Theatrical Elements in Religious Storytelling of Medieval Islamic Culture (Middle Eastern, Arabic, Recreation).

Abstract

This descriptive study focuses on the theatrical nature of religious storytelling performances in medieval Islam. Islamic storytelling developed into a ritualistic performance medium with characteristic theatrical conventions. The popularity of religious storytelling in medieval Islamic culture and its pronounced theatrical elements argue effectively against the prevailing popular belief that Islam prohibited theatre. Not only did Islam not prohibit such theatrical performances, but it encouraged and supported them as a popular means of promulgating the faith. Audiences found in storytelling answers to complex questions of religious and socio-political problems. Moreover, in their performances storytellers provoked fear of divine punishment, so producing a powerful emotional impact on their audience. The study examines the origins, development, and significance of storytelling to show its religious and political beginnings, purpose, and value. In addition, it shows that the profession of storytelling required intensive training and study. Finally it considers two types of storytelling performances during the medieval period, official and popular storytelling. The role and performance characteristics of official storytellers, appointed by authorities as government apologists, are considered in some detail. The official annual performances in the month of Ramadan are described so as to indicate the complexity, ritual, and symbolic spectacle of these events. The self-employed popular storytellers made significant contributions to the development of Islamic theatrical conventions. Eighth through thirteenth century accounts of these performances reveal the theatrical variety of their performances. A brief summary and conclusion shows finally that the presence in storytelling of theatrical elements such as performers, audience, imitation, dialogue, scenery, spectacle, makeup, and costume argues for the existence of an early theatrical tradition in medieval Islamic culture. An appendix of Islamic paintings illustrates details of the storytelling performances; a bibliography of Arabic and English sources concludes the study.