Stepping Away From Literary Tradition in “Qasida to Stonery” of Hasan Ziyâî Mostarî

Abstract

In Ottoman literary tradition qasida is a genre defined as “a poem with evident purpose”, meaning that it was written in the name of an aristocrat, a potential patron, whose sympathy the author was trying to gain. Contrary to this traditional approach one of the last qasidas in the 16th century Diwan of Hasan Ziyai, a poet from Mostar, was not dedicated to any specific person, hence it represents an unusual example of stepping away from then ruling tradition. Its unorthodox approach is already announced by its very title “Qasida to Stonery” but it is also reflected through its unusual content and structure. Namely, out of six generally accepted elements of qasida this poem contains only two: introductory description nesib and the ending in which the author seeks help from God, known as dua. On the other hand the poem lacks a usual pivotal part medhiye serving to reveal the main purpose of poem which is praising in the name of an aristocrat, a potential patron. However it might be difficult at current time to explain the reasons for the distortion between the “Qasida to Stonery” and Ottoman literary tradition, it might be claimed, on the basis of the analysis of Hasan Ziyai’s overall opus and his poetics, that it is due to the influence of Persian literary tradition which looks at the qasida genre in much wider perspective.