Majnun and Other Characters in Udhrite Love Poetry

This article examines the development of the character Majnun in Persian poetry. The author argues that the story of Layli and Majnun belongs to Arabic ‘Udhri amatory tradition, in which the male and female characters have certain character traits. While the female beloved is almost always submissive, takes no initiative, and obeys the rules of the tribe, the male lover often develops into a poet and a madman and violates tribal rules. The lovers die at the end of the story without consummating their love. Their death is usually characterized as martyrdom. Reluctant to compose the story of Layli and Majnun, Nezami of Ganja changed many aspects of this ‘udrhite romance to make it acceptable for the Persian courtly audience, knitting new qualities into both Layli and Majnun. The article shows that the popularity of this story increased considerably after Nizami’s epic-making romance.