Al-Mutanabbi (AD 915-965), though universally considered the greatest of all the Arab poets, has seldom been translated or discussed outside Arab countries. This study uses the same format as and is intended to supplement Professor Arberry's Arabic Poetry: A Primer for Students. The introduction discusses Al-Mutanabbi's life, style, influence and critics. There follows a selection from his poems, in the original Arabic, with a literal translation into English on the facing page and notes on points of language and style at the foot. There is also a concluding chapter on textual variants, the problems of translation and a bibliography. Students of Arabic will find this a convenient introduction to one of the classics of the literature.
