NPR: Ferdowsi, The Poet Who Rescued Iran

NPR: Ferdowsi, The Poet Who Rescued Iran
by Darius Kadivar
22-Feb-2009
 

Ferdowsi mixed myth and history in the Shahnameh, known in English as the "Book of Kings." It's a chronicle of the rulers and warriors of the great Persian empire, which had come and gone long before the poet was born in 940 A.D.Iranians compare him to the Greek poet Homer, author of the epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey.

To Listen Go Here


Share/Save/Bookmark

more from Darius Kadivar
 
Farhad Sepahbody

A WARNING BY FERDOWSI

by Farhad Sepahbody on

چنين است آئين رسم درشت

‫گهی پشت بر زين گهی زين به پشت

‫فردوسی


default

this is the best topic

by goodman (not verified) on

this is the best topic


Abarmard

haalo DK

by Abarmard on

ee keh migan sheerazi nubudeh kako


default

is this guy's poem not

by Anonymous222 (not verified) on

is this guy's poem not great?

sokhan gooy ze man Ferdowsie naamdar
goshoodam cheshm nazdike sabzvar

nemmodam zendeh iranio iran mard
keh in bood behtarin rahe nabard

cho gooyi toi iranie mihan parast
nakon setayesh degar ra ba do dast

manam bandehe khodai keh jaanam bedad
bejoz ou kasi sezavare setayesh mabad

nakon hich azaar beh mihano ham mihanat
cho miri na yek ra negahi konad bar tanat


capt_ayhab

Not just a poetry book

by capt_ayhab on

Shahnameh is not just a well written poetry book, but THE most precise account of Empire's history, in most eloquent,  pure and unadulterated Persian language.

A HAMASEH, which more one reads more one realizes its dept and beauty.

Thanks DK for sharing it.

-YT


LalehGillani

A Sweet Burden Ours to Carry

by LalehGillani on

Ferdowsi lives within us, in our hearts and souls. His words have been spread by street performers and storytellers for centuries despite the treachery of Arab invaders. His legacy and proud tradition is our burden to carry, ours to save, and most importantly ours to pass on.

Let’s honor him by our deeds…


default

Who is going to be the next Ferdowsi?

by Arash Kamangir (not verified) on

Ferdowsi rescued the iranian culture and language from arabian domination in Iran. He did this in an era where Iranians were forced to think arabic and speak arabic. The dignity of Iranians which was taken away by Arabs and Greeks are rebuilt in Shahnameh.
His work Shahnameh for Iranians is like quoran to muslims.


ebi amirhosseini

Mr kadivar Aziz

by ebi amirhosseini on

Sepaas for sharing.

Ebi aka Haaji


default

tou irani nabashi cho gooyi

by Andme (not verified) on

tou irani nabashi cho gooyi dorood be tazi zaban
cheh behtar keh dani tora hast doshmane malo jan

begoo ey marde dana chera amadi dar in jahan
chera kam bekhanio kam bedani ze madar zaban

nayabi tou ey mard daneshi dar nahan
basi gij gashtam az kare tou andar jahan

biao sokhan goo ya nevis dar site iranian
bedin rah keh bashi ze ma na az biroonian


Shazde Asdola Mirza

Well done Mr. Darius

by Shazde Asdola Mirza on

بناهای آباد گردد خراب

ز باران و از گردش آفتاب

 

پی‌ افکندم از نظم کاخی‌ بلند

که از باد و باران نیابد گزند

 

نمیرم از این پس که من زنده ام

که تخم سخن را پراکنده ام


default

شاهنامه و طبیعت

امیر کبیر در باغ فین کاشان (not verified)


به داستان هوشنگ گوش فرا دهید و ملاحظه کنید که فردوسی چه عشقی به طبیعت داشته است و در این چند بیت نام حیوانات بسیاری را ذکر میکند و بطور کلی لغاتی که در اشعار بکار میبرد خود موسیقی در گوش هستند:

//shahnameh.podomatic.com/player/web/2007-09-...


default

sokhan gooy ze man Ferdowsie

by shaereirani (not verified) on

sokhan gooy ze man Ferdowsie naamdar
goshoodam cheshm nazdike sabzvar

nemmodam zendeh iranio iran mard
keh in bood behtarin rahe nabard

cho gooyi toi iranie mihan parast
nakon setayesh degar ra ba do dast

manam bandehe khodai keh jaanam bedad
bejoz ou kasi sezavare setayesh mabad

nakon hich azaar beh mihano ham mihanat
cho miri na yek ra negahi konad bar tanat


default

Iran ay marzeh por gohar

by Anonymous-9999 (not verified) on

من اریاایم
خدای من ایران است و پیامبرم کوروش بزرگ
امامانم داریوش بزرگ /مازیار /خشایار شاه /انوشیروان عادل و یزدگرد
امام زمانم کاوه اهنگر
روحانیون من فردوسی/ خیام/ مولوی/ حافظ / سعدی و ابن سینا ست
کتاب مقدسم شاهنامه.
درود به همه ایرانیان میهن دوست.


David ET

Ferdowsi's birthday

by David ET on

Research has shown that in all probability, third of January is the birthday of Ferdowsi. 

Lets mark that day in our calenders for next year ! 

Someday ZAHAK will be overthrown again by true Iranians:

//activistchat.com/images/TaaziZahak1.jpg 

//www.ajayeb.ir/zahak/zahak4.jpg 

//www.geocities.com/hammihanirani/zahak.jpg

We don't need Hossein and Mahdi's of Arabs . Ferdowsi showed us that we Iranians have Rostam. Fereydoon, Kaveh, Arash, Tahmineh, ..... 

Iran does not need celebration of death in Ashura  and ...and...., but celebrations of LIFE from Norooz to Mehregan , 12 times a year to celebrations of Ferdowsi and Rumi and ......

Celebrations of LIFE , LOVE and EARTH as our ancestors did at least 12 times a year... We were environmentalists much before the word was created!

 

 


default

I agree with David ET

by Iranian woman (not verified) on

Ferdowsi is a true Iranian hero and his birthday has to be celebrated. To start with, we could honor his contribution on this site on his birthday and hopefully one day have a national holiday in his honor.


Maryam Hojjat

David ET

by Maryam Hojjat on

I have the same wish to have a Ferdousi Day on our future true Iranian calender.  Let's hope for freedom of Iran from these Persian speaking Arabs.

Payandeh IRAN


default

I love Ferdowsi

by Anonymous-9999 (not verified) on

He was the greatest poet of Persia. Thanks to Reza Shah the great for building the beautiful mausoleum in honoring Ferdowsi. Drood bar har doyh anha.


default

"Persian poets write

by jakarta on

"Persian poets write poetical books which from beginning to end contain well-ordered description of stories and events and which move in the highest levels of the elqoeunce of the national language. Thus, for example, Al-Firdawsi wrote his book Shahnama in 60,000 lines; it contains the whole history of the Persians and is the Koran of the nation, since their most important rhetoricians are in agreement that there is nothing in their literature to excel this work in elegance. There is nothing comparable in the Arabic language despite its wealth and versatility, and despite the fact that the Persian language is but a drop in the sea in comparison with it."

-Ibn al-Athir (d. 637 AH), Al-Mathal Al-Sa'ir, famous arab literary criticsm work

 

 


tsion

Interesting program

by tsion on

Thanks Darius. And yes, Ferdowsi is definitely one of the most important literary figures of all mankind. His tragedy of Rustam and Sohrab in particular is the best in its kind IMHO.

Zion


default

-

by jakarta on

-


David ET

Iranian Hero

by David ET on

I have always have outmost respect for this Iranian Hero and I hope "someday" his birthday become a national holiday of celebration of our heritage. Ferdowsi brought proud back to the Iranians by reviving our history and language.

Thank you for the post. 


SamSamIIII

Dear Darius

by SamSamIIII on

 

""Iranians compare him to the Greek poet Homer, author of the epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey""

There is no comparison !!!, 30 yrs of painstaking loving reserach into his true heritage without an ounce of Ommatie/Taazi pollution , coming up with thousands rhymic lines of poetry in pure Parsi  and with no internet or library but pure passion for true Iran speaks volumes of his work . Shahnameh by far is the greatest literary work of mankind & all other epics should be compared to it in beauty , flow & richness including Iliads & Odyssey . It,s in essence the battle cry of patriots like yourself .

Thanks my friend & best wishes pal!!!

 

//www.iranianidentity.blogspot.com/