Throwing Down the Verbal Gauntlet, the Arabic Invective of Jarīr and Al-Farazdaq - Hardcover

by Cory Jorgensen (Author)

Throwing Down the Verbal Gauntlet showcases Arab "rapper" poets Jarīr and al-Farazdaq. This eighth-century duo is best known for a series of verbal battles (flytings) they carried out over several decades. Verbal Gauntlet argues that these poets performed in order to elevate their own prestige, just as rappers do in modern-day "Dozens" battles. These were performances for performance's sake, a first for a genre traditionally associated with settling tribal disputes. The book provides a new interpretation of this poetry and changes the way we see the intertwining roles of poet, opponent, and audience.

Author Biography

Cory Jorgensen, Ph.D. (2012), University of Texas at Austin, is Assistant Professor of Arabic at George Washington University. He has published on classical Arabic literature and Arabic pedagogy, including, "Jarīr and al-Farazdaq's Naqāʾiḍ Performance," Journal of Arabic Literature 54 (2023).