Nov 24, 2014 simin behbahani, distinguished persianlanguage poet, passed away on august 19 in tehran. The award ceremony will take place on august 29 in pecs, the birthplace of janus pannonius. Since the age of 14, simin behbahani has inspired, revitalised, refreshed and liberated poetry in iran. Janus pannonius is now buried in the cathedral of pecs.
While the conversation starts with a discussion of speros book almost any shit. Simin behbahani iranian writer and poet dead at age 87. Guzeena e ashar e simin behbahani farsi usage public domain mark 1. 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. She was irans national poet and an icon to iranian literature. Simin behbahani reads poetry at soas, university of london, 6 february 2005, youtube part 1, part. Mar 23, 2008 simin behbahani by molod zehtab nowrooz shadbash to mrs. A champion of human rights, behbahani is in iran and has been banned from leaving the country. Her father, abbas khalili, writer and newspaper editor, had tens of publications to his credit. Farzaneh milani teaches persian language and literature and womens studies at the university of virginia and is the author of veils and words. Dec 01, 1998 as a muslim woman writing in iran, simin behbahani s collections contain some of the seminal work of twentiethcentury persian literature.
Selected poems by simin behbahani contemporary persian poetry, 6 simin behbahani, michael beard, sara khalili on. Click a title or book cover for additional details, or choose from a selection of poems in the side menu. Simin behbahani started writing poetry at twelve and published her first poem at the age of fourteen. 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.
The twoway simin behbahani, renowned for her piercing and fierce language, published 19 books of poetry over the course of six decades. 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. The twoway simin behbahani, renowned for her piercing and fierce language, published 19. Mar 19, 2010 iran halts travel by poet simin behbahani, known as lioness of iran simin behbahani, irans most prominent poet, was about to board a flight to paris when police seized her passport. Thanal online simin behbahani its time to mow the flowers. Her first book in hungarian is published by the hungarian pen club and. Simin behbahani was awarded the janus pannonius award in 20. The daughter of intellectuals, she studied law at the univ. Simin behbahani celebrity profile check out the latest simin behbahani photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. Written over almost a halfcentury, much of her work reflects the traumatic experiences that have shaped recent iranian history. Behbahani contributed to a historic development by adding theatrical subjects and daily events and conversations to poetry using the ghazal style of poetry. Banouyeh iran a hearttoheart with poet simin behbahani. And this book provides part of the proof that she desrves the title.
These are listed below in chronological order beginning with the most recent. 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. She used the char pareh style of nima yooshij and subsequently turned to ghazal. Behbahani was a major figure on the iranian literary landscape whose work enjoyed readership not only in iran but also in the wider persianate world. Simin behbahani, who has died aged 87, was irans most famous female poet, credited with reinventing the ghazal, the lyrical sonnet. Many iranians regard simin behbahani as the queen of persian poetry. She has given voice to the yearnings of the iranian people, chronicled their hopes and disillusionments, documented with pride and precision the heroic resistance and creative subversion of her nation and herself. I first discovered behbahanis work in the book wounded rose in which some of her poems were presented in english along with the works of two of her contemporaries. At 7pm that same day new books with the hungarian translations of. Laszlo jankovits book, nobilis ingenio the poetry of. Simin behbahani is a distinguished voice in iranian literature.
Simin behbahani has expanded the range of traditional persian verse forms and produced some of the most significant works of persian literature in the twentieth century. She was married to manouchehr koshyar and hasan behbahani. Staff, national iranian american council niac niac is pleased to present a new poem by the lioness of iran, simin behbahani. Women issues from the point of view of simin behbahani, an. June 20, 1927 august 19, 2014 was an iranian writer and poet. Simin behbahani s has published a large body of work spanning nearly 20 volumes. She worked from within iran for six decades and wrote over 600 poems. The award ceremony will be held in pecs, birthplace of the revered poet.
Born on july 20, 1927, behbahani lived and wrote through much of 20th century iranian history. Iran halts travel by poet simin behbahani, known as lioness. Simin behbahani was a prominent iranian contemporary poet, lyricist and activist. The prize set up by hungarian pen club chair geza szocs last year comes with a cash purse of 50,000 euros. Simin behbahani, adrienne rich and the global life of the political ghazal marie ostby is a ph. Simin daneshvar, iranian author born april 28, 1921, shiraz, irandied march 8, 2012, tehran, iran, wrote the enduringly popular savushun 1969.
View latest articles, news and information about what happened to simin behbahani, iranian writer and poet, that died on tuesday august 19th 2014at age 87. Her work has been published in iranian studies 20 and the school of oriental and african studies bulletin 2011. Jul 11, 2012 the ageless voice of the revolutionary lady of ghazal. 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. Schematization of womens issues and atypical psychic and psychological situation are significant issues that are manifested in simin behbahani s poetries. 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. In this contemporary poets thought, womens issues have been expressed in a way that can reveal some kinds of feminist attitudes and trends. Simin behbahani was born on july 20, 1927 in teheran, persia as siminbar khalili. Milan and pecs, hungary the birthplace of pannonius, which will include the. Behbahani, simin article about behbahani, simin by the free. Simin behbahani khalili was born in 1927 in tehran, iran, of literary parents. Behbahani, simin, 19272014, iranian poet and political activist, b. 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 beyond iran, even though her words have moved the world.
Simin behbahani, her surname also appears as bihbahani was a prominent iranian. Simin behbahani, nee siminbar khalili, also called simin khalatbari, born july 20, 1927, tehran, irandied august 19, 2014, tehran, 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. A novel about modern iran, 1990, and as a persian requiem, 1991, the first modern persianlanguage novel written by a. Her mother, fakhr ozma arghoon fakhr adel khalatbari, was a noted feminist, teacher, writer, newspaper editor, and a poet. Contemporary persian poet simin behbahani received this years janus pannonius award in the southern hungarian city of pecs on thursday. Janus pannonius grand prize for poetry to charles bernstein and. Her first book in hungarian is published by the hungarian pen. Simin behbahani, the lioness of iran, died on august 19th, aged 87.
Simin behbahanis has published a large body of work spanning nearly 20 volumes. Simin behbahani, celebrated poet known as the lioness of. Poems are listed alphabetically and span all volumes. The 86yearsold persian poet was present at the ceremony on 29 of august in pecs. Behbahani honored in london photos nima mina february, 2005. Shirin ebadi calls for democracy jahanshah javid may 22, 2004.
Simin behbahanis awardwinning collection, abandoned shrine, was trans. Simin behbahani 1927 is one of irans most accomplished writers and possibly its greatest living poet. Simin behbahani, whose name at birth was simin khalili persian. One of simin behbahanis poems from the book modern persian poetry by mahmud kianush. Poem for simin behbahani jahangir sedaghatfar february 26, 2005. In book after book, in one deeply felt poem after another, behbahani has painted miniature portraits of her country over the decades. She is irans national poet and an icon of the iranian intelligentsia and literati who affectionately refer to her as the lioness of. 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, receiving two nominations for a nobel prize and. Simin behbahani simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Poetical works the broken lute sehtare shekasteh, 1951.