The Development of the Modern Persian Novel: From Jamalzadeh Onward

Persian literature, long celebrated for its dazzling poetry, began a bold new chapter in the 20th century: the era of the modern Persian novel. This evolution marked not only a stylistic transformation but also a profound cultural shift, as prose fiction became a medium for exploring identity, politics, and modernity in a rapidly changing Iran. It all began, most notably, with Mohammad Ali Jamalzadeh, whose groundbreaking collection Yeki Bud Yeki Nabud ("Once Upon a Time", 1921) is widely regarded as the birth of modern Persian prose fiction.

Jamalzadeh and the Break with Tradition

Before Jamalzadeh, Persian prose was largely confined to ornate historical chronicles, moral treatises, and translations. Narrative storytelling in prose existed—especially in classical works like Kalila wa Dimna or Bakhtiyar-nama—but the modern short story and novel, with their realism and psychological depth, had no strong native precedent.

Jamalzadeh’s stories stood out for several reasons:

• Use of everyday language: He favored colloquial Persian over the florid classical style, making literature accessible to a wider audience.

• Satirical realism: His stories critiqued bureaucracy, tradition, and intellectual pretensions, reflecting influences from European Enlightenment and social realism.

• Moral ambiguity: Unlike classical literature, his characters weren’t idealized heroes or villains—they were flawed, conflicted, and relatable.

Yeki Bud Yeki Nabud set the tone for a literature that would examine society critically, reflecting the tensions of modern life in Iran.

Sadegh Hedayat and Literary Modernism

While Jamalzadeh opened the door, it was Sadegh Hedayat who gave Persian prose its dark, …