Ressenya
Andalusian author who, much like her contemporaries, represented a powerful feminine voice who discussed, flattered, appreciated and understood composition and metrical techniques. Her verses are written in a classical eastern genre, the qasida, which rhythmically combines long and short syllables in verses that rhyme by repeating the last consonant. Her style based on synthesising, on creating simple but brilliant images, and mostly on writing verses that can be read by themselves, makes her compositions a true delight.
Justificacions
- Powerful female voice belonging to the legacy that Andalusian women left in Valencian lands. These women were also grammarians, jurists, linguists, lute players, noble poetesses or qyan slaves.
- Andalusian poetess who discussed, flattered, appreciated and understood composition and metrical techniques.
- She developed an eastern classical genre, qasida.
Biografia
This author belongs to a group of thirty-five classical Andalusian poetesses. A hundred and two of their poems have been identified and have survived to our day, in many cases just short poems or fragments. The Andalusian poetesses’ trace, Valencian or not, is lost in anthologies, just like the one from trobairitz. They both represent a strong feminine voice which, in Arab or in Occitan, discusses, flatters, appreciates and understands composition and metrical techniques. Andalusian poets used a classical eastern genre, the qasida, which rhythmically combines long and short syllables in verses that rhyme by repeating the last consonant.
Amat al-Aziz was a free woman, related to Abu I-Jattab Ibn Dihya, qadi of Denia and descendant of Fatimah az-Zahra, daughter of the prophet Muhammad. Therefore, she is a noblewoman from his lineage, part of the legacy of distinguished Andalusian women in Valencian lands. Some of these women had humble origins, but went on to become educators, thanks to which they achieved some financial independence from men. Some others became grammarians, jurists, linguists, lute players, noble poetesses or qyan slaves who were vastly trained in diverse skills, like geometry, astronomy, prosody and calligraphy.
They are heiresses, performers and creators of a literary tradition with over a thousand years, but they have their own sensual, refreshing voice. Poetry was key to Andalusian life, and women were a fundamental part of this life. Al-Abbadiyya, a slave in Denia; Hind, a lute player and slave in Xativa; and in Valencia, Amat al-Aziz, Zaynab, Hena or Henda and Al-Arudiyya, who learned grammar and taught meter. They continue a lineage started by Hassana al-Tamimiyya, the first known poetess, and which includes the powerful voice of princess Wallada, who embroidered her verses on her clothing.
Our own translation from: Roig Celda, Rosa (2021) Les nostres escriptores, València: Presidència de la Generalitat Valenciana
Obres
Only a fragment of her love poem "Our heart aches for your glance" has survived to our days.
Enfocament Didàctic
She can be included in the following subjects:
- Catalan language and literature.
- Music: the music which accompanied the poem has been preserved:
https://music.apple.com/es/artist/amat-al-aziz-al-husayniyya/id317378716 (retrieved on 17-03-2022).
She can be tackled in several blocks in 3rd of ESO and 1st of Bachillerato:
- Listening and speaking
- Reading and writing
- Literary education
Documents
