziz Abaza and in the more experimental work of Sharqawi and Abd al-Sabur. No knowledge of Arabic is presupposed, but for Arabists full references to the original sources are provided.

This book is the first critical survey of the development and achievements of 'modern' Arabic poetry, here signifying the period from the latter half of the nineteenth century to the present day. It ranges over the entire Arabic-speaking world and includes a discussion of the work of poets who emigrated to the United States and Latin America. Four main stages are examined in the development of a specifically modern Arabic poetry: the 'neoclassical', in which poets turned to their literary heritage for their ideals and inspiration; the pre-romantic', which was marked by a tension between a modified classical style and new romantic sentiments, itself the reflection of a wider cultural movement towards change and modernization; the 'romantic', in which the tensions between form and content were resolved, and a lyricism and simplicity of language become the norm; and the 'modern' or 'contemporary' which is typified by a reaction against romanticism, and dominated by either committed social realism or symbolism and surrealism. In the absence of any similar published work in a European language, the book, as well as being designed for students of Arabic literature and of comparative literature, will also be of interest to the general reader. No knowledge of Arabic is presupposed: all the verse (newly translated by the author) is given in English translation, and technical terminology has been reduced to a minimum.

This volume of the Cambridge History of Arabic Literature provides the first authoritative, comprehensive, critical survey of creative writing in Arabic from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. The rise of secular education, printing and journalism created a new reading public, and Western ideas and literary forms, notably the novel, the short story, and drama, became influential. This book examines the attempts made by Arab men and women to adapt the imported forms as well as the indigenous literary tradition to meet the requirements of the modern world. Quoted material is given in English translation and there is an extensive bibliography.