Introduction
Literature in the Persian language, written in Arabic characters, including, in addition to Iran, Turkey and northern India.
Pre-Islamic Persian literature includes the ghatas or divine chants, the oldest sacred texts grouped under the name of Avesta, the Avesta texts, and epics to be recited at court.
Persian poetry, which adapted Arabic forms, was born in eastern Persia during the 9th century. In the 10th century, the poet Rudaki appears, known as the pope of Persian poetry. A few years after his death, the Persian epic tradition began, which has its sources in the Avesta and in texts written in Middle Persian. The main epic poets are Marvazi, Daqiqi and Firdusi, author of the great Persian national epic.
The first author who cultivated the qasida (didactic poem) was Rudaki, followed by Unsuri, Asjadi and Farruji, who stand out among the greatest poets of the 400 installed in the court of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna. Among the many poets who wrote panegyrics, Anvari is worth mentioning, and an important author of philosophical qasidas is Naser-e Josrow. The famous poet Omar Khayyam is the greatest author of ruba'i (quartets).
The second half of the 13th century and the first part of the 14th century is considered the golden age of Persian poetry thanks to three of the greatest poets of Persia:Sadi, Rumi masnavi (long narrative poem) was an extraordinary work the ghazal, a passionate lyrical form and mystique. The first mystical masnavi (long narrative poem) was the work of Sana'i. Later, Attar stood out, exponent of the mystical doctrine of Sufism. The verses dedicated to Rumi's love are considered to be the most profound in all of Islamic literature. Another outstanding author of romantic masnavi was Nezami.
The period of decadence began in the 14th century and the last great classical poet was Jami, the romantic masnavi of the Indian poet Amir Josrow still stand out. During the 15th century, and especially in the 16th century, many Persian poets settled in the court of Indian Mongol emperors. The main representative of the Indian style (sabk-e Hindi) was Sa'ib, whose poems are noted for their extraordinary imagination.
In prose the important Persian tradition includes works by Firdusi and a Persian translation of the Arabic commentary on the Quran written by the historian Tabari. The most popular genre was Mirrors for Princes, Books of Practical Knowledge and Rules of Conduct, among which are those written by the eleventh-century ruler of Gurgan Kaikavus ibn Iskandar. The greatest prose of later didactic literature was Sadi, author of the famous book of maxims (some in verse) Gulistan (Rose Garden, 1218).
Modern Trends
Toward the end of the 18th century, Persian literature began to undergo important transformations as a result of various influences, including Western ones. The main author of the early 19th century was Qi'im Maqim. At the end of the century, literary production enjoyed extraordinary vigor and, in this way, some of the first serious dramas with a nationalist and patriotic theme appeared.
From 1919 onwards, more dramatic than romantic accounts began to appear in Persian. At this time, the best known authors are M. A. Jamalzadeh, Sadiq Hidayat, Buzurq Alavi and Jalal Al-e Ahmad Hidayat. Persian poetry received new impetus after World War II and theatre, which in the western sense of the term began in the 19th century, counts on the playwrights Malkam Jan and Sa'edi.
Persian Civilization
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