Riding the She-Camel into the Desert: A Translation of Two Classical Arabic Poets
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2009
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Swarthmore College. Dept. of Linguistics
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Thesis (B.A.)
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en_US
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Full copyright to this work is retained by the student author. It may only be used for non-commercial, research, and educational purposes. All other uses are restricted.
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Abstract
For a language with as rich and varied a vocabulary as Arabic, it seems inevitable that poetry would occupy a pace of high importance. From the pre-Islamic qasiidas, or epic poems (the most well known of which decorate the walls of the Ka'ba in Mecca), to the modern, politically charge verses, poetry has long been a highly valued from of expression. During the classical period, poets were greatly valued for their work and those who gained favor at court were greatly rewarded. Even today, in countries like Jordan, students gather in crowds for weekly poetry readings, where even those who do not consider themselves poets bring verses of their own to share. This has led to a long and interesting poetic tradition. As a personal preference, I enjoy reading poems from the Abbasid era (750-1258), for the ways in which the poets combined new forms with classical references. There are many different periods and genres to choose from, all of which help the reader gain an insight to the culture that produced them. For those who cannot read the poems in the original Arabic, a translation is the only available option. Classical Arabic poems are occasionally translated into English, but, as there is not great commercial demand, these translations are more scholarly than literary. As there are few options available that would appeal to the average reader, people do not know to look to classical Arabic poetry for the beauty and cultural insight. I provide here a translation of two poems by two classical Arabic poets: al-Mutanabbi and Abu Nuwas. Through a discussion of my translations and a comparison to previous interpretations, I propose not just a revision of these two particular poems, but a general method of translating classical Arabic poetry for common, literary use.