Arabic Role in Medieval Literary History

Menocal essentially argues that the Arabic influences were planted when the Arabs ruled Spain, and she goes on to argue that so prejudiced were and are non-Arab literary historians against such an Arabic influence that this influence has been both deliberately and subconsciously ignored. Her work should be seen as an important but preliminary piece of research simply for that reason---this denial and willful ignorance on the part of non-Arabs has prevented a complete analysis of Arab influences at this stage of the investigation.

Menocal herself discounts some earlier research on the subject which she feels overvalued certain evidence, and goes on to say that

I have made no great discoveries of undeniable links, constructed no new "proofs," or found heretofore lost manuscripts showing the West's indebtedness to medieval Arabic culture. . . . I will attempt merely to show why the texts, facts, and discoveries of others have seemed negligible or ignorable to so many Romance literary historians (Menocal xiv-xv).

Menocal argues that although a few literary historians have seriously c

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n---in the Arabic literature there is no sign, certainly nothing comparable to that in Western/Christian literature, that material possessions are necessarily dangerous or corrupting. Sindbad certainly luxuriates happily in his material goods in between his crises. But it is clear that in the case of Sir Gawain we are meant to look with judgment on him and the way he is lounging about the castle in luxury while his host is practicing knightly virtues in the woods. As we have seen, one fear of the Western mind was the sumptuousness of the Arab world, its love of material pleasure (Menocal 40). Sir Gawain is made vulnerable to the temptations of the wife of his host as he is luxuriating in the castle. She tempts him with her sexuality again and again, and from the beginning he is bewildered by her--not "yet capable of comprehending" her "promise": Lo! it was the lady, loveliest to behold. . . . . . . Abashed was the knight, And laid his head low again in likeness of sleep. . . . The fair knight lay feigning for a long while, Conning in his conscience what his case might Mean or amount to---a marvel he thought it (Borroff 25). Finally he yields to her temptation, but only, he tells himself, to have the magical
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2000
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)

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