Copyright

Adnan Haydar

Published On

2025-02-06

Page Range

pp. 25–62

Language

  • English

Print Length

38 pages

2. Previous Scholarship on Zajal Metrics

  • Adnan Haydar (author)
Chapter of: New Words to Old Tunes: Genres and Metrics of Lebanese Zajal Poetry (pp. 25–62)

The second chapter delivers a thorough review of previous scholarship on the metrics of Lebanese zajal. It includes a discussion and analysis of writings by Amīn Nakhleh, Buṭrus al-Bustānī, R.P.A. Dozy, Jurji Zaydān, Ibrahīm al-Ḥūrānī, C.F. Seybold, Mārūn cAbbūd, Anīs Frayḥah, Jean Lecerf, Jabbūr cAbd al-Nūr, Munīr Whaybeh, and others. The chapter concludes with the statement that much of the criticism discussed abounds in impressionistic statements, contradictions, shaky terminology and serious lack of documentation. Also striking is that none of the critics admits music, song, and stress into metrical study.

Contributors

Adnan Haydar

(author)
Head of the Arabic section in the department of world languages, literatures, and cultures and professor of Arabic and comparative literature at University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

Adnan Haydar is head of the Arabic section in the department of world languages, literatures, and cultures and professor of Arabic and comparative literature at the University of Arkansas, where he also founded and directed the King Fahd Middle East Studies Center from 1993 to 1999. His fields of specialization and areas of teaching include modern and classical Arabic literature, Arabic language, folk literature, and oral poetry. He has authored, co-authored and co-edited eight books, and is co-editor of the translation series for Syracuse University Press. His many articles on modern literary theory and oral poetry have appeared in premier literary journals.