Fall 2007

PRS 384C • SA'DI'S GOLESTAN

Course Description

This course studies Golestan (The Rose Garden, 1258) by Sa'di (c.1220-c.1290), the classic pre-modern Persian prose text by the premiere literary stylist in Persian literary history. The course has three chief aims: (1) appreciation of features of story-telling and prose style that account for the work's enduring appeal, (2) linguistic control over the text of a great classic work and (3) familiarity with differences between classical and modern Persian.

Grading Policy

Undergrad: Class participation (25%), two oral presentations (15% each). Undergraduate students (PRS 329) also write a critical term paper on a specific Golestan narrative (45%).

Graduate: Class participation (25%), two oral presentations (15% each). Graduate students (PRS 384C) write a research term paper on a subject chosen in consultation with the instructor (45%)

Texts

G. Yusofi's Golestan-e Sa'di (1989), Iraj Gorgin's recorded reading of Golestan, E. Rehatsek's translation called The Gulistan or Rose Garden of Sa'di (1964), introduced by W.G. Archer and G.M. Wickens, required and recommended readings from the course bibliography, and a packet of course notes.

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