Persian literature - Definition and Overview

Persian literature is literature written in Persian, or by Persians in other languages. Persian literature is one of the most extensive literatures of the world with a tradition of over 1000 years.

Notable Forms and Genres

• Ghazal
• Qasida
• Musammat

Noted Authors

Classic

• Attar, poet (about 1130-about 1230)
• Ferdowsi, poet (925-1020)
• Hafez, poet (born about 1310-1325)
• Jami, poet (1414-1492)
• Omar Khayyam, poet (1048-1131)
• Nezami, poet (about 1140-about 1120)
• Rumi, poet (1207-1273)
• Saadi, poet (1184-1283/1291?)
• Rashid al-Din, historian (1247-1318)
• Rudaki
• Manuchihri
• Khaqani
• Unsuri
• Naser-khosrow
• Muhammad Iqbal
• Beyhaqi

(incomplete)

Modern

Prose

• Bozorg Alavi (بزرگ علوی)
• Jalal Al-e-Ahmad (جلال آل احمد)
• Samad Behrangi (صمد بهرنگی)
• Simin Daneshvar (سیمین دانشور)
• Mahmoud Dowlatabadi (محمود دولت آبادی)
• Houshang Golshiri (هوشنگ گلشیری)
• Sadegh Hedayat (صادق هدایت)
• Mohammad Ali Jamalzadeh (محمد علی جمالزاده)

Also see: category:Iranian writers

Poetry

• Mehdi Akhavan-Sales (مهدی اخوان ثالث)
• Hushang Ebtehaj (H. A. Sayeh) (هوشنگ ابتهاج)
• Forough Farrokhzad (فروغ فرخزاد)
• Siavash Kasraie (سیاوش کسرایی)
• Fereydoun Moshiri (فریدون مشیری)
• Nader Naderpour (نادر نادرپور)
• Nosrat Rahmani (نصرت رحمانی)
• Sohrab Sepehri (سهراب سپهری)
• Mohammad Reza Shafii Kadkani (محمد رضا شفیعی کدکنی)
• Ahmad Shamlou (احمد شاملو)
• Nima Yushij (نیما یوشیج)

- [Jila Rasekh] Also see: category:Iranian poets

Further reading

• E.G. Browne. Literary History of Persia. (Four volumes, 2,256 pages, and twenty-five years in the writing)

Example Usage of literature