14354

SoSe 22: Judeo-Persian and Zoroastrian Literature under Islamic Rule: A Literary History of the Oriental Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period

Shervin Farridnejad

Comments

The seminar provides basic knowledge of the most important Persian-language written testimonies, sources and literatures of two religious minorities in the pre-modern Orient, namely Zoroastrianism and Judaism under Islamic rule. Iranian Jews and Zoroastrians possess a valuable literary tradition in the Islamic era. Judæo-Persian literature includes diverse literary genres, from translations of the Pentateuch and exegetical works, Hebrew grammar and lexicography, commentaries and translations of the Talmud, Halakha and Midrash, rituals and liturgical poetry to epic and romantic poetry, as well as newspapers and periodicals. The majority of the major literary works of Judæo-Persian literature date from the period after the Mongol conquest of Iran in the early 13th century. This is also the period from which the earliest datable Zoroastrian works of classical New Persian emerge. These include the Persian Revayats, narratives about the lives of religious figures, religious manuals such as ?ad Dars “Hundred Chapters”, Zoroastrian-Islamic apologetic texts, compendia, etc., most of which were written between the 15th and 18th centuries. The material is deepened by means of exemplary examples from individual literary epochs or text genres from a historical and stylistic perspective, and the central research questions of the focus area are addressed. After a general introduction to the special features of Judeo-Persian and Zoroastrian Classical New Persian poetry and prose as well as periodization according to stylistic aspects, the various literary genres will be examined. In addition, prominent texts are read and analyzed as examples. close

Suggested reading

• Arberry, Arthur John, Hrsg. Persian poems: An anthology of verse translations. London: Everyman’s Library, 1954. • Arberry, Arthur John. 1958. Classical Persian literature. London: Allen & Unwin [Reprint: 2004, RoutledgeCurzon]. • Browne, Edward G. A Literary History of Persia. 4 Bde. London, 1902. • Bruijn, Johannes Thomas Pieter de (ed.). 2009. General introduction to Persian literature. (A History of Persian Literature 1). London: I.B. Tauris. • Companion Volume 1. (A History of Persian Literature). London: I.B. Tauris. • Emmerick, Ronald Eric & Maria Macuch (eds.). 2009. The Literature of pre-Islamic Iran. • Grundriß der iranischen Philologie: Band II. Litteratur, Geschichte und Kultur. Strassburg: Trübner, 1896. • Morrison, George, Julian Baldick & Mu?ammad Riz?a Shafi?i Kadkani. 1981. History of Persian literature: from the beginning of the Islamic period to the present day. (Handbuch der Orientalistik. Erste Abteilung, Der Nahe und der Mittlere Osten 4.2.2). Leiden: Brill. • Rypka, Jan. 1959. Iranische Literaturgeschichte. (Iranische Texte und Hilfsbücher 4). Leipzig: Harrassowitz Verlag. • Schimmel, Annemarie. 1984. Stern und Blume: die Bilderwelt der persischen Poesie. (Sammlung Harrassowitz). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. • Spuler, Bertold (ed.). 1968. Literature. (Handbuch Der Orientalistik: Abt. 1: Der Nahe Und Der Mittlere Osten 4.2.1). Leiden: Brill. • Yarshater, Ehsan, Hrsg. Persian literature. Columbia lectures on Iranian studies 3. Albany, N.Y.: Bibliotheca Persica, 1988. close