The fracture in identity between ǧidd and hazl in al-Mašṭūr (2017) by Ḍiyāʾ Ğbaylī

Giving a fresh perspective on sectarian violence in Iraq, this novel is constantly punctuated by a humor that counterbalances the pessimism of reality. After pointing out the traces of classic literature in the novel, the analysis focuses on themes and rhetorical techniques that prompt laughter. It demonstrates that humor, and how it operates in the text, are both used in a logic similar to that of ǧidd and hazl in classic adab works of literature.