“I esteem the very ground to be but mortal remains.” —Abū al-‘Alā’ al-Ma’arri
This week our guest, a PhD candidate in Arabic literature in NELC, gives us us a macabre look into death and decay as they appear in the poetry of al-Ma’arri, whose work is the subject of his research. This talk includes a lot of poetry, and the speaker has been kind enough to prepare a handout of the lines he cites, which you can find by clicking here. Enjoy!
المعرّي والاضمحلال
KEVIN BLANKINSHIP
Al-Maʿarrī & Decay: A Macabre Interlude
(Fall Quarter, Week 5: 31 October 2014)
To listen, right-click here to download or use the following streaming bar:
