
Ruse and Wit
The Humorous in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish Narrative
Dominic Parviz Brookshaw(Editor)
Ilex Foundation (Publisher)
Published on 8. October 2012
Book
Paperback/Softback
172 pages
978-0-674-06670-0 (ISBN)
Description
The essays in Ruse and Wit examine in detail a wide range of texts (from nonsensical prose, to ribald poetry, titillating anecdotes, edifying plays, and journalistic satire) that span the best part of a millennium of humorous and satirical writing in the Islamic world, from classical Arabic to medieval and modern Persian, and Ottoman Turkish (and by extension Modern Greek). While acknowledging significant elements of continuity in the humorous across distinct languages, divergent time periods, and disparate geographical regions, the authors have not shied away from the particular and the specific. When viewed collectively, the findings presented in the essays collected here underscore the belief that humor as evidenced in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish narrative is a culturally modulated phenomenon, one that demands to be examined with reference to its historical framework and one that, in turn, communicates as much about those who produced humor as it does about those who enjoyed it.
Reviews / Votes
This fascinating collection of articles...enriches our knowledge of classical and modern literature in the Near and Middle East, showing the importance of wit and entertainment in writing throughout history, and alerting us to the challenge of decoding the authors' play with bawdy satire and delicate humor. -- Christine von Ruymbeke, University of Cambridge These scholarly papers offer nuanced and comparative perspectives on interconnected literary and social histories. We learn to appreciate the place of humor-in its various manifestations in the form of jokes, witticisms, obscene and bawdy tales, and puns-both in religious and specific cultural settings. -- Sunil Sharma, Boston UniversityMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United States
Publishing group
Harvard University, Center for Hellenic Studies
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight
254 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-674-06670-0 (9780674066700)
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Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Dominic Parviz Brookshaw is Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature and Persian Literature at Stanford University Olga M. Davidson is a Faculty Fellow at the Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies and Civilizations at Boston University. Anna Stavrakopoulou is Associate Professor of Theater Studies at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.