Great Myths and Legends: The Arabian Nights: Medieval Fantasy and Modern Forgery

Рет қаралды 88,345

8 жыл бұрын

Dr. Paul Cobb, Professor of Islamic History, University of Pennsylvania
June 1, 2016
The Arabian Nights is probably the medieval Arabic book best known in the west, full of ripping yarns and vivid characters that have influenced film, music, and literature for centuries. But did you know that some of its most cherished tales, such as those of Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, Sindbad, and even Aladdin, were added by modern European translators? Dr. Cobb offers a walkthrough of the fascinating history of this rambling book from its origins in ancient Middle Eastern myths to its status as European bestseller during the Enlightenment.

Пікірлер: 120

@gitika5073 3 жыл бұрын

I loved the clever presentation by Dr. Cobb. He successfully presented his idea regarding the origin of the Arabian Nights and how it has evolved over time. Side by side, he also gives the taste of the narrative technique used in the book by presenting his lecture in a similar manner to the audience. All in all, an immersive and great lecture.

@1995yuda 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for telling me what to expect, now I want to watch this even more!

@user-qw2te9bu1f 9 ай бұрын

😅

@user-qw2te9bu1f 9 ай бұрын

33:40 33:44

@TheShatry 4 жыл бұрын

many Arabic books were translated into European languages by changing the original author or omitting the original author or writing the original author

@EhunterL Жыл бұрын

Name some

@TheShatry Жыл бұрын

@@EhunterL....i watched it in german TV, talking about how Islamic technology or sciences transfered into europe, how Islamic scholar or scientist teach frederick II ? etc

@EhunterL Жыл бұрын

@@TheShatry but the books?

@TheShatry Жыл бұрын

@@EhunterL .....book Al kimya translated into chemistry book ( MUSLIM CHEMISTS: FROM ALCHEMY TO CHEMISTRY ), Al Jabar book translated into Algebra....i said almost All sciences books being translated and converted into latin and europe languages. University of Toledo was one of the witnes of this

@anb4351 4 жыл бұрын

Well I own a persian version of the book, A very very old book should be in a museum passed to me by my father who got it from his father. I have read it is I am persian. On my book it says by Khawaja sarprust. (It doesn't say "written" just "by Khawaja sarprust( خواجہ سرپرست" ) I have googled this name and found no mention. Edit: It is not printed it is a handwritten book

@danfield6030 4 жыл бұрын

That's really amazing. I wish I could see that. It's like a peace of art..

@ilgattoparddo 3 жыл бұрын

Could you take a photo of it and post on the internet? That would be amazing, thank you

@Ouren 2 жыл бұрын

Would love an archival scan!

@1995yuda 2 жыл бұрын

This has global importance you should copy the book somewhow and share it with the world

@AtlantiaSupreme Жыл бұрын

Khawaja, a Persian word meaning Mister, Master or Lord. It's also an honorific title used particularly towards Sufi teachers. Sarprust is also Persian and means administrator, supervisor or warden, so it seems to be a professional title. Khawaja Sarprust may mean 'Master Administrator' possibly of a library or some publishing house, school/society/university etc. So, then it is probably a title of someone who wished to remain anonymous and just used his title/profession, but not his own name. You should get the book dated and see how old it is and where exactly it came from (like which city/town). Very cool!

@arab.c4791 8 жыл бұрын

In fact Aladdin and Alibaba is an Arab stories, Europeans Take it from the Arab stories, and then make some change in the names and in the story Aladdin story Taken from the marouf al escafe story , in Arab book One Thousand and One Nights , This story Exist in the Arab version before more than 500 years

@sennysunny852 5 жыл бұрын

+Marry Christmas in the ...in the ....😆😆😆 what about in your smelly mouth? buahahahahahaha

@anon-iraq2655 5 жыл бұрын

@Marry Christmas they are absolotly not indian stories nor does indian folklore have their match, indians need to do 2 things, stop shitting in streets ans stop trying to appropriate everything they had nothing to do with

@anon-iraq2655 5 жыл бұрын

@@mitzavor8468 maybe this time it's an american moron but i have seen Indians claim Kaaba was a Hindu temple seen Indians claim Abraham was a Hindu seen Indians claim Mesopotamia was Indian that's why i was sensitive when he said that

@mitzavor8468 5 жыл бұрын

@@anon-iraq2655 about the Kaaba thing I think it's because some South Indians think the black stone looks like a Shiva Lingam. Hinduism is kind of a vague term which was created by Europeans. Hindu just means Indian. Ancient "pagans" all had religous similarities and were frequently influenced by each other (e.g. Romans worshipped the Persian God Mithras etc). So I don't make much of the vague similarity. The Black stone is apparently a meteorite. I have never personally heard an Indian say Abraham was Hindu. Whoever said that is a moron. Abraham destroyed the idols in his father's house and if he was alive today he would burning Hindu Temples. Claiming ancient civilizations is not a unuiqely Indian penchant. The most profilic appropriaters are Black Americans and Nordic Europeans who claim everyone from the Ancient Japanese to Aztecs to Ancient Egyptians.

@anon-iraq2655 5 жыл бұрын

@@mitzavor8468 i agree those 2 are absolute cancer when it comes to historical appropriation

@rubyho9603 2 жыл бұрын

I traced this up as I explore my personal myth. My starting point was to remember what story affected me most … and it turns out to be this one which I had deep impression amongst other with similar colours. I enjoyed the cleverly presented narrative a lot and it reminded me of the exotic energy that was triggered in my childhood … oh, thanks so much

@buddyluh 7 жыл бұрын

I dream of finding a full 16 volume set of The Arabian Nights :D

@1995yuda 2 жыл бұрын

You and me both!

@glengrieve544 Ай бұрын

Me too@@1995yuda

@GleeChan 7 жыл бұрын

10:35 is when the actually lecture.

@xanithkl 7 жыл бұрын

The opening and closing of 'Happy Rooster' is in fact modified from the opening/closing of 1001 nites.

@MacroX1231 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks

@davidcherilus3305 5 жыл бұрын

Christina Lacey thank you very much Madame

@wildeirishpoet 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you my good lady!

@Problembeing 4 жыл бұрын

That's debatable

@shakazulu3594 11 ай бұрын

Burton sounds fascinating and fabulous!! Praise it all!

@GeoffreyJohns 8 жыл бұрын

This is an excellent presentation. Strangely, I found it just as I was going to bed and it kept me up until it was finished

@joncederberg560 6 жыл бұрын

Great lecture!

@gabriellaritaart Жыл бұрын

This was amazing, thank you

@1995yuda 2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic - thank you.

@maramiro20092 3 жыл бұрын

great lecture !

@DonaldDork 3 жыл бұрын

Loved it.

@tropicalmn8502 7 жыл бұрын

What an entertaining speaker and fascinating topic. Thank you!

@nataliacook9386 Жыл бұрын

Brilliant! Thank you :)

@markhall1605 4 жыл бұрын

Nice presentation.

@sossiesnake6567 5 жыл бұрын

Brilliant presentation! So easy to listen, capturing and enjoyable.

@lbonts 3 жыл бұрын

28:00 oh no, that's mildly crushing

@Funcore 2 жыл бұрын

🧞‍♀️ Pinball Arcade - Tales of the Arabian Nights playlist kzfaq.info/get/bejne/d9Jpqpt1t8u1d2w.html

@someoneelse293 2 жыл бұрын

Burton sounds like a legend

@alphawolf110711 7 жыл бұрын

I got pretty stoned and listen to the whole video

@patrickneary8446 7 жыл бұрын

Luis Mora me too

@SaddamHussain-gx9nc 6 жыл бұрын

1001 Arabian Nights is a trippy book by itself

@katmannsson 4 жыл бұрын

#MostOfTheViewsOnTheseLecturesHonestly

@xXKillaBGXx 3 жыл бұрын

Dude weed lmao

@hourslookingsideways7850 3 жыл бұрын

That's a cliched thing to say in KZfaq comments.

@michaelnovia1616 7 жыл бұрын

Galland states in the foreword that he edited the text to suit the gentle ladies and men of the Romantic Era. Burton states he translated what he found notwithstanding feelings. It's true. Burton's is far randier, but here's a question I asked my grown daughter who is the mother of 3 very young boys. Will you tell them what literature, history, and religion actually say or will you (like this shameful "professor") be complicit in their naïveté? Burton says to do so "... degrades a chef-d'oeuvre of the highest anthropological and ethnographical interest and importance to a mere fairy-book, a nice present for little boys."

@davidadams6863 4 жыл бұрын

♡

@Maheonehooestse-HolyFireMan 4 жыл бұрын

Darn I wanted to find out about the giant egg sheesh

@syedashraf7356 3 жыл бұрын

I shall one day, write a thick mythology based on the deep Arabian Nights and Shahnama.

@EzioIlMentore 2 жыл бұрын

34:09 I see that nothing has changed... 😂😂

@JNate_Nair 4 жыл бұрын

Sinbad the sailor

@romatigerpunk 2 жыл бұрын

The judgement against Burton's character for such things as imperialism and racism is unnecessary, unwelcome, tiresome, and silly in my opinion. For one thing before mass transportation, the east WAS exotic, unusual, fascinating, and perhaps to manytitillating. And second, expecting a man in any time, but especially a man in Burton's time to have the polite liberal sensibilities of the late 2010s is so ridiculous that my eyes might roll so hard at the idea that I'm afraid they might get stuck in staring back at my own brain. But, that criticism aside, wonderful lecture :)

@edwardmgamboajr9479 Жыл бұрын

10000 years later. City of David

@AndreaCumino 13 күн бұрын

Does the public need a joke every minute to be kept entertained? Wtf... Apart from that, great lecture, very informative

@adelakinagbonbioka2696 4 жыл бұрын

Stop recording the one who introduced the speaker. It is a useless waste of time. 4 minutes in and he was still in his introduction. That's not why we clicked on video.

@REAN909 7 жыл бұрын

11:35 It is wazier. the V in Vizier is pronounced with (wa) sound.

@brittanymwancientlight 3 ай бұрын

🐎🕯

@edwardmgamboajr9479 Жыл бұрын

Indiana county pa. The lavant

@christosvoskresye 7 жыл бұрын

One thing I was hoping for is entirely missing -- an informed guess as to when and where the original was written. Is this a pre-Islamic story that was given an Islamic gloss, for example?

@anon-iraq2655 5 жыл бұрын

Some maybe are, majority are surely post islamic , some even discuss the social dynamics between muslims,jews and christians

@1995yuda 2 жыл бұрын

The origin of these stories, much like most of mythology and some sacred texts, is in Folklore, going back to the stone age.

@naifalaida3198 2 жыл бұрын

@@1995yuda 😂☝️ don’t ever attempt to guess. You are unfair. Don’t ever assume !

@1995yuda 2 жыл бұрын

@@naifalaida3198 I actually did research Arabian Nights and Oral Storytelling traditions, including folklore and other ancient texts. Arabian Nights is indeed pre-Islamic, existed in Oral form before it was written, and is essentially Arab Folklore. It's a REALLY awesome story told by a master storyteller, packed with incredible literary devices, highly sophisticated. It does have its issues, but it's considered a Classic work of literature.

@naifalaida3198 2 жыл бұрын

@@1995yuda I apologize certainly I don’t want to disrespect anybody that done their due diligence and did their part and researched. But my main issue with your comment is simple. It’s just the way you disregard the sacred text (Quran) to simply confuse the matter with Folklore. That’s where i assert you made an assumption regarding the Quran. (Because if you are familiar with older ‘sacred texts’ and the Quran you will see many similarities, but when the Quran was revealed it came with certain & subtle differences that were never heard of before & some discrepant details in comparison to the older texts. What is shocking to most. The recent findings confirm the discrepancies found in the Quran are accurate & historically true. And the Quran is more historically reliable. I agree 1001 nights most part is pre islamic Folklore.

@shakazulu3594 11 ай бұрын

Sounds like Galland was the real talent. Praise be!!

@jasonwoodford7700 5 жыл бұрын

its a fine lecture , hes light and brisk and funny , what more do you expect? ive seen so many far worser , you dont know ...

@Ska-zl9fy 4 ай бұрын

The name is 1001 nights and not arabic nights

@golansmith4868 4 жыл бұрын

Moorish American National free National name One Love Bey Islam

@Haa213 2 жыл бұрын

Has anyone actually thought about the authenticity of the texts. I’ve been doing my own research from every rabbit hole possible. And I will conclude that these forces spoken about in the texts are real and if you were to actually be able to go underground you’d see what I mean

@anthonyquinn4125 Жыл бұрын

What do you mean by underground

@yogamidnight1644 6 жыл бұрын

I think the main point was to give the speaker a 'frame story' for his arrogance. You may be a clever historian but you don't seem to grasp the nature of art which isn't "true" or "false". As if an authentic artwork could only be rigidly copied through the ages or materialize out of nowhere in some sort of art-vacuum...

@TheYgds 4 жыл бұрын

I think what he is trying to do is help people understand that the "book" as it has been presented today, was and is neither static, nor monocultural. As well he dispels the notion that the currently available compendium is reflective of actual near eastern mythology. Instead it was highly influenced by a single French scholar's own literary contributions (his own compositions no less) and later work by suspect individuals. In the end, I've always found the more colorful and perhaps more dishonest people of history to be far better story tellers than the scholars. It would be great, if someday we unearth some greater portion of what the compendium looked like during its formulation. Furthermore, he encourages the exploration of a vast literary heritage in the Islamic and near-east world, that westerners have probably not exposed themselves to. Altogether, I don't find his presentation in the least bit arrogant, not his demeanor.

@sandwichgroper Жыл бұрын

Came into this with interest. A good start but why is the lecturer such a …. Prude? I understand that there’s been some history of orientalist interpretations of this work but the criticisms of the sex seem overly censorious without actually telling us what’s wrong with having sex in a story….?

@bingeltube 6 жыл бұрын

Recommendable, but Prof. Cobb is way too glib. His open disdain for Richard Francis Burton goes way too far

@ML-rz2hb 5 жыл бұрын

YES!

@aardvark99rex14 2 жыл бұрын

The lecture was in interesting but I found him to be an insufferable prig,

@anasalsubhi1691 6 жыл бұрын

This is not a lecture . It is only a briefing or a bad presentation.

@sennysunny852 5 жыл бұрын

very true! they are very jealous for what ever Arabs have hahahahaha even stories 😆😆😆

@kimcham9949 4 жыл бұрын

@@sennysunny852: Arabs?... ALL non-white peoples.

@EASTSIDERIDER707 8 жыл бұрын

Pompous presentation.

@tropicalmn8502 7 жыл бұрын

arrogant post

@jonathansutcliffe3401 7 жыл бұрын

YOU THINK SO?

@1995yuda 2 жыл бұрын

It comes with the territory but I liked how he captivated me

@jonathansutcliffe3401 7 жыл бұрын

again; worth indulging with harryhausen and co to ignite your own or child's interest in classical literature.. you see - for all your poo-poohing - you should engage with these things...

@jonathansutcliffe3401 7 жыл бұрын

vampyric tales... the good-bad twins... reading such stories one maybe able to compare and contrast such mythos with americas, europe, far east etc... the thing is with these idiots of antiquity - one is subsumed with the time wasting scenarios with the clamoring cries of: Our stories were invented... written before your stories etc.. As it goes so religions are borne etc... so the tedium begins etc... So go on, the earliest myth... the earliest recorded myth.. who recorded it? Not necessarily the oldest myth imparted, though.. as you know.

@jonathansutcliffe3401 7 жыл бұрын

this is also a great insight into the perverting of histories... and (mis)representation...

@djokosoeprijanto3990 3 жыл бұрын

The change in Arabic literary language through this incident has destroyed Islamic civilization, which makes the Quran difficult to understand from its original language, and seems difficult to make a headache. so many turn to books which should not be a belief like the books of Hadith, which actually contain word of mouth stories that are far from the contents of the Qur'an.

@smashthat_gaming1168 4 жыл бұрын

Dude? How you gonna start a lecture by demeaning your audience?

@maikmost8589 4 жыл бұрын

to think he demeaned his audience is clearly a reflection of lack of intelligence on your part

@dirkbonesteel 8 жыл бұрын

Obviously knows the subject but very little actual information presented. It's 90% trying to be clever as possible. Not one of the better lectures

@jonathansutcliffe3401 7 жыл бұрын

THEN WHY DON'T YOU ADD SOME SPECIFIC INSIGHTS INTO THIS LEARNED SERIES?

@Enjoyyourlife87654 5 жыл бұрын

ای ایران ای سرزمین دلها . بگزار به تو هر چه گویند بگویند تو جان جانانی تو کوزه پر از آبی. بگزار بگویند از همه چیز و همه کس قیر از تو . تو بزرگواری. دلها شاد باشند همان کافیست .