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. Behbahani, simin, 19272014, iranian poet and political activist, b. She joined iran radio council of poetry along with other notable iranian poets in 1969. She was irans national poet and an icon to iranian literature. Poems are listed alphabetically and span all volumes. Information and registration forms can be found on this pdf requiring the adobe reader for viewing. 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 women issues from the point of view of simin behbahani, an. Diyaare roshanam dar shabe tireh new poem january 22, 2006. Kaafaram agar modaaraa konam recited in front of evin prison june 12, 2005. Selected poems of simin behbehani, edited and translated from the persian by farzaneh milani and kaveh safa, new york, 1999, pp. 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. Behbahani wurde in eine literaturaffine familie hineingeboren.
A career in poetry what i would like to do tonight is move us to a higher level of appreciation of simin behbahanis poetry by helping us begin an initial and doubtless tentative evaluation of her career in poetry. Her work has been published in iranian studies 20 and the school of oriental and african studies bulletin 2011. In this contemporary poets thought, womens issues have been expressed in a way that can reveal some kinds of feminist attitudes and trends. Simin behbahanis has published a large body of work spanning nearly 20 volumes. President obama reading a poesy of simin behbahani and. The daughter of intellectuals, she studied law at the univ. She used the char pareh style of nima, a renowned poet of persian history, and subsequently, turns to ghazal, a free flowing, and poetry style similar to the western sonnet. Sunday may 14th, dwinelle hall, university of california.
Written over almost a halfcentury, much of her work reflects the traumatic experiences that have shaped recent iranian history. A champion of human rights, behbahani is in iran and has been banned from leaving the country. Aug 19, 2014 simin behbahani, one of irans most prominent literary figures and a vocal human rights defender who was targeted with censorship and smear campaigns by iranian authorities, has died in tehran. Nominated for the nobel prize in literature, simin behbahani was nicknamed the lioness of iran for what admirers saw as courage in the face of censorship. Simin behbahani, the lioness of iran, died on august 19th, aged 87. Her father, abbas khalili, writer and newspaper editor, had tens of publications to his credit. 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. When she was 14 her mother sent one of her poems to mohammad taqi bahar. She worked from within iran for six decades and wrote over 600 poems. In doing so, i wish to place particular emphasis on an aspect of her art that, i. 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.
In doing so, i wish to place particular emphasis on an aspect of. Simin behbahani, whose name at birth was simin khalili persian. 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, 87 poetry defined lioness of iran by emily langer simin behbahani, a towering figure in persian literature who became known as the lioness of iran for poetry in which she elegantly and courageously laid bare the suffering of the destitute, the marginalized and the oppressed, died aug. The description of components and elements of nature could be seen in abundance in her poems. Pdf click to increase image size click to decrease image size. 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. Behbahani expanded the poetic genre, known in iran as ghazal a type. Simin behbahani khalili was born in 1927 in tehran, iran, of literary parents. President obama reading a poesy of simin behbahani and appreciation of the poet. Our journalism is free and open for all, but its made possible thanks to the support we.
Born on july 20, 1927, behbahani lived and wrote through much of 20th century iranian history. Official site, in english and persian, for iranian poet, simin behbahani, including a biography, bibliography, sample poems, photos and videos. Prior to her birth, khalilis father, an editor and writer, was temporarily exiled. 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. Simin behbahani was a prominent iranian contemporary poet, lyricist and activist. Simin behbahani, born in 1927, in tehran, of literary parents her father, abbas khalili, was a. 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. Fadiyeh poem for simin behbahani jahangir sedaghatfar february 26, 2005. Selected poems middle east literature in translation simin behbahani, farzaneh milani, kaveh safa on. The twoway poet simin behbahani urges iranians to keep up their fight for freedom. Poetical works the broken lute sehtare shekasteh, 1951.
These are listed below in chronological order beginning with the most recent. Behbahani, simin article about behbahani, simin by the free. Romantic nature in the poetry of simin behbahani with a. Romantic nature in the poetry of simin behbahani with a study of the collection of. Thanal online simin behbahani its time to mow the flowers. 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. June 20, 1927 august 19, 2014 was an iranian writer and poet. 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. Simin behbahani, one of irans most prominent poets, was born to a cultured family and raised amongst the literary elite. In book after book, in one deeply felt poem after another, behbahani has painted miniature portraits of her country over the decades. Forough farrokhzad, and simin behbahani, and simin daneshvar, all of these women. Simin behbahani simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Schematization of womens issues and atypical psychic and psychological situation are significant issues that are manifested in simin behbahanis poetries. Simin behbahani 1927 is one of irans most accomplished writers and possibly its greatest living poet. 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. 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. Niloufar will read simin behbahanis poetry in translation. 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. Social ideas in poetry of four female contemporary poet.
Simin behbahani s has published a large body of work spanning nearly 20 volumes. 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. The first annual bita prize for persian arts was awarded to ms. Staff, national iranian american council niac niac is pleased to present a new poem by the lioness of iran, simin behbahani. Schematization of womens issues and atypical psychic and psychological situation are significant issues that are manifested in simin behbahani s poetries. Simin behbahani, her surname also appears as bihbahani was a prominent iranian contemporary poet, lyricist and activist. Her poems offer apertures into the daily life of the iranian people, revealing its subtleties. One of the chief illustrations of romantic movement is naturalism which could be studied in the poems of simin behbahani.
President obama read a poesy of simin behbahani in its nowrooz greeting and. She is irans national poet and an icon of the iranian intelligentsia and literati who affectionately refer to her as the lioness of. 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. Simin behbahani began writing poetry at the age of fourteen and published her first poem at same age. Click a title or book cover for additional details, or choose from a selection of poems in the side menu.
She is known for her poems in a ghazalstyle of poetic form. Some of behbahanis poems are known by heart even by those. In her later life she was forced to put poems online that could not be published on paper. Parvin started composing poetry when persian literature was on the. Booklet since the age of 14, simin behbahani has inspired, revitalised, refreshed and liberated poetry in iran. Therefore, simin behbahanis feminism wants a temperate moderate style for social reformation of. Behbahanis poetry by helping us begin an initial and doubtless tentative. Thousands of iranians, including prominent intellectuals, artists, and rights activists, have attended a funeral ceremony in tehran for celebrated poet and. Simin behbahani, fehreste owzane bisabeqa ya kamsabeqa dar in ketab.
As a muslim woman writing in iran, simin behbahanis collections contain some of the seminal work of twentiethcentury persian literature. Simin behbahani was born on july 20, 1927 in teheran, persia as siminbar khalili. 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. The invaders attacked the students, beating many and throwing some out of the windows. Honoring dissident poet simin behbahani june 6, 2006.
She was married to manouchehr koshyar and hasan behbahani. Iranian poet simin behbahani, who has died aged 87. The twoway simin behbahani, renowned for her piercing and fierce language, published 19 books of poetry over the course of six decades. The poem banu, our lady is an expression of outrage by simin behbahani, author of over a dozen books of poetry in persian and recipient of the human rights watchhellmanhammet grant, for her struggle for freedom of expression in iran. Simin behbahani, adrienne rich and the global life of the political ghazal marie ostby is a ph. Simin behbahani, iranian poet who earned the sobriquet the lioness of iran for eloquently challenging national authorities and expressing her steadfast opposition to oppression and violence in more than 600 poems. Women issues from the point of view of simin behbahani, an. She was an icon of modern persian poetry, iranian intelligentsia and literati.
Her mother, fakhr ozma arghoon fakhr adel khalatbari, was a noted feminist, teacher, writer, newspaper editor, and a poet. Many of her poems were turned into love songs by iranian singers, but behbahani is best known for writing about the daily events in iran. 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. Famed iranian poet simin behbahani, who wrote of the joys of love, demanded equal rights for women and spoke out about the challenges facing those living in her homeland, died on thursday aged 87. Behbahani published her first poem when she was only 14 years old, and in the years that followed, she gradually developed her own style of writing as she became a renowned poet. Simin behbahani, life and poetry the translation project. In simins poetry, gypsy is the symbol of a free soul who. A career in poetry what i would like to do tonight is move us to a higher level of appreciation of simin behbahani s poetry by helping us begin an initial and doubtless tentative evaluation of her career in poetry. Ghazal was defined as a poem that a man wrote for a woman. Simin behbahani, one of irans most prominent literary figures and a vocal human rights defender who was targeted with censorship and smear campaigns by. And she says neda is the voice of the people of iran.
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