Two Ibn Ezras in One: Literary Theory Versus Literary Practice

Moshe ibn Ezra, the well-known medieval philosopher, scholar, exegete, and Hebrew author, was also a prosodist and critic; as such, he wrote a major treatise on the principles of poetry. However, his own poetic compositions often flout these principles. The present article explores the dichotomy between literary theory and literary practice in ibn Ezra's writings.