An anthology of chronologically arranged texts of Hispano-Arabic poems that are of exceptionally high literary quality or cultural significance. The texts are accompanied by literal translations and explanatory notes for the use of students of Arabic and Romance literatures.

Medieval Arabic poetry is particularly difficult for Western readers to appreciate. The use of topoi, a finite set of themes that recur again and again, leads the European reader to the erroneous conclusion that the poetry lacks originality. Monroe shows that originality in this poetry lies not in what is said, but in the elaborately ornamented manner of saying it, heightened by the use of complex rhymes that became more complex with the passage of time; by the use of an elaborate metric system, and of an incredibly rich poetic diction.

A major part of the book is the introduction in which Monroe discusses the development of Hispano-Arabic poetry, the varied use of themes and forms, and the relationship between practice and theory in the light of developments undergone by the Muslim community in Andalusia from around the tenth century A. D. to 1492. In particular he attempts to show how different forms and modes in poetry respond to different social circumstances. The problem of the possible connection between Arab and European courtly poetry is also touched upon.

James T. Monroe is Professor of Arabic and Comparative Literatures at the University of California, Berkeley.