While often periodized into classical and modern standard forms, Arabic speakers around the world view their language and its literature diachronically, as a living and creatively adaptable tradition, practiced in different regions and historical contexts with vigor and ingenuity. Fusha—meaning to purify, to be eloquent, to speak clearly, or to express oneself with flawless literary panache—is an all-compassing term for the Arabic language and its literary forms. In this course, we will explore the full range of the Arabic linguistic and literary tradition, from its twin foundations in the Qur’an and the pre-Islamic qasida, or ode, to its contemporary efflorescence in a wide variety of literary genres. Our aim will be two-fold: to acquire a solid reading knowledge of Arabic alongside a critical understanding of its literary cultures. We will begin by studying the alphabet, then move on to a comprehensive introduction to Arabic grammar, morphology, syntax, and diction. From the very first weeks, we’ll be reading selections from Arabic texts belonging to a variety of historical periods, paying close attention to historic variants, distinct syntax, and rhetorical strategies. How can we read canonical Arabic literature in conjunction with its contemporary forms? How do contemporary poets, novelists, literary critics, and scholars of religion enrich our understanding of the classical Arabic world—and vice versa: How have writers through the ages appropriated and reworked classical elements in contributing to this vast literary corpus?
Critical Ancient Greek is organized across three, 12-week trimesters: Winter (February 10th-April 28th), Summer (June 2nd-August 18th), and Fall (September 15th-December 1st). Students may enroll in the program in its entirety or on a trimester-by-trimester basis. In addition to weekly 2-hour class meetings, students may elect to attend an additional “homework hour,” a time set aside for further practice and horizontal learning. Our textbook will be C. A. E. Luschnig’s An Introduction to Ancient Greek, to be supplemented throughout by readings from Greek philosophical and tragic writers. The class size is capped at 12 students.
