The Shahnameh Volume II

A New English Translation

Hakim Abul-Ghassem Ferdowsi, Josiane Cohanim

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Paperback

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English

Girouette Books
16 September 2023

THE SHAHNAMEH was completed in the year 1010 by the Persian poet Ferdowsi. A monumental undertaking encompassing ancient myths, legends, and history, it is one of Iran's most cherished works of literature. Where in Volume I the action is driven by the heroic feats of the family of Saam, Zaal, and Rostam, Volume II recounts the rise of other valorous characters, such as the members of Goodarz's family, including his sons Giv and Rohaam, and his grandson Bijan. We see the emergence of a powerful Tooran-Zamin with its intricate web of strategic plots, seemingly led by Afraasiyaab but crafted behind the scenes by two important driving forces: Piran and Garsivaz. At some point, Afraasiyaab fears that Siaavoosh and Khosrow pose a threat to his throne and crown. Afraasiyaab subjects them to life-threatening challenges. Not satisfied with the slaying of Siaavoosh by the wicked Garsivaz, the malevolent king attempts to capture and kill Khosrow and Faranguis, who are his grandson and his daughter. After seven years of searching and with much effort, Giv finds the two and helps them escape to Iran, where Kay Khosrow finally accedes to his grandfather's throne. He rules with justice but with only one goal in mind: to avenge the death of his father. This volume concludes with the touching story of Bijan suffering years of bitter imprisonment for falling in love with Manigeh, Afraasiyaab's daughter. Once again, Rostam comes to the rescue and frees Bijan, his grandson, to return him to the King of Iran, who blesses his union with Manigeh.

By: Hakim Abul-Ghassem Ferdowsi
Translated by: Josiane Cohanim
Imprint: Girouette Books
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 40mm
Weight: 1.043kg
ISBN: 9781734966121
ISBN 10: 1734966122
Pages: 722
Publication Date: 16 September 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

"The Iranian poet Ferdowsi (940-1020) was born into a family of landowners near the city of Tous, in northwestern Iran. His epic poem, The Shahnameh, is one of the most important works of Persian literature. It is a collection of myths, legends, and history that begins with the story of creation, covers the various Persian dynasties, and ends with the Arab conquest of Iran. With the death of King Yazdegerd, the last Sassanian king, the caliphate ""brings a new religion and replaces the throne with the pulpit."" Ferdowsi spent thirty years composing The Shahnameh. One of his incentives was clearly the preservation of the past: Iran's myths, history, and language. He gathered centuries-old myths and legends handed down through oral and written traditions. There were early prose writings and, most notably, one thousand verses written by the poet Daghighi. Ferdowsi adapted Daghighi's lines into his 50,000 well-crafted and lyrical couplets. In the end, he handed his final manuscript to Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni (999-1030), who is said to have failed to pay him appropriately. In the process of recording ancient myths, Ferdowsi reveals an even greater incentive: the importance of the spoken and the written word and the precious value of words of wisdom. His poetic language is most effective in communicating the complexities of the human mystical journey in varying layers of depth through characters, battles, actions, and unfolding stories. Josiane Cohanim was born in Iran, raised in Switzerland, and educated in the United States. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Spanish literature from Wheaton College in Massachusetts, a master's in French literature from Stanford University, and achieved candidacy at Stanford's French literature doctoral program. Over one thousand years after Ferdowsi, Cohanim's personal journey came from a desire to make sense out of life and out of history. It led her to the close study and the translation of Ferdowsi's extraordinary work. As a text that helped her grasp a deeper understanding of life and of human nature, it inspired her to share its timeless wisdom with a wider audience."