SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The accompanying thesis embodies a critical account of the poets and poetry of modern Iran. In the wake of the Constitutional movement in Iran, Persian poetry suffered a considerable change. If the classical poetry is theoretical in meaning and expression, the modern poetry is eminently practical: a new consciousness and a new outlook characterize it. In order to gather first-hand knowledge, I paid visits to Iran in 1930 and 1934. During eight months which I spent in the country, I visited important cities and centres of learning, and had long talks with the poets and poetesses. On returning to India, I published the materials collected in Iran in the form of an anthology entitled "Sukhanvaran-i Iran dar 'Asr-i Hazir" in two volumes, both of which were sympathetically reviewed in Great Britain, France, Germany, America, Iran and India, In 1934, I had the privilege of meeting Prof. V. Minorsky at the celebrations of Firdausi Millenary held at Tehran and Tus. Owing to his encouragement and supervision I have been able to present this thesis. The thesis comprises nine chapters. In its first part it deals with the preparatory period of modern Persian poetry and then introduces the poets chronologically, with their individual characteristics. In the second part the general problems are studied, such as the development in the language, metre and the contents of poetry. The changes are considered in their double aspect, that is both as an independent indigenous development and as a result of external influences. The sources from which I have derived my information are indicated in the body of the thesis or in the foot-notes. I wish to stress the fact that much of the material utilized in my thesis is inaccessible in the West and that the task of collecting them has been long and not devoid of the element of adventure.