Review (PDF) Vis And Ramin (Penguin Classics)
A classic Persian tale of war and forbidden love in the eleventh century Believed by scholars to be the inspiration for Tristan and Isolde, Vis and Ramin was written between 1050 and 1055 and is considered the first epic Persian romance. At the heart of the story is Vis, daughter of the queen of Mah and promised to Mobad, King of Marv. Against a background of court intrigue, broken promises, and open conflict, Vis finds herself escorted to her future husband by his brother, Ramin-an impetuous prince who cannot help falling in love with his charge and jeopardizing the fate of two realms. Vis and Ramin, a masterpiece of psychological perceptiveness, is an epic with timeless appeal.
Series: Penguin Classics
Paperback: 576 pages
Publisher: Penguin Classics; Reprint edition (April 7, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0143105620
ISBN-13: 978-0143105626
Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 1 x 7.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #625,748 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #159 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Regional & Cultural > Middle Eastern #566 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Ancient, Classical & Medieval > Ancient & Classical #6678 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Family Saga
I recently learned that I really like Persian poetry, and that Dick Davis was the most talented translator for Persian poetry in all the world, probably. Vis and Ramin is a romantic epic that was written in the 11th century, but could date hundreds of years before. You'd probably think *yawn, history* but you'd really be quite wrong. Vis and Ramin is nearly timeless and written in beautiful poetic form. There's very little of the story that won't make sense, except for a few Persian city names, mapped in the beginning of the book. You'll certainly find yourself wishing that more people were as emotional as Vis and Ramin were throughout the story. It's a breath of fresh air from the shallow "TWERKIN N DA CLUB" culture we're sadly polluted with. What struck me as strange was that this book is an undiscovered secret to English readers. As you can see by the limited amount of reviews here, the lack of any tweets, and the 150 fan Facebook page, we just haven't discovered Vis and Ramin yet. But maybe somebody will do us all a favor and convert the story into a movie (which I promise would do well).I was so impressed by Vis and Ramin, I found myself bitter that my high school wasted time on crap like "the odyssey" which was both unpoetic and droned on with overtly literal translation that drowned the entire story of what could have been it's original elegance. Dick Davis painstakingly made sure to translate not only story and metaphors, but the very rhythm and aural eloquence of the story, which may not be the most literal translation, but one that's sure to transform English readers into huge fans of this beautiful niche of historical literature.
Vis and Ramin (Penguin Classics) Penguin Classics Fear and Trembling: Dialectical Lyric By Johannes De Silentio (Penguin Pocket Hardbacks) The Penguin Book of Caribbean Verse in English (Penguin Classics) The Penguin Book of Russian Poetry (Penguin Classics) The Penguin Arthur Miller: Collected Plays (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) The Penguin Book of the Undead: Fifteen Hundred Years of Supernatural Encounters (Penguin Classics) Modern Classics Journeys End (Modern Classics (Penguin)) Little Black Classics Box Set (Penguin Little Black Classics) Modern Classics Selected Poetry (Penguin Modern Classics) American Indians and the Law: The Penguin Library of American Indian History (Penguin's Library of American Indian History) The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory (Penguin Dictionary) The Penguin Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Numbers (Penguin Press Science) Homosexual Verse, The Penguin Book of (Penguin poets) The Penguin Dictionary of Critical Theory (Penguin Reference Books) Betrayal in Paris: How the Treaty of Versailles Led to China's Long Revolution: Penguin Special (Penguin Specials) Opera on Compact Discs, The Penguin Guide to (Penguin Handbooks) The Penguin Dictionary of Classical Mythology (Penguin Dictionary) The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols (Dictionary, Penguin) Li Po and Tu Fu: Poems Selected and Translated with an Introduction and Notes (Penguin Classics) Illness as Metaphor and AIDS and Its Metaphors (Penguin Modern Classics)
