Caveat: I'm not Muslim, nor can I read Arabic or Persian. This is just my understanding from what I've read in English.
The story of Joseph/Yusuf and Zuleika I believe is from the Koran originally, but is one of those stories that is told and retold in a number of folk and literary versions. It was especially popular among classical Persian writers.
In Muslim tradition, Yusuf is the most beautiful mortal that God ever created. After his various trials by older brothers (left in a well, etc etc), he works for Aziz, a kindly rich man. Aziz's wife, Zuleika, falls passionately in love with Yusuf. Saintly Yusuf, while also in love with her (more platonically?) doesn't sleep with Zuleika because she's married and it would be sinful. Eventually, Aziz asks Yusuf to leave his service, just because people are starting to gossip and he doesn't want anyone's character stained. He trusts Yusuf (not sure if he trusts Zuleika as much?), and doesn't believe that they would sleep together, but he thinks it's wiser not to keep the tension going. Eventually, Yusuf reunites with his nicest brother, Benjamin, and their father, and manages to put his other brothers firmly in their place.
My favorite part of the story is when Yusuf is still working for Aziz, and Zuleika throws a party for her friends. They're all gossiping over the dessert course, and one of the women jokes about Yusuf's reputation for beauty. Surely he can't be thatgorgeous! Just then, Yusuf walks in with some dishes, and ALL the women, who are busy peeling fruit with their small knives, cut their hands in shock when they see how supernally beautiful he is. Apparently this causes their husbands to raise a few eyebrows, wondering what exactly was going on at Zuleika's party!
The story has variant endings for Zuleika. In one, she never gets over her love for Yusuf, and lives to be an old woman still praising his beauty and lamenting her grief and loneliness. In another, she's widowed and Yusuf and Zuleika find each other again and marry, (presumably) living happily ever after.
Zuleika's abiding love for Yusuf is often compared, in mystical traditions, to the soul's longing for God.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2012-03-22 05:39 am (UTC)The story of Joseph/Yusuf and Zuleika I believe is from the Koran originally, but is one of those stories that is told and retold in a number of folk and literary versions. It was especially popular among classical Persian writers.
In Muslim tradition, Yusuf is the most beautiful mortal that God ever created. After his various trials by older brothers (left in a well, etc etc), he works for Aziz, a kindly rich man. Aziz's wife, Zuleika, falls passionately in love with Yusuf. Saintly Yusuf, while also in love with her (more platonically?) doesn't sleep with Zuleika because she's married and it would be sinful. Eventually, Aziz asks Yusuf to leave his service, just because people are starting to gossip and he doesn't want anyone's character stained. He trusts Yusuf (not sure if he trusts Zuleika as much?), and doesn't believe that they would sleep together, but he thinks it's wiser not to keep the tension going. Eventually, Yusuf reunites with his nicest brother, Benjamin, and their father, and manages to put his other brothers firmly in their place.
My favorite part of the story is when Yusuf is still working for Aziz, and Zuleika throws a party for her friends. They're all gossiping over the dessert course, and one of the women jokes about Yusuf's reputation for beauty. Surely he can't be thatgorgeous! Just then, Yusuf walks in with some dishes, and ALL the women, who are busy peeling fruit with their small knives, cut their hands in shock when they see how supernally beautiful he is. Apparently this causes their husbands to raise a few eyebrows, wondering what exactly was going on at Zuleika's party!
The story has variant endings for Zuleika. In one, she never gets over her love for Yusuf, and lives to be an old woman still praising his beauty and lamenting her grief and loneliness. In another, she's widowed and Yusuf and Zuleika find each other again and marry, (presumably) living happily ever after.
Zuleika's abiding love for Yusuf is often compared, in mystical traditions, to the soul's longing for God.