Abdolhossein Zarinkoob
Encyclopedia
Abdolhossein Zarinkoob (May 19, 1923, Borujerd
- September 15, 1999, Tehran
) was a prominent scholar of Iranian literature
, history of literature
, Persian culture and history.
He was born on March 19, 1923 in Borujerd
, Iran
, received his PhD from Tehran University in 1955 under the supervision of Badiozzaman Forouzanfar
, and held faculty positions at prestigious universities such as Oxford University, Sorbonne
, and Princeton University
, among many others.
Due to his pioneering works on Iranian literature, literary criticism
and comparative literature
, he is considered as the father of modern Persian literature
.
Some of his more famous works in English are:
Zarrinkoub's research works on Hafez
and Persian mysticism resulted in several books: "Az Koocheie Rendan" and "Arzeshe Mirase Soofieh" are a few examples.
: The portrayal of an Iranian "period of silence" stems from modern Iranian nationalism, which contradict historical accounts. Despite the lack of an independent Iranian government for two centuries, Iranians actively participated in the new regime supporting cultural, economic, educational, and artisan expansion of the Islamic world and beyond . Furthermore, with major parts of the Eastern Roman Empire unified with the Iranian/Persian Empire, the diversity in agriculture, science, trade, and culture laid the foundations for prosperity of Iranian cities and the flourishing of Iranian scientific, linguistic, and cultural endeavors.
Other notable Iranologists:
Borujerd
Borujerd is a city in and capital of Borujerd County, Lorestan Province in western Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 227,547, in 59,388 families....
- September 15, 1999, Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
) was a prominent scholar of Iranian literature
Iranian Literature
Iranian literature is a term that has been used mainly in reference to Persian literature, but the term has other meanings as well:*Literature in any other Iranian language , such as the Avesta, or those written in:...
, history of literature
History of literature
The history of literature is the historical development of writings in prose or poetry which attempts to provide entertainment, enlightenment, or instruction to the reader/hearer/observer, as well as the development of the literary techniques used in the communication of these pieces. Not all...
, Persian culture and history.
He was born on March 19, 1923 in Borujerd
Borujerd
Borujerd is a city in and capital of Borujerd County, Lorestan Province in western Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 227,547, in 59,388 families....
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, received his PhD from Tehran University in 1955 under the supervision of Badiozzaman Forouzanfar
Badiozzaman Forouzanfar
Badi'ozzamān Foruzānfar was a scholar of Persian literature, Iranian linguistics and culture, and an expert on Molana Jalaleddin Balkhi and his works...
, and held faculty positions at prestigious universities such as Oxford University, Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, and Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, among many others.
Due to his pioneering works on Iranian literature, literary criticism
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
and comparative literature
Comparative literature
Comparative literature is an academic field dealing with the literature of two or more different linguistic, cultural or national groups...
, he is considered as the father of modern Persian literature
Persian literature
Persian literature spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its sources have been within historical Persia including present-day Iran as well as regions of Central Asia where the Persian language has historically been the national language...
.
Research works
Abdolhossein Zarrinkoub's solid research works made him a world class Iranologist and undisputed master of Persian literature and poet.He was known for his extreme precision and solid works. He was the author of dozens of books in Persian, French, and English, and published hundreds of articles.Some of his more famous works in English are:
- The Arab Conquest of Iran and its aftermath: in Cambridge History of Iran, Vol 4, London, 1975.
- Persian Sufism in its historical background, Iranian studies III, 1970
- Nizami, a lifelong quest for a utopia, 1977, Rome.
Literary criticism and comparative literature
Zarrinkoob boosted comparative literature and Persian literary criticism. His book entitled "Naghde Adabi" (Literary criticism) is a classic book on Persian literary criticism.Rumi and Erfan
Prof. Dr. Zarrinkoub is also known for his profound research on revered Iranian poet Molana Jalaleddin Balkhi (Rumi) and his works. Zarrinkoub's "Serr e Ney" (Secret of the Reed) and "Bahr dar Koozeh" (Sea in a Jug) are critical and comparative analysis of Rumi's Masnavi. "Pelleh Pelleh ta Molaghate Khoda" (Step by Step until Visiting God) is also a work he carried out on the same line.Zarrinkoub's research works on Hafez
Hafez
Khwāja Shamsu d-Dīn Muhammad Hāfez-e Shīrāzī , known by his pen name Hāfez , was a Persian lyric poet. His collected works composed of series of Persian poetry are to be found in the homes of most Iranians, who learn his poems by heart and use them as proverbs and sayings to this day...
and Persian mysticism resulted in several books: "Az Koocheie Rendan" and "Arzeshe Mirase Soofieh" are a few examples.
History of Persia
Abdolhossein Zarrinkoub's classic book entitled "Two Centuries of Silence" is one the most reliable sources on the history of Persia after Islam. Zarrinkoub also published seminal articles and a few books on Islamic history.Criticism of Zarrinkoub
Zarrinkoub wrote within a time of rising Iranian nationalism, which severely distorted his historical accounts on Iran's early Islamic history. Zarrinkoub's nationalist prejudice runs throughout his description of Arabs as uncivilized, brutal, and unsophisticated conquerors, while other prominent historians depict a more complicated relation between the Arab conquerors and Iranians. According to Homa KatouzianHoma Katouzian
Homa Katouzian, PhD is an economist, historian, political scientist and literary critic, with a special interest in Iranian studies. Katouzian’s formal academic training was in economics and the social sciences but he concurrently continued his studies of Persian history and literature at a...
: The portrayal of an Iranian "period of silence" stems from modern Iranian nationalism, which contradict historical accounts. Despite the lack of an independent Iranian government for two centuries, Iranians actively participated in the new regime supporting cultural, economic, educational, and artisan expansion of the Islamic world and beyond . Furthermore, with major parts of the Eastern Roman Empire unified with the Iranian/Persian Empire, the diversity in agriculture, science, trade, and culture laid the foundations for prosperity of Iranian cities and the flourishing of Iranian scientific, linguistic, and cultural endeavors.
See also
- Persian literaturePersian literaturePersian literature spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its sources have been within historical Persia including present-day Iran as well as regions of Central Asia where the Persian language has historically been the national language...
- Iranology
- Intellectual Movements in IranIntellectual movements in IranIntellectual movements in Iran involve the Iranian experience of modernity and its associated art, science, literature, poetry, and political structures that have been changing since the 19th century.- History of Iranian modernity :...
Other notable Iranologists:
- Alireza Shapour ShahbaziAlireza Shapour ShahbaziAlireza Shapour Shahbazi was a prominent Persian archeologist, Iranologist and a world expert on Achaemenid archeology. Alireza Shahbazi got a BA degree in and an MA degree in East Asian archeology from SOAS. Shahbazi had a doctorate degree in Achaemenid archeology from University of London...
- Richard Nelson FryeRichard Nelson FryeRichard Nelson Frye is an American scholar of Iranic and Central Asian Studies, and Aga Khan Professor Emeritus of Iranian Studies at Harvard University...
- Ehsan YarshaterEhsan YarshaterEhsan Yarshater is the founder and director of The Center for Iranian Studies, and Hagop Kevorkian Professor Emeritus of Iranian Studies at Columbia University. He was the first full-time professor of Persian at a U.S. university since World War II....
- Mohammad-Amin RiahiMohammad-Amin RiahiMohammad-Amin Riahi was a prominent Iranian literary scholar of Persian literature, a historian, writer and statemens. Apart from being one of the authors of Dehkhoda Dictionary and Encyclopædia Iranica, he was the author and editor of several well-known scholarly books...
- Ahmad TafazzoliAhmad TafazzoliDr. Ahmad Tafazzoli was a prominent Persian Iranist and master of ancient Iranian literature and culture. Professor Tafazzoli was a faculty member of Tehran University....
- Mehrdad BaharMehrdad BaharMehrdād Bahār was a prominent Iranist, linguist, mythologist and Persian historian.Mehrdad Bahar, was the youngest son of Persian poet Mohammad Taghi Bahar. He held a PhD degree in Persian literature and Ancient Iranian languages from Tehran University...