Nov 24, 2014 the poetry of simin behbahani stands on an ongoing conversation with and an acute understanding of the persianate literary past. Behbahanis poetry by helping us begin an initial and doubtless tentative evaluation of her career in. Jul 11, 2012 the ageless voice of the revolutionary lady of ghazal. Acknowledging the importance of speaking, of witnessing, of claiming an independent voice and vision, simin behbahani is now at the height of her powers and popularity. Niloufar will read simin behbahanis poetry in translation. She has been the main translator of simin behbahanis poems from farsi. Simin behbahani, adrienne rich and the global life of the political ghazal marie ostby is a ph. Simin behbahani has expanded the range of traditional persian verse forms and produced some of the most significant works of persian literature in the twentieth century. Poems are listed alphabetically and span all volumes. In this contemporary poets thought, womens issues have been expressed in a way that can reveal some kinds of feminist attitudes and trends. Simin behbahani began writing poetry at the age of fourteen and published. Honoring dissident poet simin behbahani june 6, 2006. Simin behbahani, life and poetry the translation project.
Many iranians regard simin behbahani as the queen of persian poetry. Issuu is a digital publishing platform that makes it simple to publish magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, and more online. Iranian womens poetry from the constitutional revolution to the. Aug 25, 2014 these lines are from the poem its time to mow the flowers written by the late simin behbahani, who was considered by many to be irans most influential poet. Official site, in english and persian, for iranian poet, simin behbahani, including a biography, bibliography, sample poems, photos and videos. In her later life she was forced to put poems online that could not be published on paper. An iranian publication featuring a young behbahani. Simin behbahani, who has died aged 87, was irans most famous female poet, credited with reinventing the ghazal, the lyrical sonnet associated with the classical persian poets. The twoway simin behbahani, renowned for her piercing and fierce language, published 19 books of poetry over the course of six decades.
Pronunciation of behbahani with 1 audio pronunciation, 1 translation, 5 sentences and more for behbahani. As an intimate friend of the poet and a close observer of the history of poetry in the persianspeaking world, ahmad karimihakkak discusses simin behbahanis career and weighs the significance of certain bold in her poetry to venture some evaluation of her chances a lasting voice within the persian cultural traditions of the late twentieth and early twentyfirst century to conclude that. Since the age of 14, simin behbahani has inspired, revitalised, refreshed and liberated poetry in iran. Iranian poet and womens rights advocate simin behbahani. Mar 08, 2010 simin behbahani, 82, said she was about to fly to france when her passport was confiscated at tehran airport.
The first annual bita prize for persian arts was awarded to ms. The ageless voice of the revolutionary lady of ghazal. Simin behbahani, 82, said she was about to fly to france when her passport was confiscated at tehran airport. Behbahani reconciled ghazal with modernity and reinvented the literary form, which traditionally had been reserved for men, says farzaneh milani, who has translated some of behbahanis poems into english and written the first collection of articles about her poetry. President obama reading a poesy of simin behbahani and.
Simin behbahani khalili was born in 1927 in tehran, iran, of literary parents. Simin behbahani, born in 1927, in tehran, of literary parents her father, abbas. Last week iran detained international award winning film director jafar panahi and members of his family. Suring an interview with the persian program of voa tv, the courageous lady of iranian poesy appreciate and thanks barack obama for reading her poesy.
Romantic nature in the poetry of simin behbahani with a. This is clear even in the way this book, containing poems for 1973 to 1981 is presented to the eye. I first discovered behbahani s work in the book wounded rose in which some of her poems were presented in english along with the works of two of her contemporaries. Simin behbahani, sent one of her patriotic poems to the eghdam action. As a muslim woman writing in iran, simin behbahanis collections contain some of the seminal work of twentiethcentury persian literature. Simin behbahani simin behbahani born july 20, 1927, tehran, iran is one of the most prominent figures of the modern persian literature and one of the most outstanding amongst the contemporary persian poets.
Dec 01, 1998 as a muslim woman writing in iran, simin behbahani s collections contain some of the seminal work of twentiethcentury persian literature. Simin behbahani khalili was born on 20 june 1927 in tehran, iran, of literary parents. Women issues from the point of view of simin behbahani, an. Schematization of womens issues and atypical psychic and psychological situation are significant issues that are manifested in simin behbahanis poetries. Having experimented with rhyming couplets and free verse, she turned to the ghazal as a vehicle for her artistic expression. On this day a celebration that serves as a bridge from the past to the future i would like to close with a quote from the poet simin behbahani a woman who has been banned from traveling. Behbahani, simin article about behbahani, simin by the. Simin behbahani, her surname also appears as bihbahani persian. Selected poems of simin behbehani, edited and translated from the persian by farzaneh milani and kaveh safa, new york, 1999, pp. Simin behbahani, her surname also appears as bihbahani was a prominent iranian contemporary poet, lyricist and activist. In her hundreds of poems, behbahani tackled issues such as patriotism, womens issues, war, peace, revolution, poverty, justice, and other.
The rainbow world of simin behbahani foundation for. Aug 19, 2014 irans national poet simin behbahani died tuesday of heart failure at the age of 87, according to the countrys official news agency. The twoway poet simin behbahani urges iranians to keep up their fight for freedom. A champion of human rights, behbahani is in iran and has been banned from leaving the country. Ghazal was defined as a poem that a man wrote for a woman.
Information and registration forms can be found on this pdf requiring the adobe reader for viewing. Her work has been published in iranian studies 20 and the school of oriental and african studies bulletin 2011. She is known for her poems in a ghazalstyle of poetic form. Social ideas in poetry of four female contemporary poet parvin etesami, corough fari tahereh safarzadeh and simin behbahani mohsen izadyar1i fatemeh azizmohammadi2 1department of persian literature, arak branch, islamic azad university, arak, iran 2department of english literature, arak branch, islamic azad university, arak, iran email address. The two sections into which it is divided are titled up to black friday. Born on july 20, 1927, behbahani lived and wrote through much of 20th century iranian history. The rose has grown in the snow, o how delightful it does glow. Simin behbahani iran, they say, is the land of poetry, and gazal, a poem of ten to fifteen lines with special rhythmic, metric and alliterative requirements, has been the pillar of the countrys rich poetic tradition. Easily share your publications and get them in front of issuus. And she says neda is the voice of the people of iran. She worked from within iran for six decades and wrote over 600 poems. She was an icon of modern persian poetry, iranian intelligentsia and literati who affectionately refer to her as the lioness of iran.
Jan 01, 2009 simin behbahani 1927 is one of irans most accomplished writers and possibly its greatest living poet. But to understand the work of iranian poet simin behbahani 1927 is to understand. She is irans national poet and an icon of the iranian intelligentsia and literati who affectionately refer to her as the lioness of iran. Fadiyeh poem for simin behbahani jahangir sedaghatfar february 26, 2005. Often called the greatest iranian poet of the modern age, behbahanis soulful, penetrating sonnets ghazals have made her one of the worlds most recognisable names in contemporary literature, receiving two nominations for a nobel prize and. Thousands of iranians, including prominent intellectuals, artists, and rights activists, have attended a funeral ceremony in tehran for celebrated poet and. For well over half a century, behbahani has been the voice of freedom and moderation. Guzeena e ashar e simin behbahani farsi usage public domain mark 1. Behbahani, simin, 19272014, iranian poet and political activist, b. I use persianate here instead of persian or iraniana term coined by the historian. Aug 19, 2014 poet simin behbahani was loved by many ordinary iranians but drew the disapproval of the authorities, whom she challenged throughout her life, reports bbc persians golnoosh golshani. Thanal online simin behbahani its time to mow the flowers.
I first discovered behbahanis work in the book wounded rose in which some of her poems were presented in english along with the works of two of her contemporaries. Simin behbahani, a towering figure in persian literature who became known as the lioness of. Gascoignes certayne notes of instruction 1575, the first english manual of versification. Her poems came in a variety of styles, far from classical and routine. Aug 22, 2014 thousands of iranians, including prominent intellectuals, artists, and rights activists, have attended a funeral ceremony in tehran for celebrated poet and womens rights advocate simin behbahani. She was an icon of modern persian poetry, iranian intelligentsia and literati who. To understand the work of iranian poet simin behbahani 19272014 is to understand better the paradoxical nature of contemporary iran.
Simin behbahani 1927 is one of irans most accomplished writers and possibly its greatest living poet. Behbahani, born simin khalili on 20 july 20 1927, saw her poetry often used by iranian singers as the basis for love songs. Aug 28, 2014 simin behbahani, who has died aged 87, was irans most famous female poet, credited with reinventing the ghazal, the lyrical sonnet associated with the classical persian poets. Romantic nature in the poetry of simin behbahani with a study of the collection of poems a line of speed and fire kobra nodehi1 and masoomeh pichack2 1 department of persian literature, gorgan branch, islamic azad university, gorgan, iran. Simins mother raised her to love literature and, when simin was 14, sent a poem simin had written to a literary journal, which published it. These lines are from the poem its time to mow the flowers written by the late simin behbahani, who was considered by many to be irans most influential poet. Dubai poet simin behbahani, a champion of womens rights and free speech whose lyrical verse captured the hopes and disappointments of. Indeed, if emily dickinson so much identified with her community that she occasionally signed her letters amherst, then. She is known for her poems in a ghazal style of poetic form. It is a marvel of imagemaking how the merger take place. Indeed, if emily dickinson so much identified with her community that she occasionally signed her letters amherst, then simin behbahani can sign her poems iran. And this book provides part of the proof that she desrves the title. Furthermore, the primitive syntax of he is the national x of iran or she is the female y of afghanistan, a wellknown remnant of colonial practices, occludes the protean and permeable nature of persianate literary culture and confines behbahani within a national canon.
Special issue on simin behbahani foundation for iranian. These are listed below in chronological order beginning with the most recent. Schematization of womens issues and atypical psychic and psychological situation are significant issues that are manifested in simin behbahani s poetries. Simin behbahani, the lioness of iran, died on august 19th, aged 87. Behbahani began to compose poetry at the age of 14. Poet simin behbahani was loved by many ordinary iranians but drew the disapproval of the authorities, whom she challenged throughout her life, reports bbc persians golnoosh golshani. Simin behbahani, fehreste owzane bisabeqa ya kamsabeqa dar in ketab. Love arrived and how red, translated to english by m. Simin behbahani photo by syma sayyah, tehran iran hangs five, including a teacher. Poetical works the broken lute sehtare shekasteh, 1951. Aug 22, 2014 simins mother raised her to love literature and, when simin was 14, sent a poem simin had written to a literary journal, which published it. Pdf click to increase image size click to decrease.
Mar 22, 2011 suring an interview with the persian program of voa tv, the courageous lady of iranian poesy appreciate and thanks barack obama for reading her poesy. In simin behbahanis kowlivareh cycle of sixteen ghazals, she not only. Kaafaram agar modaaraa konam recited in front of evin prison june 12, 2005. The rainbow world of simin behbanhi farzaneh milani. The daughter of intellectuals, she studied law at the univ. Niac is pleased to present a new poem by the lioness of iran, simin behbahani. Her father, abbas khalili, writer and newspaper editor, had tens of publications to his credit. Simin behbahani was born on july 20, 1927 in teheran, persia as siminbar khalili. Simin behbahanis has published a large body of work spanning nearly 20 volumes. Click a title or book cover for additional details, or choose from a selection of poems in the side menu. Her mother, fakhr ozma arghoon fakhr adel khalatbari, was a noted feminist, teacher, writer, newspaper editor, and a poet.
Aug 19, 2014 dubai poet simin behbahani, a champion of womens rights and free speech whose lyrical verse captured the hopes and disappointments of iranians since the 1979 revolution, died tuesday at the. The ghazals of simin behbahani are a unique style, which defines her as a one and only, and well distinguished in her style of poetry. Irans national poet simin behbahani died tuesday of heart failure at the age of 87, according to the countrys official news agency. Diyaare roshanam dar shabe tireh new poem january 22, 2006. Social ideas in poetry of four female contemporary poet parvin etesami, corough fari tahereh safarzadeh and simin behbahani mohsen izadyar1i fatemeh azizmohammadi2 1department of persian literature, arak branch, islamic azad university, arak, iran. Social ideas in poetry of four female contemporary poet. Simin behbahani s has published a large body of work spanning nearly 20 volumes. Written over almost a halfcentury, much of her work reflects the traumatic experiences that have shaped recent iranian history. Another figure that immediately comes to mind is forugh. Aug 19, 2014 behbahani, born simin khalili on 20 july 20 1927, saw her poetry often used by iranian singers as the basis for love songs. Simin behbahanis initial engagement with poetry coincided with a tumultuous period in the countrys literary history, marked by the emergence of an increasing number of poets who, following in the footsteps of nima yushij, did not adhere to the metrics and regularity of rhyme visible and audible in classical persian poetry. This article traces the transformation of an iranian nationalist poem by simin behbahani entitled i will rebuild you, homeland 1981 into an expatriate national anthem, and the poem songs subsequent incorporation into protests and political.
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