On the Historicity of the Image of the Circassian Argantes in T. Tasso’s Poem «Jerusalem Deliv-ered»
https://doi.org/10.31143/2542-212X-2025-1-247-260
EDN: NHFBAS
Abstract
The imagological approach, which combines methodological components drawn from literary studies, linguistics and historiography, provides opportunities for a systemic and comprehensive study of images of countries and peoples in written discourse. The relevancy of this approach for the analysis of textual representations of the Adyghe identity is dictated, in particular, by the problem of the deficit of relevant medieval documentary sources. The method helps reveal little-known documents and broaden the source base of Adyghe studies. The proposed article, based on the materials of the author's monograph (quoted in the text), explores the question of the historical conditionality of the image of Circassian Argante, one of the main characters in Torquato Tasso's poem "Liberated Jerusalem". The article provides historiographical and narrative sources containing information on the commanders of Circassian (Adyghe) origin who served the Hamdanids of Aleppo and the Egyptian Fatimids. The typological reliability of the image of Argant, an ethnic Circassian included by the author of the poem in the state structure of Fatimid Egypt, is demonstrated.
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Review
For citations:
Shomakhov F.S. On the Historicity of the Image of the Circassian Argantes in T. Tasso’s Poem «Jerusalem Deliv-ered». Kavkazologiya. 2025;(1):247-260. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31143/2542-212X-2025-1-247-260. EDN: NHFBAS
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