Disputation Literature in the Near East and Beyond - Paperback

by Enrique Jiménez (Editor), Catherine Mittermayer (Editor)

Disputation literature is a type of text in which usually two non-human entities (such as trees, animals, drinks, or seasons) try to establish their superiority over each other by means of a series of speeches written in an elaborate, flowery register. As opposed to other dialogue literature, in disputation texts there is no serious matter at stake only the preeminence of one of the litigants over its rival. These light-hearted texts are known in virtually every culture that flourished in the Middle East from Antiquity to the present day, and they constitute one of the most enduring genres in world literature. The present volume collects over twenty contributions on disputation literature by a diverse group of world-renowned scholars. From ancient Sumer to modern-day Bahrain, from Egyptian to Neo-Aramaic, including Latin, French, Middle English, Armenian, Chinese and Japanese, the chapters of this book study the multiple avatars of this venerable text type.

Back Jacket

Disputation literature is a type of text in which usually two non-human entities (such as trees and animals) vie over their respective merits in a series of elaborate, flowery speeches. Known in virtually every Middle Eastern culture from Antiquity to the present day, it represents one of the most enduring genres in world literature. The present volume collects over twenty contributions on disputation literature by a diverse group of world-renowned scholars. From ancient Sumer to modern-day Bahrain, from Egyptian to Neo-Aramaic, including Latin, French, Middle English, Armenian, Chinese and Japanese, the chapters of this book study the multiple avatars of this venerable text type.

Author Biography

Enrique Jiménez, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Catherine Mittermayer, University of Geneva, Switzerland.