EL 113: SURVEY OF AFRO-ASIAN LITERATURE

Egypt - The Gift of the Nile

Why is Egypt called the Gift of the Nile?

It is because the Nile River made civilization in Egypt. Furthermore, every aspect of life in Egyptian
is dependent on that river. It provided food resources, Land for agriculture, and transportation to the
Egyptians.

Nile River

▪ It is a major worth-flowing river in north-eastern Africa.

▪ Longest River in Africa and even in the world. Which had 4,132 miles and 6,650 km.
▪ Sudan is one of the borders of Africa as well as the neighboring country of Egypt that is
connected to the Nile River.

Ancient Egyptian Literature comprises a wide array of narrative and poetic forms.
It includes;

1. Inscriptions on Tombs, Stele, obelisks, temples

2. Myths, stories, and legends.
3. Religious writings
4. Philosophical works
5. Autobiographies
6. Biographies
7. Histories
8. Poetry
9. Hymns
10. Personal essays
11. Letters
12. Court records

LITERARY PERIOD

a. Old Kingdom

▪ The first examples of the Egyptian writing system in action: The Offering List
and autobiography.

Forms of Writing:

1. Autobiographies and Virtue Lists

− Autobiography - the self-portrait in words.

− Catalogue of Virtues - about the good deeds and list of things that are
worth remembering about that certain dead person.

2. Pyramid Texts
 − Written in the Pyramid which is about the king's journey.

3. Instructions of Wisdom

− pieces of advice and words of wisdom.

b. Middle Kingdom Literature

▪ It is a literary period that's considered the classical age of Egyptian

literature.

c. Literature in the New Kingdom

▪ The new kingdom falls under the Second Intermediate period, during this
era rule in Egypt was divided between the foreign kings of the Hyksos in
Lower Egypt at Avaris, Egyptian rule from Thebes in Upper Egypt, and
control of the southern reaches of Upper Egypt by the Nubians. Egypt was
united, and the Hyksos and Nubians were driven beyond the borders, by
Ahmose of Thebes who inaugurated the New Kingdom. The memory of the
Hyksos "invasion" remained fresh in the minds of the Egyptians and was
reflected in the political policies and the literature of the period. The early
pharaohs of the New Kingdom dedicated themselves to preventing any
kind of incursion like that of the Hyksos and so embarked on a series of
military campaigns to expand Egypt's borders; this resulted in the Age of
Empire for Egypt which was reflected in a broader scope of content in the
literature and art.
▪ During the New Kingdom these works were largely hymns, prayers,
instructions in wisdom, praise songs, love poems, and stories. The Egyptian
love poem of the New Kingdom is remarkably similar on many levels to the
biblical Song of Solomon and the much later compositions of the
troubadours of 12th century CE France in their evocation of a beloved who
is beyond compare and worthy of all devotion and sacrifice. The same
sentiments, and often imagery, used in these New Kingdom love poems are
still recognizable in the lyrics of popular music in the present day.

Religion

▪ There were two essential foci of public religion:

▪ The king and the gods. Both are among the most characteristic features of
Egyptian civilization.
 ▪ The king had a unique status between humanity and the gods, partook in
the world of the gods, and constructed great, religiously motivated
funerary monuments for his afterlife.
▪ Egyptian gods are renowned for their wide variety of forms, including
animal forms and mixed forms with an animal head on a human body.
▪ The most important deities were the sun god, who had several names and
aspects and was associated with many supernatural beings in a solar cycle
modeled on the alternation of night and day, and Osiris, the god of the
dead and ruler of the underworld.
▪ With his consort, Isis, Osiris became dominant in many contexts during the
1st millennium BCE, when solar worship was in relative decline.

10 Egyptian writers
There are 10 Egyptian writers who contributed a lot to the rise of Egyptian
literature. They are as follows:

1. Naguib Mahfouz 6. Ihsan Abdel Quddous

2. Yusuf Idris 7. Mahmud al-Aqqad

3. Tawfiq al-Hakim 8. Anis Mansour

4. Yahya Haqqi 9. Zaki Naguib Mahmoud
5. Taha Hussein 10. Ahdaf Soueif
Most of them doesn't originally plan to be a writer. They’ve finished a different degree and started
working before pursuing the field of literary writing. They have also shown to the world the beauty of
Egypt and proved that not even educational attainment nor physical disabilities can hinder a person
to achieve his goals in life.

For Examples of Egyptian Writing

• Offering Lists and Autobiographies

• Prayer for Offerings
• Pyramids Texts

Writing Systems

• HIEROGLYPHICS SCRIPT (Sacred carvings)

▪ It cares for the aesthetic beauty of the arrangement of the symbols
• HIERATIC SCRIPT (Sacred writings)
▪ was used to relay information quickly and easily.
• DEMOTIC SCRIPT (Popular writing)
 INDIA
The Land of Prayer

I. INTRODUCTION

Why was India called the Land of Prayer?

− India since the age of Aryans, Dravidians, and Vedas has believed in faith, spirituality, prayers,
and worship, and every Indian follows the same in their way from the core of their heart. Hence,
India is often referred to as the land of prayers.

− India is called the Land of Prayer because many of the people are very spiritual and religious.
Religion in India is also very diverse and is the birthplace of four of the world's major religions:
Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

A. Brief History
The history of India starts with the existence of India itself as It is located in the continent of Asia,
India covers 2,973,193 square kilometers of land and 314,070 square kilometers of water. Making it the
7th largest nation in the world with a total area of 3,287,263 square kilometers. Surrounded by Bhutan,
Nepal, and Bangladesh to the North East, China to the North, Pakistan to the North West, and Sri Lanka
on the South East coast. India is a land of ancient civilizations. India's social, economic, and cultural
configurations are the products of a long process of regional expansion.

− Indian history begins with the birth of the Indus Valley Civilization and the coming of the Aryans.
These two phases are usually described as the pre-Vedic and Vedic ages.

− In India, the name comes from the Indus Valley. Before India, it was known as Bharata, it was
used to designate the country in the constitution.

Indus Valley Civilization

The Indus Valley civilization and the coming of Aryans mark the ancient history of India. These
two phases are known as the pre-Vedic and Vedic periods. Rig Veda (the oldest of the sacred books
of Hinduism) is the earliest source of Indian history.

Modern Indian History

During the late 16th and 17th Centuries, the European trading companies in India competed
with each other ferociously. By the last quarter of the 18th Century, the English had outdone all others
and established themselves as the dominant power in India.

B. People
The four distinct ethnic groups in India were; 1) Indo-Aryans (72 percent), Dravidians (25
percent), primarily in the south, and Mongoloids (3 percent), living primarily along the Tibetan, Chinese,
and Burmese border; and 4) the Negrito tribes on the Andaman Islands (only a few thousand people).

C. Languages
− India has 22 separate official languages.
− Hindi is the official language of India, with English being the second official language.
However, there is no national language as per the Constitution.
− Only Hindi or English is allowed for official business in the Indian parliament and government
buildings. In the entire nation, English may be used for official purposes, including legislative
 proceedings, correspondence between the Central Government and a State Government,
and legal processes.

D. Religion
− India is home to several religions, but the most common is Hinduism at 80% of the population.
− Hinduism is the third-most widespread religion in the world after Islam and Christianity and it is
thought to be the oldest religion in the world dating back at least 5,000 years ago. It is believed
to be older, but there’s no definitive proof.

E. Education
− Two types of education in India are: formal and informal.
− Formal education in India consists of 5 primary schoolings, which is followed by 3 years of middle
school and two years of high school. After the completion of high school, students can pursue
higher education at college or university level.
− Informal types of education are the ones provided outside the formal education system and
do not usually follow a set curriculum. It consists of training programs, workshops, and different
forms of internship.

CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIAN LITERATURE

1. Indian literature is based on piety, a deeply religious spirit.

− The oldest known literature in India is the Vedas. According to Hindu tradition, the Vedas are
apauruṣeya “not of human agency”, and are supposed to have been directly revealed, and
thus are called śruti (“what is heard”). This contains hymns and prayers for gods.
− The Indians believe that a knowledge of gods and a strong belief in Hinduism is necessary to
save mankind.

2. Indian literary masterpieces are written in epic form, corresponding to the great epochs in the history
of India.
− The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are the most important epics of India; the latter is the
longest epic in the world.

3. Medieval Indian literature the earliest works in many of the languages were sectarian, designed to
advance or to celebrate some unorthodox regional belief.
− Examples are the Caryapadas in Bengali, Tantric verses of the 12th century, and the Lilacaritra
(circa 1280), in Marathi.

Common Themes of Indian Literature

A. Religion
Based on the ancient history of India dominated by Brahmins, the upper educated ruling
priestly class, Religion (Spirituality) was the primary concern. Attaining heaven (Mukti) and
Reincarnation are the two main focus of Hinduism. Charity (Dana) is the concept that is
emphasized in Vedas to attain heaven according to the doctrine of karma. The Indians also
believed that knowledge of God and a strong belief in Hinduism were necessary to save
mankind.

B. Deeds
Deeds of the past determine the state of the present is the concept of reincarnation. If
noble deeds are done in the past, noble birth in the present is assured. Ramayana is the story of
Ram, the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu.
C. Human Values
Human values are also a characteristic of Indian literature within the broader web of
‘Religion’. Obedience- to the one above, to keep up the words spoken i.e. not breaking
promises at any cost, bravery- in war are the important values imparted through the sacred
books and epics.

D. Obedience
Obedience to the above – it can mean a person in power, in God, or to an elder person.
As in Ramayana, Ram obeys his father Dasharatha when asked to go into exile and Hanuman
(an ape hero) obeys Sugriva (the ape king) immediately when he is asked to go in search of
Sita, Rama’s wife.

E. Bravery
Bravery on the war front is seen in both Ramayana and Mahabharata which involves the
two great epic wars; The Ramayana war and The Mahabharata war battle at Kurukshetra
where the army of both the parties [(Rama and Ravana in Ramayana) and (Pandavas and
Kauravas in Mahabharata)] fight bravely for victory.

F. Love
“Love” is one of the major characteristics focused on Indian literature. All forms of love as
Parental love (In Janaka, the king of Mithila made him accept Sita; found in-furrow of the field,
as his daughter and Dasharatha dies after Rama is sent to exile), Marital love (In Sita, she
accompanied her husband Rama into exile), love of brothers (In Lakshmana that he
accompanied Rama into exile and in Bharata that he rejected the crown) and love of friends
(in Karna that he stands by Kauravas against his own brothers) are included.

G. Morality
Virtue rewarded and vice punished is the justice done according to the Dharma, which
is a characteristic of Indian literature. Ravana and Kauravas' vices of Ramayana and
Mahabharata were defeated in war and were killed.

RENOWNED INDIAN PROSE (RELIGIOUS AND PHILOSOPHICAL WORKS, EPICS, AND THEIR WORKS)

1. SUZANNA ARUNDHATI ROY

− Born 24 November 1959
− An Indian author who is best known for her novel The God of Small Things 1997), which won the
Man Booker Prize for Fiction in 1997. She is also a political activist involved in human rights and
environmental causes.
− The novel is semi-autobiographical and a major part captures her childhood experience in
Aymanam and become the biggest-selling book by a non-experienced Indian author.
− She worked as a production designer while pursuing her architectural studies at the Delhi School
of Architecture.

MAJOR WORKS
 The God of Small Things
 The End of Imagination
 The Cost of Living
 The Greater Common Good

2. SIR SALMAN RUSHDIE

− Born 19 June 1947
 − A British Indian novelist and essayist. His second novel, Midnight’s Children, won the Booker Prize
in 1981. Much of his fiction is set on the Indian subcontinent. He is said to combine magical
realism with historical fiction; his work is concerned with the many connections, disruptions, and
migrations between Eastern and Western civilizations.
− His writing style is known for melding different cultures and traditions his work often deals with the
confusion and misunderstanding between two cultures, especially the East vs. the West.

MAJOR WORKS
 Grimus
 Midnight’s Children
 The Moor’s Last Sigh
 The Ground Beneath Her Feet

3. CHETAN BHAGAT
− Born 22 April 1974) is an Indian author, columnist, screenwriter, television personality, and
motivational speaker, known for his English-language novels about young urban middle-class
Indians. A noted public intellectual, Bhagat also writes columns about the youth, career
development, and current affairs, for The Times of India (in English) and Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi).
− His book has always presented a true picture of life in India. His books usually deal with the
current trends be it marriage, work, relationships, or any issue related to youth.

MAJOR WORKS
 Five Point Someone (2004)
 One Night @ the Call Center (2005)
 The 3 Mistakes of My Life (2008)
 States (2009)
 Revolution 2020 (2011)

4. HABANI BHATTACHARYA (10 November 1906 –10 October 1988)

− An Indian writer, of Bengali origin, who wrote social-realist fiction. In his mid-thirties, Bhattacharya
began writing fiction set in historically and socially realistic contexts. He wrote in English, his
chosen medium following the advice of two prominent literary figures.
− Described as belonging to the social realism school of Indio-Anglian literature. His writing exhibits
the influence of Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi.
− He also adopted a pedagogical approach to make novels out of ideas utilizing satire and
making his ideas more tangible through situational examples.

MAJOR WORKS
 Some Memorable Yesterdays
 So Many Hunger!
 Indian Cavalcade
 He Who Rides a Tiger

5. ANITA MAZUMDAR DESAI

− Born 24 June 1937, an Indian novelist. Anita Mazumdar to a German mother, Toni Nime, and a
Bengali businessman, D.N. Mazumdar. As a writer, she has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize
three times. She began to write in English at the age of seven and published her first story at the
age of nine.
− She is often considered a psychological novelist and a feminist. She deals with the major themes
of identity, isolation, inner struggle man women's relationships, and others.
− She is also an imaginative and creative author.

MAJOR WORKS
  The Artist of Disappearance
 The Zigzag Way
 Diamond Dust and Other Stories
 Fasting, Feast
6. MAHATMA GANDHI (1869-1948)
He was no writer nor was he at any time particularly interested in the act of writing. The
period between the two world wars is called the 'Gandhian Age'. The arrival of Gandhiji during
the Indian struggle for freedom was a period of awakening.

MAJOR WORK
 "The story of my experiments with truth".

Gandhi had no literary ambitions though he wrote some verse and a great deal of prose. He
was a journalist. He edited South African and Indian Journals, like the Indian Opinion, Young India and
Harijan. His writings had no literary graces, suggestiveness, allusiveness, or the power to conjure up
associations but whatever he wrote one could see transparency and absolute sincerity and often a
profound aspiration.

7. R. K. NARAYAN
He is essentially a humorous writer interested in the lower middle classes of South India, in
a world relatively free from the terrible privations and agonies, political conflicts, and economic
problems.

MAJOR WORKS
 The English Teacher (1945)
 The Guide (1958)

Narayan's first novel, Swami and His Friends, is a humorous study of the life of a schoolboy growing
up in Malgudi in the 1920s and 30s. The Bachelor of Arts is the story of Chandran, a sensitive youth
caught between the Western ideas of love and marriage instilled into him by his college education
and the traditional setup in which he lives. The third novel of Narayan The Dark Room introduces the
theme of the modernization of Malgudi. It is a serious tale of the heroine Savitri's silent suffering and
abject surrender to her unfaithful husband. The English Teacher is Narayan's last novel before
independence. The novel is divided into two halves of equal length. The first half is a charming prose
idyll centered around Sushila, Krishnan's wife "The Angel in the House" and brings out the poetry of the
daily routine in the life of Krishnan, the college lecturer in love with his wife Sushila.

8. MULK RAJ ANAND

Anand may therefore be said to have written in his
novels of the people, for the people, and as a man of the people. To Mulk Raj Anand goes the
credit for establishing the novel as the much-favored medium for Indo-Anglians and for
deflecting Indo-Anglian literature from an outdated romanticism in poetry to socially realistic
fiction.

MAJOR WORKS
 The Village (1939)
 Across the black waters (1939)

Anand's six novels published between 1930 and 1942 provide a discontinuous but homogenous
picture of the urban proletariat (worker), the low castes, and the peasantry before and after the First
World War. His first three novels form a trio: Untouchable, Coolie, and Two Leaves and a Bud. All three
novels present a hero who is an outcaste proletarian, victimized and oppressed on two counts:
1. Casteism in the Indian society
2. Capitalist system and imperialistic policy of the British

9. RAJA RAO
Raja Rao is a child of the Gandhian age and reveals in his novels and short stories an awareness
of the forces let loose by the Gandhian Revolution and the pull of tradition.

MAJOR WORKS
 Kanthapura (1938)
 The Serpent and the Rope (1960)
 The cat and Shakespeare: A tale of India (1965)

Raja Rao has written only four novels: Kanthapura was the only novel Raja Rao wrote before
independence. The Serpent and the Rope, The Cat and Shakespeare, and Comrade Kirillov were
written after India's Independence. His short stories have been collected in a volume entitled The Cow
of the Barricades. Raja Rao's forte is romantic - realism. Kanthapura is the finest evocation of the
Gandhian age in Indian English fiction. It is the story of a small South Indian village, Kanthapura, which
is caught in the thick storm of the freedom struggle of the 1930s, and in the end, the village is so
transformed that there is neither man nor mosquito" left in it.

10. BALACHANDRA RAJAN

Balachandra Rajan illustrates both the strains prominent in the Indian English fiction of the
fifties and the sixties - viz. realism and fantasy.

MAJOR WORKS

 The Dark Dancer (1958)

 Too Long in the West (1962)

In his first novel, The Dark Dancer (1959), Krishnan, a South Indian youth, on his return from
England to post-Partition India, finds himself torn between his love for the British Cynthia, and his loyalty
to Kamala his wife, the novelist's intention appears to pose the problem of East-West confrontation in
terms of the protagonist's quest for identity. Rajan's second novel, Too Long in the West (1961) is a comic
extravaganza in which the central figure is Nalini, a South Indian girl, who returns from an American
university to face the problem of choosing a suitable husband. The breezy, facetious style harmonizes
admirably with the tone of the narrative.

FAMOUS POETRY WRITER AND THEIR WORK

[Link] TAGORE
− His best-known work in poetry, Gitanjali, was published in 1910.
− He is a towering figure of world literature and the most famous modern Indian poet.
− Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize for Literature, largely for this book.

FAMOUS WORK
 Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata
 Chitto Jetha Bhayshunyo
 Birpurush

2. SAROJINI NAIDU
− Known as the ‘Nightingale of India’, Sarojini Naidu began her writing career at the age of 13.
 − Her first collection of poems, the widely acclaimed The Golden Threshold, was published in 1905.
− Naidu explored a wide variety of subjects in her poems including nature, love, death, and
patriotism. She even wrote poems for children.

FAMOUS WORKS
 In the Bazaars of Hyderabad
 Palanquin Bearers
 The Golden Threshold

3. KAMALA SURAYYA
− is one of the boldest, most fearless, and among the most influential figures in Indian-English
language poetry.
− She was known to portray the women in her poems as human; with desires, pain, and emotions
just like men.

FAMOUS WORKS
 The Looking Glass
 Words
 Relationship
 In Love

4. KALIDASA
− He is one the greatest Sanskrit poets of India, he is said to be from the 5th century.
− His plays and poems are primarily based on the Vedas, Puranas, the Ramayana, and the
Mahabharata.

FAMOUS WORKS
 The Cloud Messenger,
 The Seasons

5. AMRITA PRITAM
− was an Indian novelist, essayist, and poet, who wrote in Punjabi and Hindi.
− is considered to be one of the prominent Punjabi poets of the twentieth century
− She was the first woman to win the Sahitya Academy Award in 1956 for her long poem;
‘Sunehray’

FAMOUS WORKS
 Amrit Lehren (1936)
 Jiunda Jiwan (1939)
 Badlam De Laali (1943)
 Punjabi Di Aawaaz (1952)

6. NISSIM EZEKIEL
− is one of India's most famous English poets. His poems integrate the complexities and anxieties
of urban life and depict ordinary human
− His writing intent is as simple as realistic sensibility and cognitive astuteness, which has
recognized him as a unique poet of modern literature.

FAMOUS WORKS
 The Night of The Scorpion
 Midmonsoon Madness
 The Worm
7. KABIR
− Indian poet and spiritual teacher who lived in the 15th century, was a well-known exponent of
the Bhakti tradition. The poetry of Kabir is simple but profound and it has metaphors that are
easy even for the common people to understand.

FAMOUS WORKS
 The Intricately Woven Blanket
 Dohas

8. MIRZA GHALIB
− was an Urdu and Persian poet who remains a towering poetic figure in numerous nations,
particularly India and Pakistan.
− He spent his life writing poetry for patrons at the Mughal court.

Famous works
 Ghazals

9. MAHADEVI VERMA (Modern Mira)

− Verma's poems are rich in emotions and natural surroundings.
− Her works are often a part of the school curriculum.
− She was involved in academics and became Principal of Women's College in Allahabad.

WORKS
 Aa Gaye Tum and Murjhaya phool

10. MIR TAQI MIR (born in 1722 in Agra)

− Mir was an Urdu poet of the 18th century during the Mughal Rule.
− He entered the world of Urdu poetry when he was in the initial stage.
− He was also the pioneer of the formation of the Urdu language.
− His work is based on love, spirituality, and his personal life tragedies including untimely deaths
of his family members.

WORKS
 Chaman Main Gul Ne Jo Ka and Dard Be Ikhtiar

11. MIRABAI (Born in 1498)

− She has been known as a highly influential figure in poetry traditions.
− Her poems showed different paths on Divinity, mysticism, and love.
− Her mystic poetry is remembered even today as her work mostly portrayed her devotion towards
" Lord Krishna ".

WORKS
 Nothing is mine except Krishna
 I am mad in love
 Keep up your promise

12. VIKRAM SETH (born in Kolkata)

− An Indian poet and novelist whose works include children's fiction and non-fiction
− Known for his rich descriptions and subtle storytelling.
− Seth has received international acclaim
− He is also an important writer in the genre.
WORKS
 Mapping and Beastly Tales and The Golden Gate

13. SRI AUROBINDO GHOSH

− He was a master of all poetry genres
− His poems, express his ardent philosophy of life and mystic thoughts.
− With a touch of physical themes, they are not only pleasing and moving but inspiring and
elevating.

WORKS
 The Life Divine and Savitri

FAMOUS LITERATURE IN INDIA

RAMAYANA by Maharishi Valmiki

− One of the largest ancient epics in the world of literature.
− It is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and an important text of Hinduism.
− The narrative of the Ramayana took place during a period known as Treta Yuga in 5301 BC.
− It tells the story of Rama, one incarnation of the god Vishnu.

MAHABHARATA by Rishi Ved Vyasa

− The longest-known epic poem

VEDAS
− Veda means " knowledge".
− It is the oldest Indian literature.
− Vedas are composed over a period ranging from 1200 to 400 B.C.E
− Vedas focused on ritualistic details, uses, and traditions.

KATHA UPANISHAD
− Upanishad derived from the words upa (near) and shad (to sit). It is derived from the concept
of sitting near the feet of the teacher.
− The Upanishads were written over a period ranging from 700 to 400 B.C.E
− Upanishads focused on Spiritual Enlightenment.

ARABIA-CRADLE OF ISLAM
Why is Arabia called the Cradle of Islam?
o Arabia is the cradle of Islam, the birthplace of its history, the site of
the two holy mosques, and the focus of Islamic devotion and
prayer.
o Arabia is committed to preserving the Islamic tradition in all areas of
government and society.

A. Brief History
 o Sometime after the rise of Islam in the first quarter of the 7th century
CE and the emergence of the ARABIAN Muslims as the founders of
one of the great empires of history.
o The name Arab came to be used by these Muslims themselves and
by the nations with whom they came in contact to indicate all
people of Arabian origin.

o -The very name Arabia, or its Arabic name Jazīrat al-ʿArab, has come
to be used for the whole PENINSULA.

B. People

"HOW CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE PEOPLE OF ARABIA? "

▪ The Arab people are a diverse and Culturally rich group with
shared linguistic and Historical heritage.
▪ They primarily inhabit the Arab world, which includes countries in
the Middle East and North Africa
▪ Arabs may identify with various nationalities, such as
Egyptian, Syrian, or Sadur, and belong to different religious
backgrounds, Including Islam, Christianity, and other faiths.
• People of Arab
▪ Refers to individuals who identify with or are part of the Arab
ethnic and cultural group.
▪ Arab Culture is marked by its rich history, deep hospitality
traditions, and notable contributions to literature and the arts.
C. Languages

• ARABIC
Is the primary language of arab people.
▪
It is a Semitic language with numerous dialects and regional
▪
variations spoken across the Arab world.
• MODERN STANDARD ARABIC (MSA)
▪ Serves as a formal and standardized version of the language used
in media, literature, and formal education.
▪ Some Arabic individuals may also speak other languages,
especially if they belong to linguistic or ethnic minorities.
• ENGLISH AND FRENCH
▪ Are often taught as secondary languages in Arabic Countries, And
Arab countries have proficiency in these languages, Especially for
business, education, or communication with the international
community.

D. Religion

▪ Islam is a strictly monotheistic religion, Islam is an Arabic word that

means "surrender, submission, commitment, and peace." Thus, Islam
can be defined as a path to attain complete peace through
voluntary submission to the divine will.

E. Education

1. General Education
▪ General education consists of kindergarten, six years of primary
school, and three years each of intermediate and high school.
2. Higher Education
▪ Arabia established this educational system to provide the highly
skilled manpower needed to run its increasingly sophisticated
economy.
3. Special & Adult Education
▪ The Education Department of the Ministry of Education operates
schools for the blind, deaf, and physically and mentally disabled.
There are other institutes that care for elderly disabled people.
▪

CHARACTERISTICS/QUALITIES OF ARABIAN LITERATURE

Provenance- One of the most important aspects of Arabic literature, it has to
do with the fact that its first appearance comes from oral transmission, so it was
born from nomads, travelers, and shepherds of the spaces of the Arabian
peninsula.
Content- It contains poetry stories about past events.
Female figure- In Arabian literature, women were not exposed until the 7th
century, however as time went by they became the representative of Arabian
Literature.

Literary criticism- has been present since the beginning of Arabian Literature,
thus a large number of literary pieces in Arabia were mostly entitled "Criticism of
Poetry" and "Rules of Poetry.”

Influence and Decline- The great expansion of Arabian Literature allowed it to

connect with a large number of people and had a great influence on literary
production.

Rhyme- Another of the most important characteristics of Arabian literature has

to do with the composition of works, given that each of the writings recorded
took a unique pattern followed by specific rhyme and meter.

RENOWNED ARABIAN PROSE WRITERS AND THEIR WORKS

REPRESENTATIVE TEXT: ARABIAN NIGHTS: A THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT

One thousand and one nights

•known as Arabian Nights

•written in Arabic during the 19th century
• The stories in the Arabian Nights have diverse origins, with some dating
back to ancient Persian, Indian, and Arabic folklore.
•There isn’t a single author.

•The earliest manuscripts were written in the Islamic Golden Age, during
the
Abbasid Caliphate.

• The framing narrative that ties the stories together involves a Persian king
named Shahryar and his wife Scheherazade.
• Some of the most famous early translations include Antoine Galland's
French version and Sir Richard Burton's English translation.
•One of the most famous translations into English was by Sir Richard Burton in
the 19th century. The collection includes famous stories like "Aladdin's Wonderful
Lamp," "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," and "Sinbad the Sailor."

Example of the Stories Included:

 1. Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp

2. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

3. Sinbad the Sailor

4. The Fisherman and the Jinni

5. The Tale of King Shahryar and His Brother:

6. The Story of the Porter and the Three Ladies of Baghdad

7. The Story of the Hunchback

8. The Tale of the Enchanted King

9. The Story of Prince Ahmed and the Fairy Paribanou

10. The Story of the Magic Horse

Common Themes and Motifs in the Stories

Common themes and motifs found in these stories include
1. Storytelling
2. Magic and Fantasy
3. Power of Wit and Cleverness
4. Gender Roles and Empowerment
5. Love and Romance
6. Quests and Adventures
7. Fate and Destiny
8. The Supernatural and Miracles
9. Cultural Diversity
10. Framing Themes of Life and Death

GENRES AND THEME OF ARABIAN LITERATURE

PANEGYRIC
▪ Praise of the tribe and its elders
▪ Primary mode of poetic expression (Islam period)
▪ Panegyric functions as a means of extolling the virtues of the tribe and its
elders was easily transferred.
▪ The goal of the poet, hoped wouldn’t only illustrate the prestige of the Muslim
community as a whole but also on a more practical level.
LAMPOON

▪ Praise’s opposite
▪ The poet would be expected to take verbal aim at the community’s
enemies and impugn their honor (most often at the expense of women)

ELEGY

▪ Praise of the dead

▪ The celebration of the life and courage of a tribal comrade fallen in battle is the
occasion for the earliest elegies in Arabic. After an account of the death itself,
these elegies include an appreciation of the hero's virtues
▪ Combinations of personal grief and communal mourning with its underlying
currents of pride and aspirations
▪ Like panegyric the elegy was adaptable to the expectations of the even
expanding Muslim Community and itself became a further oceans of public
affirmation – mourning the dead to be sure but also finding solace in the
strength of Islam and its rulers
▪ The main theme of this is about happiness and sorrow, birth and death lastly
defeat and victory.