Development of the Ghazal and Khaqani's Contribution: A Study of the Development of Ghazal and a Literary Exegesis of a 12th c. Poetic Harbinger

摘要

This book is a valuable monograph on Khaqani, one of Persia's great poets. Monographs on classical Persian masters in European languages are usually limited to poets such as Ferdowsi, Nezami, Hafez, Sa'di, Rumi and Khayyam. Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to dozens of other poets who shine in the firmament of the Persian literary tradition. Khaqani is one of these celebrated poets. His full name is Afzal al-Din Ebrahim Badil b. 'Ali b. 'Othman (c. 1126-1198). He was an innovative and productive poet whose collected poetry (Diwan) is voluminous. He also wrote a didactic epic in mathnavi form entitled Tohfat al-'Eraqayn ('Gift of the Two Iraqs'), and sixty letters. Although external sources are meager, his own works are a rich mine for biographical information.