On the possibilities of classical theatre as a tool to teach Islamic history

                 By Cyril Anderson

 An important aspect of the collective responsibility of Muslims is the requirement to make efforts to share Islam and Islamic heritage with non-Muslims so as to allow non-Muslims to have genuine access to Islam.  Numerous methods are used by Muslims in the midst of Western civilization to fulfill this obligation, including books, pamphlets, videos, and computer multimedia.  One of the subjects that is particularly fruitful to share is Islamic history.  By seeing how the best figures in Islam’s past responded to the difficult circumstances of the early centuries of Islamic history, a student can gain deeper insight into the practical applications of Islamic principles.  As well, there is the opportunity is offered to gain better understanding of the key events that shaped the early development of Islamic history, to see the moments that influenced, for good or bad, the course of history. 

 The usual way that history is presented is in the form of textbooks and classes.  There is value to this as a way of instruction, but this is very time consuming, and often too dry for many people.  Another method, which is more compact and effective in teaching people the lessons of the most crucial moments of history, is that of classical theatre.  In European culture, there is considerable precedent and example of this.  One example is that of Shakespeare’s history plays.  A large number of Shakespeare’s best plays are based on historical figures and important moments in history.  Both plays from antique history (Troilus and Cressida, Timon of Athens, Julius Caesar, Anthony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus, Cymbeleine) and later history (MacBeth, King John, Richard II, Edward III,^*  Henry IV pts 1,2, Henry V, Henry VI pts 1-3, Richard III, Henry VIII) are seen.  Another example is Shakespeare’s contemporary Christopher Marlowe (Edward II, Massacre at Paris) and the 18^th century German “poet of freedom” Friedrich Schiller (Don Carlos, Mary Stuart, Maid of Orleans, Wilhelm Tell, Wallenstein Trilogy).

 These playwrights took decades and centuries of history, and distilled the lessons that would take hundreds of pages to explain in prose in the “two hours traffic of the stage.”  These men are commonly seen as playwrights, but in reality, these are political scientists, using theatre as but a medium to transmit powerful lessons of history about politics, war, and leadership in a way that the common human can comprehend. 

We tend to see Shakespeare plays as a very elitist, snobbish sort of fare today.  And to be truthful, artists like Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and Schiller were top-notch intellectuals deeply involved in the elite intellectual life of their times.  But the audience at the Globe Theatre in Shakespeare’s time was the common man, who Shakespeare explicitly sought to teach and inform.

 This mission is outlined in he prologue to Henry V: “…Suppose within the girdle of these walls are now confined two mighty monarchies, whose high upreared and abutting fronts the perilous narrow ocean parts asunder: piece out imperfections with your thoughts; into a thousand parts divide one man, and make imaginary puissance; think, when we talk of horses, that you see them printing their proud hoofs i’ the receiving earth; for ‘tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings, carry them here and there, jumping o’er times, turning he accomplishment of many years into an hour-glass…”  

In the Qu'ran, we are called to study in a scientific way two domains.  First of all is the domain of the natural world governed by physical laws, so as to be able to learn how to harness these physical laws to help mankind through technology.  Second is the domain of human interactions, be they social, political, or economic, where we are called to take note of the lessons of both bad and good examples of human civilizations so as to learn key principles and laws of social interactions so as to know how to organize ourselves in own civilization.  A natural principle can probably best be learned by experiencing their action in a scientific experiment that demonstrates the principle.  Social principles, on the other hand, are effectively taught and learned through competent performance of classical theatre, which allows long time periods to be compressed into a short time on stage.

 We Muslims, and we Shia Muslims can do the same thing to transmit the poignant story of Islamic history, and the great figures, and the great tragedies within it, to people in this culture in this day.  People who do not have the time to study and learn Arabic to access traditional sources on Islamic history, and who would not have the patience and time even if they did know the language.  Through theatre, we can bring this history to the Western audience, so that they can experience therein Islamic heritage and history.

 To accomplish this, we need members of our community, talented, creative, dedicated, artistic members of our community to pursue the studies that will allow them to do the job well.  This requires study in a number of directions

1. Intense reading and study of classical theatre, particularly Shakespeare, Marlowe, and Schiller.  Ancient Greek theatre, such as that of Aeschylus or Sophocles may also be useful

2. Intense study of the original classic sources of Islamic history.  Shakespeare carefully studied history for he inspiration for his plays.  Schiller was a professional historian.  It was their combination or artistic skill and historical knowledge and insight that was so important.

3. Study of stagecraft and theatre to understand the dynamics of the medium as a way to tell a story.

 There are a number of historical periods that are particularly good subjects for plays:

1.      Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as), several parts, from just after death of Muhammad to the time of his caliphate

2.      Caliphate of Imam Hassan ibn Ali (as), the conflict with Muawiyya

3.      Imam Hussayn ibn Ali (as) and the tragedy of Kerbala

4.      The aftermath of Kerbala, revolts and rebellions

5.      Story of Imam al-Kadhim (as) and his struggles

6.      Story of Imam al-Rida (as), who was taken to Iran, his story

7.      The story of the birth of Imam al-Mehdi (as)

Iran, with its deep intellectual and artistic culture, has been a leading force in these sorts of efforts with major film productions about Maryam, mother of Jesus (as), Imam Ali (as), and Imam al-Rida (as).  These works have since been translated and subtitled into Arabic and English and have had a great impact in sharing Islam and Islamic history to the masses.  These films have had a positive impact in terms of sharing Shia Muslim heritage with the Muslim world at large.  But in order to effectively share similar sorts of heritage with Western civilization in Europe and the Americas, it is best if such efforts come from Muslims here in the West, making use of the medium of classical methods of artistic expression of Western civilization.  Classical theatre offers such a highly effective way of doing so, and it is hoped that talented young Muslims will step forward to produce such future masterpieces of culture.

                                                External Links

• Complete Works of William Shakespeare at MIT            
• Works of Friedrich Schiller available through Project Gutenburg
• Complete Works of Christopher Marlowe
• Works of Aeschylus through MIT's Classics archives
• Works of Sophocles through MIT's Classics archives