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Lesson 4 Persian Literature

This document provides an overview of Persian literature including characteristics, notable poets, and examples of poems. It discusses major Persian poets such as Rudaki, Ferdowsi, Rumi, Hafez, and Saadi. Key works mentioned include the Shahnameh, Masnavi, Divan-e Shams, and poems of each featured poet. Styles of Persian poetry such as rubai, masnavi, and ghazal are also summarized.

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2K views

Lesson 4 Persian Literature

This document provides an overview of Persian literature including characteristics, notable poets, and examples of poems. It discusses major Persian poets such as Rudaki, Ferdowsi, Rumi, Hafez, and Saadi. Key works mentioned include the Shahnameh, Masnavi, Divan-e Shams, and poems of each featured poet. Styles of Persian poetry such as rubai, masnavi, and ghazal are also summarized.

Uploaded by

paulinavera
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY

School of Education
Angeles City

Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in English

Survey of Afro-Asian Literature (SURVAFASLIT)

Lesson 4: Persian Literature

Thoughts to Ponder

1. How important is form in poetry? Can form alone be a basis for


a piece to be categorized as poetry?
2. How is the traditional meaning of ‘epic’ related to the word’s
contemporary use(s)?

Lesson Proper:

Characteristics of Persian Literature


Persian literature refers to the body of writings in New Persian
(also called Modern Persian), the form of the Persian
language written since the 9th century with a slightly extended
form of the Arabic alphabet and with many Arabic loanwords. The
literary form of New Persian is known as Farsī in Iran, where it
is the country’s official language, and as Darī in Afghanistan;
it is written with a Cyrillic alphabet by Tajiks
in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. For centuries New Persian has also
been a prestigious cultural language in western Central Asia, on
the Indian subcontinent, and in Turkey.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/art/Persian-literature

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Some Persian Poets and Poems
Rudaki is called “the father of Persian poetry” and is credited
with making enormous contributions to modern Persian language.

The Shahnameh or “The Epic of Kings” is one of the definite


classics of the world and poem about the heroes of
Ancient Persia.

Shahnameh is the world’s longest epic poem written by a single


poet!

In the period from the tenth to the fourteenth century most


of Iran’s great poets flourished which is known as golden age
for Persian Poetry. Persian poetry is fresh, original, melodious
and full of fire.

Persian Poetry Styles

Rubai
Rubai is a poetry style which is used to describe a Persian
quatrain. The plural form of the word, rubaiyat is used to
describe a collection of such quatrains. In classical Persian
poetry, the ruba’i is written as a four-line (or two-couplet)
poem, with a rhyme-scheme AABA or AAAA.

Masnavi
Masnavi or Mathnawi is normally poetry written in rhyming
couplets. It is believed it emerged from an Iranian form around
the 4th – 10th century.

Ghazal
The Persian Ghazal is a kind of verse in which the first two
lines rhyme, and then this rhyme repeats itself only in the
second line of each succeeding couplet. Each line of the poem
must be of the same length, though meter is not imposed in
English.

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Notable Persian Poets

Rudaki
Abu Abdollah Jafar ibn Mohammad Rudaki known as Rudaki was
a Persian poet in the Samanid court which ruled much of Khorasan
(northeastern Persia. Rudaki is called the father of Persian
poetry and is credited with making enormous contributions to
modern Persian language. He was also an accomplished singer and
musician!

Of the 1,300,000 verses attributed to him, only 52 qasidas,


ghazals, and rubais survived. Much of Rudaki’s poetry is devoted
to moral exhortation and is loaded with references to Zoroastrian
culture and ancient Iranian themes.
Some examples of Rudaki Poems:

When you find me dead, my lips apart,


A shell empty of life, worn out by want,
Sit by my bedside and say, with charm:
“It is I who killed you, I regret it now.”

Another one:
You killed many, broke the enemy’s courage.
You gave so much, there isn’t one beggar left.
Many have lamb and sweets on their table,
Others, not enough bread to ease their hunger.
Take action. Don’t sit idle for too long,
Even though your sacks of gold reach the moon.

This one is regarding destiny:


All is as it is supposed to be:
There is happiness now, be happy.
Why are you sad? Why do you worry?
Destiny does what it must for you.
The viziers’ ways won’t work for you,
Fate will decide what is best for you.
Life’s wheel won’t create another like you.
Your mother won’t bear another like you.
God will never close a door on you,
Before opening a hundred better doors.

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Ferdowsi
Hakim Abul Qasem Ferdowsi Tusi known as Ferdowsi was a great
Persian poet. Ferdowsi wrote Shahnameh in 35 years period.
The Shahnameh or The Epic of Kings is one of the definite
classics of the world and poem about the heroes of
Ancient Persia.

Ferdowsi, with a single great book, preserved the Persian


language, history and mythology from being erased. That’s why
Ferdowsi is seen as a national Iranian hero who re-ignited pride
in Iranian culture and literature. Shahnameh is the world’s
longest epic poem written by a single poet. It consists of the
mythical and some historical past of 50 Persian Kings from the
creation of the world until the Arab invasion of Iran in the 7th
century.

The Shahnameh contains 62 stories, told in 990 chapters with


50,000 rhyming couplets. It is divided into three parts—the
mythical, heroic, and historical ages.
An example of Ferdowsi’s poems:

I’ve reached the end of this great history


And all the land will fill with talk of me
I shall not die, these seeds I’ve sown will save
My name and reputation from the grave
And men of sense and wisdom will proclaim
When I have gone, my praises and my fame.

Rumi
Rumi (Molana, Molavi) also known as Jalal ad-Din Muhammad
Balkhi was a 13th century Persian poet and was one of the most
passionate and profound poets in history. He is regarded as one
of the greatest spiritual masters and poetical intellects.

Masnavi by Rumi is widely recognized as the greatest Sufi poem


ever written, and has been called “the Quran in Persian”.
The Masnavi is a collection of over 25,000 verses filled with
tales, moral discourses and analogies which explore the
relationship between the self and God.

“Divan-e Shams” is another famous work of Rumi and is recognized


by many as “a masterpiece of wisdom and eloquence”.

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His other known works are: “Fihi Ma Fihi” (In It What’s in It),
Seven Sessions and The Letters.

His poems have been widely translated into many of the world’s


languages and transposed into various formats.
Rumi has been described as the “most popular poet” and the “best
selling poet” – in the United States.
Example of Rumi’s Poems:

You think you are alive


because you breathe air?
Shame on you,
that you are alive in such a limited way.
Don’t be without Love,
so you won’t feel dead.
Die in Love
and stay alive forever.

Hafez
Hafez also known as Khajeh Shams-ud-Din Muḥammad Ḥafeẓ-e
Shirazi was a 13th century Persian poet.

He is one of the most celebrated of the Persian poets, and his


influence can be felt to this day.

Hafez has inspired generations of new poets both in Iran and in


the wider world, including Goethe, who wrote his poetry
collection the West-östlicher Diwan as a tribute to Hafez and his
style.

His influence in the lives of Persian speakers can be found in


“Hafez readings” and the frequent use of his poems in Persian
traditional music, visual art, and Persian calligraphy.

Example of Hafez’ Poems:


The only wise course for me now
Is to depart bag and baggage for the tavern
And sit there happily.
I must grasp the wine-cup
And avoid the society of the hypocrites;
I must wash my heart clean
Of all contact with worldlings.
Let me have no friends or companions
But a wine-flask and a book,

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That I may avoid all association
With the deceitful denizens of the world.
If I lift my skirt above the dust of the world
I shall tower above all in total independence,
Like a lofty cypress.
When I see the face of the cup-bearer
And the glowing wine
I feel ashamed that I once boasted of piety
And the soiled habit of a monk.
My narrow frame is not equal to the weight
Of the burden of grief at his absence;
My poor heart cannot support such a load.
Take me for a reveller in the wine-house
Or an ascetic of the city —
I am only the wares you see, or worse.
I am the servant of the Asaf of the age;
Do not vex my heart,
For if I breathe a word of complaint
He will call down the vengeance of heaven.
The dust of maltreatment
Lies upon my heart;
God forbid that it should contaminate
This mirror brimming with love

Saadi

Saadi Shirazi also known as Abu-Muhammad Muslih al-Din bin


Abdallah Shirazi was one of the great Persian poets of 13th
century.

He is one of the three greatest ghazal-writers of Persian poetry.

His best known works are the Bustan (The Orchard) and


the Golestan (The Rose Garden).
The Boustan is entirely in verse and consists of stories
illustrating the standard virtues such as justice, liberality,
modesty and contentment.

An example of Saadi’s poem:

To the ignorant man nothing is better than silence,


And were he aware of this he would no longer be ignorant.
When you are not possessed of perfection or excellence,
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It is better that you keep your tongue within your mouth.

The tongue bringeth disgrace upon men.


The nut without a kernel is light in weight.
The beast will not learn of thee how to speak;

Learn thou of the beast how to be silent.


Whoever reflecteth not before he answereth,
Will probably utter inappropriate words.
Either adorn thy speech with the intelligence of a man,
Or sit in silence like a dumb animal.

Source: https://www.persiansarenotarabs.com/persian-poetry/

Shahname Synopsis

"The houses that are the dwelling of today will sink beneath
shower and sunshine to decay but storm and rain shall never mar
the palace that I have built with my poetry." Ferdowsi
The Shahname, literally meaning 'Book of Kings,' is structured
according to the mythical and historical reign of 50 Persian
Kings. The epic can be roughly divided into three parts: the
first part tells of the mythical creation of Persia and its
earliest mythical past; the second part tells of the legendary
Kings and the heroes Rostam and Sohrab; the third part blends
historical fact with legend, telling of the semi-mythical
adventures of actual historical Kings.

Brief overview:
Part one:
Opens with a cosmography and the creation of the world out of
nothing.

 The reign of Jamshid for 700 hundred years.


 The rule of Zahhak the evil Serpent King who is finally
killed by the blacksmith.
 The rule of Faridun and his sons.

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Part two:

 The birth and reign of Zal.


 The birth of his son Rostam.
 The reign of Rostam for 300 years, during which he overcomes
seven heroic trials and many demons, marries Tahmina.
 The birth of Sohrab.
 The death of Sohrab by his own father, Rostam.

Part three:

 The reigns and adventures of, among others: Key Khosrow;


Siyavush; Goshtasp; Esfandiyar; Darius; Alexander, and
Bahram Gur.

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