Evaluation of the Bengali translation of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh by Monir al-Din Yusuf

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate professor of Persian language and literature at Dhaka University

2 Pre-doctoral researcher of Persian language and literature at Dhaka University

10.29252/kavosh.2022.18181.3216

Abstract

Few world literatures can be proud of a masterpiece like Ferdowsi's Shahnameh. This masterpiece in epic poetry has been translated into more than thirty-five languages ​​in the world so far. Monir al-DinYusuf, the most prominent author and translator of modern Bengali literature, translated the entire Shahnameh into Bengali in six volumes. He translated the epic completely but was very careful to retain the poetical weight of the original work. This means it is not an ordinary prose translation. He maintained the rhythm of ‘free verse’ in every line of this great epic. Yusuf translated the descriptions of the characters as accurately as the original. Renowned personalities like Rostam and Sohrab were described the same as the Persian epic. So, it seems as if one was reading an epic by a Bengali poet. Although Ferdowsi's Shahnameh has been translated into many languages of the world, but its Bengali translation by Munir al-Din Yusuf can be considered as one of the best versions. The purpose of this research is to introduce this version and the translator’s literary skills according to Persian-speaking scholars.

Keywords

References

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www.ganjoor.net/ ابوالقاسم فردوسی
www.daneshnameh.roshd.ir/ابوالقاسم فردوسی
www.fa.wikishia.net/ ابوالقاسم فردوسی
 

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