The text is a prose rendition of nizami s 12thcentury poetic masterpiece, in which he reshapes the legends of majnun, the quintessential romantic fool, into a tale. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading nizami. May 11, 2018 nizamis iconic and tragic persian love story of layla and majnun. It is a true story that inspired shakespeare to write romeo and juliet. Leyli o majnun, the madman and layla in persian is a love story originating from classic arabic literature, later adopted and popularized by the persian poet nizami ganjavi. Nizami collected both secular and mystical sources about majnun. Many masterpoets besides ibn arabi, attar, rumi, sadi.
This is the tragic persian love story of layla and majnun, two lovers whos separation did not temper their love, devotion, infatuation or obsession. Visions of azerbaijan magazine nizami poet for all humanity. Laili majnun, a poem from the original persian of nizami, tr. The persian poet nizami collected a number of folk versions and shaped them into a single narrative poem of some 4000 stanzas near the end of the twelfth century. First page of a manuscript in the biblio theque nationale, with the caption the book of layla and maj nun by sheik nizami frontispiece 2. Ahmadi focuses on the musical history of layla and majnun, an arabian love story which will come to life in ann arbor with a new production from mark morris dance group and the silk road ensemble on october 15, 2017. Kennedy center for the performing arts, washington, d. The persian poet nizami collected a number of folk versions of this originally bedouin tale from the north arabic tribe of amir in western saudi arabia 7th century ce and shaped them into a single narrative of more than 4,000 stanzas which has been compared for its beauty and depth to shakespeares romeo and juliet. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Layla is married off to someone else, but dreams only of majnun. Layla and majnun is a love story between qais ibn almulawah and layla that took place in the 12th century. Laila majnun pdf layla and majnun is a classic story of love most notably expressed by the great poets nizami ganjavi and muhammad fuzuli.
These essays explore nizami s influential role and his portrayal of issues related to love, women, and science, stressing his preoccupation with the art of speech as a major impetus behind his literary activity. Writing nearly years ago, nizami captures the lightness of heart that falling in love can bring, the thrill of shared affection, the sorrows of separation, the pains of jealousy and the grief that comes with loss. Buy layla and majnun first edition by nizami, colin turner isbn. Layla and majnun, a drama in verse by mirza hadi ruswa. Nizami inspired rock star, eric clapton, to write his song layla. He inscribed his name forever in the annals of art with his five poems, treasury of secrets 1175, khosrow and shirin 1180, leyli and majnun 1188, seven beauties 1197 and iskandernameh 1203, presented to the world of literature over the next 30 years. Laila and majnun in school, folio 129 from a khamsa. Oct 11, 2011 it is a classical arab story popularized by a persian poet by the name of nizami ganjavi whom wrote this masterpiece based on a true story of a young man called majnun in arabic meaning madman. The story of layla and majnun was known in persia as early as the 9th century. Many poets throughout this period have copied or been influenced by his story of the young lovers. Layli o majnun layla and majnun the story of layla and majnun, 1192, nizami ganjavi layla and majnun is a love story between qais ibn almulawah and layla that took place in the 12th century. Two well known persian poets, rudaki and baba taher, both mention the lovers.
Until the word gave voice to the heart, the soul did not submit its free body to clay. Oct 24, 2017 majnun becomes a hermit, composes poetry and goes mad. Morriss music is the layla and majnun opera composed in 1908 by uzeyir hajibeyli 18851948. Layla and majnun jami poem, a poem by jami layla and majnun nizami ganjavi poem, a poem by nizami ganjavi written in the 12th century layla and majnun fizuli poem, a poem by fuzuli layla and majnun hagiri tabrizi poem, a poem by hagiri tabrizi. The portrait of majnun who went mad over his thwarted love for layla is especially moving. Leyli and majnun is an immortal love story sometimes compared to romeo and juliet though it predates shakespeare in oral tradition by more than 1,000 years. After devoting his youth to the study of sciences, he wrote his first poem when he was already 30 years old. This post is by wali ahmadi, department of near eastern studies, university of california, berkeley. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most.
Layla and majnun an ancient arabian najdi love story. The number and variety of anecdotes about the lovers also increased considerably from the twelfth. It has been presented in many middle eastern and subcontinental cultures. Of the many poetic versions of this immortal tale the one that has stood the test of time and influenced most others.
The classic love story of persian literature and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Free download or read online layla and majnun pdf epub book. Majnun layla, possessed by madness for layla also referred to as persian. Its possible that eric claptons song layla was inspired by this legend.
In this book, the lion does lie down with the lamb, and they get along just fine. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 256 pages and is available in paperback format. Nizami ganjavis most popular book is layla and majnun. Although the story was known in arabic literature in the 5th century, it was the persian masterpiece of nizami ganjavi that popularized it dramatically in persian literature.
As the pen began its first movement it produced first word and speech. Oct 03, 2016 the beauty is even greater for the ears than for the eyes. Lord byron called it the romeo and juliet of the east. Omega publications, darrow road, new lebanon, ny i liked this sweet little thing. Hopkins center for the arts, dartmouth college, hanover, new hampshire. In his original preface to the poem, nizami explains that a messenger from shirvanshah arrived and gave him a letter written in the kings own hand. Compared for its beauty and genius to shakespeares romeo and juliet, the sufis consider nizami s layla and majnun an important parable of religious experience.
Nizami ganjavi project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. When they raised the curtain of nonexistence, the first manifestation was word and speech. Begin by reading the first two pages of the postscript which begins on p. Based on the tale of a 7th century arab poet and his beloved, the romance was first written in persian by nizami ganjavi in 1192, who wrote a poem of 4,600 distichs.
Layla and majnun is a classic story of love most notably expressed by the great poets nizami ganjavi and muhammad fuzuli. Tale of the ideal lover, and allegory of the souls search for god. This painting is an illustration to the mystical romance layla va majnun, one of the most popular and frequently composed poems of the late medieval period. Its only poor majnun who suffers, and whose suffering brings redemption for others. The first edition of the novel was published in 1192, and was written by nizami ganjavi. An excellent translation of nizamis 12th century poetic masterpiece of the legend of the romantic fool. Nizami, poet of the most famous version of leyli and majnun. From mark morris, a tale of love refracted and multiplied. The main characters of this poetry, fiction story are majnun, laila. The persian poet nizami was commissioned to write layla and majnun by the caucasian ruler, shirvanshah, in ad1188.
So the overall environmental effect on her was discouraging b and any sign. The dominant discourse encourages the reading of the texts in light of biographical or theological conventions and religious motives. This was in the 7th century when arabs defeated persia and ctesiphon was destroyed and persians built iraq. Laila and majnun in school, folio 129 from a khamsa quintet of nizami met 187671. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Nizami ganjavi has 74 books on goodreads with 10889 ratings. Qays and layla fall in love with each other when they are young, but when layli o majnun layla and majnun the story of layla and majnun, 1192, nizami ganjavi. Omega publications, 256 darrow road, new lebanon, ny 12125. The popularity of the romance following nizamis version is also evident from the references to it in lyrical poetry and mystical mathnavisbefore the appearance of nizamis romance, there are just some allusions to layla and majnun in divans. Young lovers, meddling parents, and separation may be the theme, but romeo and juliet isnt the story. Layla and majnun mark morris dance group with the silk road ensemble. Description of the book the story of layla and majnun. Majnun layla is a love story that originated as poem in 11th century arabia, later was adopted by the persian poet nizami ganjavi who also wrote khosrow and shirin. Layla and majnun is a mark morris dance groupcal performances, uc berkeley, california production in association with harris theater for music and dance, chicago, illinois.