History of Persian Literature 1 3600-7-IR2-HLP1

FULL DESCRIPTION OF THE SUBJECT: The lecture has as its main objective making students familiar with the legacy of the Persian literature which is one of the oldest in the world, tracing its earliest accounts back at least as far as 3000 years ago when the so called Older Avesta was composed. Its vast extent and richness in subsequent centuries from the Arab invasions onward and during Islamization of Iran which marked the evolution of the New Persian language and literature leaves no opportunity to discuss in detail all of its significant masterpieces. Therefore, the most important trends, themes, forms, contents, and messages, as well as the output of the most outstanding authors is taken into consideration.
First of all, the New Persian epic poetry, especially Ferdousi’s Shahnameh (11th Century), which drew on the ancient Pre-Islamic heritage and then the early lyrics that although strongly influenced by stiff Arabic rules of the monorhyme qasidah but nevertheless preserved its Iranian identity is discussed. The native features appear also throughout masterpieces of the Iranian Sufis, thinkers, and mystics. These issues are subject of lectures dedicated to the period of the Iranian revival under the Samanids (9th to 11th Centuries), Turkic domination and rise of the Iranian Isma’iliyyah, and the Mongol invasion which resulted in common resignation and retreat into mysticism. The greatest poet of the mystic movement was Jalaloddin Rumi and after that Hafez the master of Shirazi school of the Persian lyrics. The latter’s style had dominated Persian lyrics for next centuries. From 10th to 12th Century New Persian prose, both artistic and scientific, witnessed important developments and has still remained the ideal of beauty and neatness. The epic poetry was partly reproducing the old paradigms although with Nezami Ganjavi (12th Century) a new way for Persian epic had been paved which finally gave birth to the so called romantic epic. In this poetry distinct metres were used and new tenets marked and dominated its narratives. The new epic following Nezami's style flourished mostly in the Eastern Iran (Jami - 15th Century) and in Persian speaking centers of Indian Subcontinent (Amir Khusrau Dehlavi - 13th Century). A new intricate, decorative and allegedly decadent style in lyrical poetry known as Indian Style developed from 16th Century both in Iran and India. After the rise of the Safavids the blooming age of Persian literature came to an end and in unfriendly conditions of theocracy only voluminous religious treaties and pious theater developed. The more striking mark of the epoch was lack of outstanding personalities except of Sa'eb Tabrizi and some other less known poets.
The topic of such a complexity including a large amount of texts by various authors is mostly limited to discussion of literary movements, styles, and some specific works. The main criterion in choosing authors and books to be discussed during the lecture is their influence on the Iranian culture as well as its contribution to the global human literary legacy.

The lecture has as its main objective making students familiar with the legacy of the Persian literature which is one of the oldest in the world, tracing its earliest accounts back at least as far as 3000 years ago when the so called Older Avesta was composed. The literary output of the Old Iranian period would constitute
the first part of the present course where the question of Aryans’ oral literature in the Pre- Avestan times and its traces in the Avesta itself as well as its relation with the oldest literary texts of India (Rigveda, Vedas) is discussed. Then texts of the extant Avestan corpus including the Older and Younger Avesta with stress on their linguistic and substantial peculiarities and differences. The question of literary genres in the Avestan texts and origins of the Avestan language as well as the issue of the original dwelling area of the so called Avestan people i.e. the users of the language preserved in this sacred scripture. The Avesta as a part of the Zoroastrian religious tradition and its later influence up to the modern times. The Avestan writing system and dating of attempts of putting Avesta’s oral tradition into written
form from the late Sasanian period onwards.
The lecture then covers the Achaemenian period and its literary heritage in the Old Persian language. Relationship between the Avestan and Old Persian language and literature. The issue of Achaemenids’ approach towards the Zoroastrianism and its traces in the extant OP texts. The characteristics of extant OP texts and their analysis in terms of a relic of language, culture, and literature. Discourse of preservation or lack of preservation of the Achaemenian literary and cultural tradition in the next periods. Its influence on development of the Iranian culture in the modern times. Relics of literature in other Iranian languages of the Old Iranian
period. Evolving of the Middle Iranian languages and decline of Achaemenian tradition in Iran in the Post-Macedonian and Parthian times (loosening of the cultural continuity). Oral tradition of the Arsacids and dawn of the Iranian epic.

M. Składankowa, Kultura Perska, Warszawa 1995
M. Składankowa, Zrozumieć Iran, Warszawa 1996
J. Rypka, Historia literatury perskiej i tadżyckiej, Warszawa 1970
J. Rypka, The History of Iranian Literature, Dordrecht 1968
E. G. Browne, A Literary History of Persia, Cambridge 1956
Additional reading suggested by the lecturer.

M. Składankowa, Kultura Perska, Warszawa 1995
M. Składankowa, Zrozumieć Iran, Warszawa 1996
J. Rypka, Historia literatury perskiej i tadżyckiej, Warszawa 1970
J. Rypka, The History of Iranian Literature, Dordrecht 1968
E. G. Browne, A Literary History of Persia, Cambridge 1956