Revolution literature should not be neglected

All experts attending a session to assess the growth of Persian literature under the Islamic Revolution maintained that the literature still lacks many of the features it requires to be recognized in the society.

IBNA: A session was held yesterday (Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at the community hall of Soroush publication center to assess the state of poetry and literature under the Islamic Revolution. The session was held in the presence of literature and poetry scholars Mehdi Daneshgar, Imam Hussein University lecturer of Persian literature, Mohsen Parviz, writer and vice president of Iran Ghalam Community, and Nematollah Iranzadeh, Persian literature lecturer.

In the beginning of the session, Mehdi Daneshgar recited a piece composed by Salman Harati about Imam Khomeini regarding his role in the Islamic Revolution events.

In his address, Mohsen Parviz argued how the revolution has affected the poetry state in the country and what Persian literature and poetry were about under Shah's regime. He stated that Sacred Defense literature and poetry should be distinguished from that of the revolution.

He went on to say that after the revolution a new literary atmosphere prevailed in the Iranian society. "The event [Islamic Revolution] affected all aspects of the society including literature and poetry. No worthy books can be named to be published before the revolution and most of the publications were mere translations at that time," he said.

Parviz also praised festivals like the revolution fiction festival as auspicious measures which can ensure the permanence and growth of revolution literature.

He further added that works should be made for the rising population and generations of the society specially for those who were not born before the revolution to convey to them the revolution message and goals.

Later in the meeting, Iranzadeh stated that the history of revolution literature should be traced to the last 50 years in the works of poets like Gheisar Aminpour, Simin Dokht Vahidi, Salman Harati and Nasrollah Mardani. He also highlighted the fact that revolution poetry has been neglected in the recent years and needs to be emphasized.

He also said that university theses and research projects should be endorsed if expansion of Islamic Revolution literature is on the agenda.

"What makes the revolution so special is its Islamic nature," he asserted. "Culture is the essence of the revolution which addresses all people of the world."

Later in the session, Mehdi Daneshgar proposed that Islamic Revolution poetry should be studied in universities to develop more scientifically so that its weak and strong points are better recognized and dealt with.