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Biography of Sa'diName: Sa'diBirth Date: c. 1200 Death Date: c. 1291 Place of Birth: Shiraz, Persia Nationality: Persian Gender: Male Occupations: poet Sa'di The Persian poet Sa'di (ca. 1200-ca. 1291) was the author of the classic literary works Bustan (translated as The Orchard) and Gulistan (translated as The Rose Garden). Moralistic books that contain teachings and stories on love, religion, and other aspects of life, these volumes by Sa'di are central to the literature of Iran and are the source of a number of popular proverbs in that culture.The thirteenth-century poet Sa'di (pronounced SAH-dee) is regarded as one of the greatest figures in Persian literature. He is best-known for his major works Bustan, or The Orchard and Gulistan, or The Rose Garden. Both of these works are filled with semi-autobiographical stories, philosophical meditations, pieces of practical wisdom, and humorous anecdotes and observations. The books are valued not only for their elegant language and entertaining style, but also for their role as a rich source of information about the culture in which Sa'di lived …showed first 150 words…
…showed last 150 words…of the world, the writings of Sa'di serve as a lively means of studying the cultural beliefs and practices of thirteenth-century Persia, which in turn can illuminate the modern culture of that land. Further Reading Edward Rehatsek's translation The Gulistan, or Rose Garden of Sa'di (1964), includes an excellent biographical preface by W.G. Archer and a fine introduction by G.M. Wickens. There is no definitive full-length biography of Sa'di. The best sources are Edward G. Browne, A Literary History of Persia (4 volumes, 1906-1909), which discusses the full range of Persian literature and relates Sa'di to many of his contemporaries, and Philip K. Hitti, History of the Arabs (1937; 10th edition 1970). For good discussions of the Sufism of Sa'di see A.J. Arberry, Sufism: An Account of the Mystics of Islam (1950), and Idries Shah, TheSufis (1964).Arberry, A. J., Classical Persian Literature, Macmillan, 1958.Levy, Reuben, An Introduction to Persian Literature, Columbia University Press, 1969. |