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4.0 

Khosrow and Shirin

By Nezami Ganjavi & Dick Davis
Khosrow and Shirin by Nezami Ganjavi & Dick Davis digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

Khosrow and Shirin is a love story by Nezami Ganjavi--considered the greatest medieval Persian romance poet--based on historical characters of the seventh-century Iranian court. Written 850 years ago, the narrative poem is presented here for the first time in a stunning modern-verse English translation by Dick Davis, the pre-eminent translator of Persian poetry.

The love between an Iranian prince (Khosrow) and an Armenian princess (Shirin) is at the center of this tumultuous tale in which the exigencies of politics and warfare intertwine with no less powerful forces of erotic desire and the quest for personal and spiritual fulfilment.

Nezami vividly dramatizes the clash between heroism and sensuality as they are pitted against the desire for the amenities of order and humane civilization. These marvelously presented discordant themes result in a complex love story based on conflicting concepts of love, one regarding the beloved as a prize to be conquered and possessed, the other unrequited and all-consuming, relishing the very notion of the annihilation of the self through love.

Davis has captured the energy and poetry of Nezami's original in a delightful, contemporary idiom, and given us a story to read aloud, to savor, and to treasure for its luminous lyrical mastery. Davis's superb introduction and textual commentary provide insightful background information for the general reader and scholar alike, intensifying the strength of Davis's translation. Khosrow and Shirin will enchant both the classicist and the general reader, to captivate a new audience for Nezami's masterpiece.

1 Review

4.0
“this is for the yearners who’d like to read about one of the most famous couples in persian literature. I didn’t expect to like shirin and khosrow’s story so much (crude/deceitful prince + self-assured princess), but davis’ translation was a smooth intro to a tricky medieval romance. I loved the imagery and there are many natural motifs (sun/moon, fruits, flowers, jewels) I’ve rarely liked in romantic poems that are done well here. I thought the prose was lovely and sensual and worked well as courtship between khosrow and shirin, but a modern reader today might side-eye at the racially tinged metaphors (though there aren’t many). this is also how I found out I don’t mind ABAB poems 😅 even if the rhymes look simple on page, there’s PLENTY turns of phrase that can be enjoyed on their own. some favorite passages: “Two hunters met together in one place Hunting each other, and now face to face… Two archers slim as cypress trees, whose darts Were aimed by love at one another's hearts.” “When you embrace, another spring appears With violet petals you adorn her ears And whisper secrets there, as heart to heart You list your sorrows when you were apart…””

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