Literature of Iran and Afghanistan

obligatory courses

PRECONDITIONS: Knowledge and skills corresponding to the course of Persian language, history of Iran, and Persian literature and culture taught during the last two years of BA programme of Iranian Studies.

Classroom

ABRIDGED DESCRIPTION OF THE SUBJECT: This is the second part of an academic course of the Iranian literature dealing with the New Persian Classical culture and literature from 9th up to 18th Century C.E.as well as culture and literature of modern era. General presentation of principal trends and movements in poetry and prose, its socio-cultural background and evolving and development of specific literary genres. Basics of Persian poetics and prosody. Detailed and multidimentional account is also given of literary output of the most prominent and representative authors of various literary epochs and schools as well as great cultural and literary themes and issues of Persian speaking world (epic, mysticism etc).

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.

After several centuries, when religious terror weakened and masterpieces of old authors ceased to be banned and once again entered the public domain, Iran witnessed cultural awakening and under the so called return (bazgasht) the old tradition were recalled. A kind of limited literary renaissance occurred and then a literature developed that new ideas were cast into old forms. These old forms were broken only in 20th century at the same time when Persian historical novel, short story, and free verse appeared and then in 21st century with the vast wave of feminist prose.

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.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

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.

LEARNING OUTCOMES. Following completion of this course students should have acquired the following knowledge, skills and competence:

KNOWLEDGE:

- has basic knowledge in the range of theory of humanities (literary studies or linguistics or history) necessary to understand chosen cultural aspects [K_W04];

- has detailed and organized knowledge of literature and writings of Iran/Afghanistan; can name and characterize most important phenomena/trends/literary texts/writings of Iran and Afghanistan [K_W05];

- can name and characterize basic cultural and literary phenomena of Iran and Afghanistan [K_W10];

- has rudimentary knowledge of translation rules from Persian into Polish [K_W15];

- demonstrates basic grasp of contemporary cultural life of Iran and Afghanistan [K_W16];

- knows and understands basic analysis and interpretation methods of various products of culture characteristic of chosen theories and schools of research within the scope of cultural and literary studies, linguistics, philosophy and religion studies and history [K_W18];

- knows and understands basic analysis and interpretation methods of various products of culture characteristic of local traditions in Iran and Afghanistan [K_W19].

SKILLS:

- can indicate sources of cultural differences of Iran and Afghanistan [K_U02];

- can read, analyze and interpret literary texts and other works of culture of Iran and Afghanistan (film, press, social writing) and appropriately place them in their cultural context [K_U06];

- can compare and perceive interrelations between chosen literary texts and other works of culture of Iran and Afghanistan (film, press, social writing) and the issues within the scope of tradition and modern times [K_U07];

- can analyze most important phenomena/trends in art (painting, sculpture, architecture, other fields) of Iran and Afghanistan [K_U08];

- can indicate most important intellectual problems, dilemmas, aesthetic preferences taking shape inside the culture of Iran and Afghanistan [K_U10];

- can translate literary texts and writings from Persian language into Polish [K_U14];

- can interpret key terms of culture of Iran and Afghanistan through linguistic/philological analysis [K_U15];

- can properly function in the linguistic and cultural environment of Iran and Afghanistan [K_U17];

- has a skill in presenting detailed aspects within the scope of cultural issues of Iran and Afghanistan in Polish and in Persian language taking into consideration the intellectual tradition of Iran and Afghanistan [K_U21].

SOCIAL COMPETENCE:

- understands the need to learn all one’s life [K_K01];

- can set appropriate goals and ways to achieve them in the context of academic, professional and social activity [K_K04];

- has awareness of the cultural distinctness and its religious, philosophical, traditional and historical roots and its significance for understanding modern world [K_K05];

- sees the need of dialogue between cultures [K_K06];

- is aware of significance the culture of Iran and Afghanistan have for the culture of the world [K_K07];

- acts in aid of sharing and promoting cultural and linguistic heritage of Iran and Afghanistan [K_K08];

- perceives the positive socio-cultural values of Iran and Afghanistan and possibility to use them in own personal development and effective intercultural communication [K_K09].

ASSESSMENT METHODS AND CRITERIA:

- continuous assessment;

- dedicated paper (if needed);

- attendance control;

- oral examination.