Abstract
Often times, the study of history focuses on concrete events, such as wars or political measures. In a history classroom, this is usually not out of neglect, but for the sake of time. In order to cover the broadest timeline, history teachers often gloss over the culture of each region they study. However, the culture is an essential part of history. The culture explains what people valued, which contributes to the events that usually define the course of history. This paper examines two styles of popular literature during the Abbasid Caliphate. By examining poetry and the prose works of Kalila and Dimna and The Arabian Nights, the values of the Abbasids become clear. While there is no direct evidence that suggests these works caused a revolution, war, or political uprising, they certainly demonstrate the culture of this time period.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7275/R5CR5RH8
Recommended Citation
Weidner, Genevieve
(2017)
"Popular Literature in the Abbasid Caliphate: How It Represented and Defined the Culture of the Abbasids,"
University of Massachusetts Undergraduate History Journal: Vol. 1, Article 2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7275/R5CR5RH8
Available at:
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/umuhj/vol1/iss1/2
