Episode 19
19-Classical Islamic Civilization - Writing for the Elite
October 25, 201847m 53s
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Show Notes
Members of elite society in the Islamic empire were expected to follow a highly developed code of behaviors. The current word for "Literature" - al-adab - refers to the values and behaviors of the elite. A huge body of Literature was produced in Arabic in the Abbasid period that gives us a window into those values, and the master of Arabic prose was the great al-Jahiz. In this episode we look at the rags-to-riches story of this great writer and the values he exalted.