BEWILDeRED ARAB

Prepared by:
LEONIE ANN PADIN
BSED 3 English
Maulana Nur al-Din Abd al-Rahman,
called “JAMI”
born Nov. 7, 1414
died Nov. 9, 1492
He is usually described as the last of the great
classical Persian poets. He was a mystic and a
member of the
Nakshibandi Sufi order, an influence vital to
understand when reading his poetry.

Maulana Nur al-Din Abd al-Rahman, bore the

honorary nicknames of ‘Imad ad-Din (Pillar of
the Faith) and Nur ad-Din (Light of the Faith).

He was born in the district of Djam in the

province of Herat in what is today Afghanistan.
His father came from the district of Dasht
around Isfahan, and thus the first takhallus
(poetical name) Jami adopted was Dashti. This
he later changed to JAMI.
Had pilgrimage to Baghdad, Damascus,
and Tabriz. He stayed at home and lived
a quiet, introspective life.

The type of work Jami produced is

considerable and varied. It is typified by
a depth and variety of knowledge and a
finely honed mastery of diction and style.
Although he wrote a great deal of prose,
it is for his poetry that he is known
mainly. He used the theme of the court
epic to great benefit as had his
predecessor Firdausi.
.
In the field of lyric poetry he wrote late in
life three diwans (collections of poetry):
Beginning of Youth (1479), Central Part of
the Chain (1489), and Close of Life (1491).
Finally he wrote in prose the Baharistan,
an imitation of Sadi's Gulistan, and the
Zephyrs of Intimacy, a compendium of
biographies of many Sufi saints.

Thus it may be said of Jami that he

brought a fresh, subtle, and graceful style
to his writing. His theme was usually on a
philosophical-level, pantheistic mysticism.
He deserves comparison with the greatest
of the Sufi poets. His death in Herat
marked the passing of the last great
mystical Persian poet.
Manuscripts Department of the
National Library of Russia.
 BEWILDERED ARAB
From the solitary desert
Up to Baghdad came a simple Arab;
There amid the rout
Grew bewildered of the countless
People, hither, thither, running,
Coming, going, meeting, painting.
Clamor, clatter, and confusion,
All about him and about.
Travel-wearied , hubbub-dizzy,
Would the simple Arab fain
Get to sleep- but then, on waking,
"How",quoth he," amid so many
Walking, know myself again?
So, to make the matter certain,
Strung a gourd about his ankle,
And into a corner creeping,
Baghdad and himself and people
Soon were blotted from his brain.
But one that heard him and divined
His purpose slyly crept behind.
From the sleeper's ankle clinging,
Round his own the pumpkin tied
And laid him down to sleep beside
By and by the Arab, waking,
Looks directly for his signal
Sees it on another's ankle
Cries aloud, "Oh, good-for-nothing
Rascal to perplex me so!
That by you I am bewildered,
Whether I be or I be no!
If I- the pumpkin why on you?
If you then where am I, and who?
VOCABULARY:

Bewildered - deeply or
utterly confused or Gourd- a fleshy, typically
perplexed large fruit with a hard
skin, some varieties of
Solitary - being, living, which are edible.
or going alone or without
companions Blotted- marked or stained

Hither- being on the near Slyly- in a cunning and

or adjacent side deceitful or manipulative
manner
Thither- being on the
other and farther side Perplex- of something
complicated or
Hubbub- a chaotic din unaccountable) cause
caused by a crowd of (someone) to feel completely
people. baffled.
Line-by-line analysis:

1st Stanza: The man arrived in Baghdad

for the first time. He got confused because
its big and there are many people chatting, running, and
shouting around him.

2nd Stanza: He got tired and went to sleep. But when he woke
up, he forgot about himself.

3rd Stanza: He tied a rope around his ankle and tried to creep
into the corner. He got more and more confused.

4th Stanza: He met another one of him and they've agreed to

help on each other.

5th Stanza: When the Arab woke up, he looked and waited for
the signal, then he met another one like him. In the end, he is
now all confused around him.
Theme: The confusion and finding way for
enlightenment.

Interpretation: It could be a dream or a man who has

an amnesia but the stanzas can show deeper meaning
and symbolism. Arab is a free slave that humiliated
and he want to forget his past. He is free but his mind
are captive and prison. (tied roper in his feet)

Bewildered Arab works as a philosophical puzzle

which intends to make the philosopher (which is the
Arab) question the nature of his surroundings. It
simply encourages intellectual meditation and debate,
in this case, the nature and fiction of the self in the
world.
SUMMARY:
The man arrived in Baghdad for the first time.He got
confused where to go. He got confused because of the
chatting, clanking, and running all around him. While
traveling, he got dizzy and tired , so he rest for a moment.
When he woke up, he forgot about himself, almost like he
got amnesia.

So, he tied his ankle and tried to walk in a corner. He

got really confused of Baghdad, the people, and himself in
his head. But he found another person. He has the same
looks as the bewildered man. So, the man agreed to help
the bewildered Arab. He slept with him beside and tied the
rope to his ankle.

The Arab woke up and looks for the signal of the man,
but he found another man who had a rope on his ankle. In
the end, he's still confused about what happening.

Reference: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jami
 Thank you
for listening.
God bless.
1.What is the full name of the
author in the poem Bewildred
Arab?

-Maulana Nur al-Din

Ad al-Rahman
2.What is the the pen name
of al-Rahman?

JAMI
3.In his pilgrimage in
what country he
wrote Bewildered
Arab?

Baghdad
4.What country today is formerly
called "Herat"?

Afghanistan
 5.What did he called to
the collection of his lyric
poetry?

Three Diwans
6.Whose death in Herat marked
the passing of the last great
Persian Poet?

JAMI
7.It means being on the farther side.

Thither
8.Where did the character in
the poem tied the rope?

his ankle
9.What department currently holds
the works of Jami?

Manuscript Department
of the
National Library of Russia.
 10.What is the theme of the poem?

The confusion and

finding way for enlightenment.