Majnun Leyla: Poems about Passion [Paperback]

Joyce Akesson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 16, 2009

In the northern Arabian Peninsula during the second half of the 7th century, Qays, later known as Majnun, is in love with his cousin Leyla and decides to praise her in his love poems. Annoyed by all the noise around her, Leyla's parents consider that he has compromised her honor and force her to marry another man. Qays becomes desperate and wanders alone in the desert. His father takes him to Mecca and begs him to seek God's help to free him from his passion, but in vain. The story of Majnun and Leyla has been told in legends, songs, poems, plays and epics from the Caucasus to Africa and from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. It is a story of tragic and endless love, much like the later story of "Tristan and Isolde" and "Romeo and Julia" in Europe. This volume consists of a translation into English of several of Majnün's poems to Leyla together with comments and an introduction. An incurable romanticism, the deepest longing of the heart to its beloved, nostalgia, memories of a lost paradise, idealism, anticipation, joy after a reunion, bitterness after a separation, lovesickness and a consuming passion emerge from the versions that have inspired countless of people more that 1200 years ago and throughout the centuries.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joyce Akesson is the author of "Love's Thrilling Dimensions" and "The Invitation". She has also studied the Semitic languages at Lund's University, Sweden, and has previously been a lecturer there during many years. Beside the present book, she is the author of several books and articles about Arabic linguistics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 164 pages
• Publisher: Pallas Athena (December 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9197764183
• ISBN-13: 978-9197764186
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,730,030 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joyce Akesson has studied the Semitic languages at Lund's University, Sweden and has previously been a lecturer there during many years. She is the author of nine books about foreign linguistics: "Causes and Principles in Arabic", "A Study of Arabic Phonology", "The Basics & Intricacies of Arabic Morphology", "The Phonological Changes due to the Hamza and Weak Consonant in Arabic", "A Study of the Assimilation and Substitution in Arabic", "The Essentials of the Class of the Strong Verb in Arabic", "The Complexity of the Irregular Verbal and Nominal Forms & the Phonological Changes in Arabic", "Arabic Morphology and Phonology based on the Marah" and "Ahmad b. Ali b. Masud on Arabic Morphology, Part One: The Strong Verb".
She has also published several articles about Arabic linguistics in two Journals, the Journal of Arabic Linguistics (the ZAL or Zeitschrift für Arabische Linguistik) Wiesbaden, and the previous Acta Orientalia, Denmark. She has also written a lemma about sarf "morphology/phonology in the Encyclopaedia of Arabic Language and Linguistics, vol. 4. Leiden: Brill, 20.
She is also the author of three books of poems "Love's Thrilling Dimensions", "The Invitation" and "Majnun Leyla: Poems about Passion".
Two of her poems have also been selected in an Anthology in the UK, "The New Poetry: In Love".

You can check her web page www.joyceakesson.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Poetry that is true to the Arabic spirit and universal!, January 6, 2010

By 

D. Lynn "David" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Majnun Leyla: Poems about Passion (Paperback)

Not very well known in the U.S., Majnun (Qays b. Al-Mulawwah) who lived in northern Arabia in the second half of the 7th century, is very much worthy of attention.
His poetry and different stories about him have been preserved in old Arabic collections such as the Kitab al-Aghani "The Book of Songs" by al-Asfahani (d. 967) and the Masari al-ushshaq by al-Sarraj (d. 1106).
The introduction in the book gives a background about Majnun and Leyla, the spread of the Arabic love story and its importance to Sufism. Majnun's love for Leila has been compared to the mystic's love for God and his annihilation in Him.
As Rumi wrote about it, and which is also quoted in this book (p. XVII):
"God made Majnun love Leyla so much that
Just her dog should cause confusion in him.
There are thousands of wines that can take over our minds
Don't think all ecstasies are the same."

The author offers an introduction to many of the poems, providing background to the different events.
The 62 beautiful poems which are translated from the old Arabic poems, are faithful to the images, emotions and tone of the originals. They are true to the Arabic spirit as well as universal in their appeal. They are accessible and beautifully arranged and make a wonderful reading.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful selection of poems that will seep into your heart and soul!, January 11, 2010

By 

Brian Bora - See all my reviews

This review is from: Majnun Leyla: Poems about Passion (Paperback)

These beautiful renderings of the 7th century Qays b. al-Mulawwah's words into American free verse capture the expressions of passion and the tides of overwhelming emotions that run with it. This kind love can also be interpreted metaphysically and spiritually. This is a beautiful selection that will seep into your heart and soul.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!!, June 30, 2010

By 

J. Piscatori (Rome) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Majnun Leyla: Poems about Passion (Paperback)

I have read many of Majnun's poetry in Arabic before, but this is the first time that I read a collection of his work, "cover to cover," in English, and I deeply enjoyed the experience. Majnun's poems are emotional and spiritual and express perfectly the feelings of longing, intimacy and passion.
I highly recommend it!