Models and Contacts. Arabic Literature and its Impact on Medieval Jewish Culture

Medieval Jewish literature from the 10th century onwards drew heavily on Arabic literary models. This important new study discusses the introduction of fictionality into Classical Arabic Literature, the mechanics of the basic rhyming model in Classical Arabic poetry and the medieval Arabic theory of rhyme. Subsequently, it goes on to analyze the introduction of Arabic literary models into 10th-century Jewish literature, Karaite influences, the roles of Hebrew and Arabic and bilingualism, metrical innovations and literary contacts in later Jewish literary works. This work will prove a valuable source of study material to students and historians of Classical Arabic and medieval Jewish literature.