Love Songs from Al-Andalus

Subtitle: History, Structure and Meaning of the Kharja
Author: Otto Zwartjes
Publisher: Brill, Leiden – New York – Köln, 1997
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 300
ISBN-13: 9789004106949
ISBN-10: 9004106944
Printed in: New York
Language: English

Overview

Love Songs from Al-Andalus: History, Structure and Meaning of the Kharja by Otto Zwartjes is a comprehensive and scholarly investigation into one of the most captivating poetic forms from medieval Spain—the Kharja. These lyrical fragments, often written in a mix of Arabic, Hebrew, and Romance vernaculars, appear at the end of muwashshahāt (classical strophic poems) and offer intimate glimpses into the emotional lives of their speakers, frequently young women in love.

In this volume, Zwartjes delves into the historical development, linguistic features, and literary significance of the Kharja, presenting a multi-disciplinary study that draws from linguistics, comparative literature, philology, and cultural history. The author also reexamines the role of Al-Andalus in the broader evolution of European literary traditions.

Key Features

• Detailed exploration of the Kharja, one of the oldest manifestations of Romance lyric poetry

• Analyzes the structural composition and stylistic elements of these poetic fragments

• Situates the Kharja within the cultural crossroads of Islamic, Jewish, and Christian Spain

• Incorporates linguistic and philological analysis to interpret complex manuscript evidence

• A valuable resource for those studying Andalusian literature, Arabic poetics, Romance linguistics, and cross-cultural literary transmission

About the Author

Otto Zwartjes is a renowned scholar in historical linguistics and the history of language contact, with a strong focus on Iberian and Arabic literary traditions. His work often bridges literary theory with empirical language study, shedding new light on understudied texts and traditions.

Recommended For

• Scholars and students of Iberian medieval literature

• Researchers of Arabic and Romance philology

• Historians of cross-cultural poetic traditions

• Academics in comparative literature and linguistics

• Readers interested in the legacy of Al-Andalus

Interesting Fact

The Kharja stands as a unique testament to linguistic coexistence and female voice in medieval poetry, often preserving some of the earliest examples of Ibero-Romance language long before formal vernacular literature emerged in Europe.

Hashtags

#AlAndalus #Kharja #LoveSongs #OttoZwartjes #MedievalPoetry #ArabicPoetry #RomanceLinguistics #CulturalHistory #ComparativeLiterature #BrillAcademic