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IRANSAGA

"Persian Literature"


The "Persian Literature" Section of Iransaga includes Classical and modern Poetry and Prose, and informative facts relating to notable writers, and poets both from the past and the present day.

(Please click on the "titles" to enter each section.)


flower button "THE DEVELOPMENT OF IRANIAN LITERATURES"

A History and Analysis of Persian Literature

(This entire section has been taken from the book "Persian Literature", 'Columbia Lectures on Iranian Studies 3'. Art Arena is indebted to Ehsan Yarshater for his permission to include parts of the "Introductory Survey" from this informative book.)

PART 1:

1. Old Iranian Literature
2. Epic Literature of Ancient Iran
3. Parthian and Middle Persian Written Literatures
4. The Rise and Development of Persian Literature
5. General Features of Persian Literature

PART 2:

1. The Development of Persian Poetry
2. Modernist Poetry
3. Prose Literature
4. Translating Persian Literature

flower button THE ONE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

A brief description of the origins of these popular tales

"One of the most famous collections of ancient tales is Alf Layla wa Layla, the Arabic name of One Thousand Nights and One Night, commonly known in English as The Arabian Nights. The original Arabic compiler is reputedly storyteller Abu abd-Allah Muhammed el-Gahshigar in the 9th century..."

flower button PERSIAN CLASSICAL POETRY

A selection of poems by Classical Persian Poets (in English translation).
Also included, is a brief biography of each poet:
  "Ibrahim Fakhr-od-Din Iraqi", and "Kamal-od-Din Khajoo Kermani"

From the Book: "Sixteen Persian Classics", by Mahmud Kianush

flower button PEOPLE AND THEIR HEROES

The origins and basis of Ferdowsi's epic, Shahnameh (The Book of Kings)

"This article was written by Mahmud Kianush, and it is part of a review published in
Asian Affairs, Vol. XXVII Oct. 1996, about the book:
"Poet and Hero in the Persian Book of Kings" By Olga M. Davidson"

flower button SHAMS-OD-DIN MUHAMMAD HAFEZ

Life and Works of a classic poet:

"Shams al-Din Muhammad Hafez was born in Shiraz between 1317 and 1326. He is known under his pen name Hafez (Koran-memorizer)..."

Ghazals (lyric poetry) by Hafez:

flower button SAADI - The Genius of Shiraz

{Updated with further extracts from Saadi's Golestan (The Rose Garden)

Life and works of one of Iran's greatest Sufi poets:

".... he was born in Shiraz in the late 12th century AD ... and began life as a student of the Koran, which he later exchanged for Sufism. During his life he travelled widely and returned to his native town some time around 1256.
... it was his experiences and his gift of acute observation that made him such a wonderful storyteller..."

flower button JALAL AL-DIN RUMI

Life and Works of this outstanding Persian Sufi Sage and Poet:

"Jalal al-Din Rumi, was born in Balkh on the 30th September, 1207. His proper name was Mubammad, title Jalal al-Din and later 'Khudawandagar', 'lord'. In his poetry he used the pen-name "khamush" (meaning "silent") and from the 15th century came to be known as Mawlawi, the term deriving from his earlier title of Mulla-yi rum, 'the learned master of Anatolia'..."

flower button NIZAM-OD-DIN OBAYD-I ZAKANI

A brief background and a selection of words and definitions from Obayd-i Zakani's "Satirical Social Dictionary":

".... Obayd-i Zakani (14th century poet and satirist), is the unequalled master of parody and social satire ..."

flower button THE LEGEND OF LAYLI AND MADJNUN

A brief description of the original legend in Arabic literature, and its Persian version:

"The story of Layli and Madjnun is one of the most popular legends of the Middle East. Its original version dates back to around 7th Century AD, and can be found in Arabic literature..."

flower button EDWARD FITZGERALD'S RUBAIYAT OF OMAR KHAYYAM

A brief background and review of Fitzgerald's Rubáiyát:

"The 12th century Persian poet Omar Khayyám, is well known in the West, through the work of the English clergyman, poet and translator Edward Fitzgerald..."

flower button IRANIAN WOMEN POETS

Brief biography and a poem by each poet:

"Iran and the Persian language have a rich poetic heritage, extending for a thousand years from the classical era of the 10th - 17th centuries into the present day. Among modern poets, social and political themes have been prominent, and there have been many notable women poets..."

flower button NIMA YUSHIJ; "Father of Modern Persian Poetry"

An analysis of the Poet and his works, including one of his poems entitled: "IT IS NIGHT"

From the Book: "Modern Persian Poetry" by Mahmud Kianush


 

flower button "WRITER'S CORNER" flower button
and
"Persian Bookstore"

Poetry and Short Stories; Free Extracts:

This section of Art Arena, provides primarily modern Persian poetry and prose,
mainly in English translation.
The works are by two of Iran's well-known literary figures,
Mahmud Kianush and Pari Mansouri.

The on-line Bookstore includes a small selection of books by the above authors.

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