Some characteristics of the classical maqāma

Abstract

Most of the researches, by giving definition of the classical maqama, mention its most obvious features (eloquent manner of narration, rhymed rhythmical prose, verses, two permanent characters), which in fact also belong to other Arabic genres, thus that features cannot be fully considered as a distinctive. This article is devoted to the research of particularities of classical maqama, which were not represented well in the fundamental works, related to the study of the history of genre. Among them are conditional historicalliterary subdivision of the genre; designation of genesis and functions of traditional introductory phrase in maqāmas; special conjunction of saj‘, prose and verses in combination with fiction latitude in narration; possible description of plot in verses, which duplicates the text written earlier in saj‘; functions of la prose libre in narration of the classical maqama; kinds and features of saj‘ used in classical and postclassical maqamas. The author determines essential features of maqama, which distinguish it from other Arabic genres, designates conditions, which provided popularity and prevalence of the classical maqama, and lists possible reasons of such a high difference between maqāmas of classical authors and their postclassical followers. Refs 6.

Keywords:

Arabic literature, maqāmāt, al-Ḥarīrī, rhymed prose