Mohammad Reza Yusef
The point that how long we desire to live with the heritage of our deaths and how we have to pass this dependency, are the ontology questions of our today literature, whether in the realm of children’s literature or adult’s one. Although we had more activities in this regard in the realm of children, this issue is widespread and if any part of our literature finds strengths, it can assist other parts. The question is why our contemporary literature level cannot reach the level of those of Sa’di, khayam, Ferdowsi and Molavi in the world. Let me start dealing with this subject by bringing the issues related to the children’s literature as I think others will discuss about adult’s literature. About children’s literature: First it has to be pointed out that our land from the view of the political world engaged with a world that makes decisions about literature. It is impossible to be in war with the world and ask it to listen to your hidden shouts (literature is the much hidden shouts).
Instead of war, we have to start a dialogue with world to make it listen to you. Then to present the works of this land, we have to break the talisman over Farsi language with the miracle of the at least English translations of innovative Farsi works. The translation of works that do not contain the real values of the world outside this land borders should be avoided. The experts of the artistic affairs must be experienced in these affairs and must be in the very world of their expertise artistically and not in exchanging and purchasing the literary works of this land commercially. In our land itself, we have to expand creativity and innovation and pay a real price to these and have the fruits of what we plant in the fields of these issues. So, monopoly, favoritism and expanding of them should be avoided to provide the grounds for the flourishing of potential talents. What a tragedy if not! I also believe that writers must follow their creativity and not to listen to recommendations and suggestions from publishers, people, governmental or personal institutes because the suns of their works will rise even if the impediments clouds are harder than iron. Our approaches to old texts must be on the basis of re-creating and not re-writing which means to present our old and rich literature with today narrations.
Our universities must accept our today literature as their academic subjects perfectly and appropriately and not to be afraid of accepting it. Then in Iran, we have to let all sort of such products be grown whether as good as flower or as bad as thorn as this the rule of playing and what that is beter will stand higher. Just real artists and experts are sent abroad by governmental budget and not people with connections. But what am I doing these days? Or it is beter to say these years? Eventually, after passing a lot of heights and downs and giving hopes to such and such and so and so governmental organization or private institute, I left them alone and depend on my own fund and realized my dream which was presenting Shahnameh (leters of kings) in prose. All these years that have been hard and difficult, I sat at my table and started to rewrite the stories of Shahnameh. Among all, I have to thank the publisher of these works, Literature House Publication, and my sympathetic friend, Jamaledin Akrami that assisted me to pay respects and moral debts to Ferdowsi. The collection of Shahname has three parts basically. The first part contains stories for children and up to now 38 volumes of that has been published.
The second part are love stories (romances) and 5 volumes of that has been published and the third part, which is the most difficult and important part of the task, are Shahnames novels that 6 volumes of that has been published. Now that I am telling you these, the number of the novels reached 45 and I am dealing with the Alexander and his mother when he atacked Iran. I don’t know how the result of the reaming volumes will be as the basis of this collection is on re-creating and I try to put the stories in today seƫng. How? I don’t know perfectly but like the beginning that I did not know how to start and happened by itself and now I found my diction and style, I will find that too and the remaining is the intention of the publisher and Iran’s friends. Although from the beginning I knew that this project is challenging and provokes those who are against the recreation of Iran’s folklore and old texts, I keep my way as I am the follower of my splendid master, Ferdowsi.
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