Customer Reviews

The Hafez Poems of Gertrude Bell (Classics of Persian Literature)

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This old translation of the poet Hafez was once popular because it fit in with the stiff yet flowery British poetry of a century ago. Now it's dated and gives little meaning to the verse. Translator Bell was more familiar with the Arabic than the Persian language, and more familiar with Iraq than Persia (Iran), the home of Hafez. Of limited value.

First one must understand that to translate means to change. With that in mind all the Persian poetry translated is changed poetry. Ms. Bell's book is exceptional because it has both Farsi (Persian) and English. To truly understand Bell's Hafiz book you must not only be able to read Farsi and English or you must be conscious enough to "understand" the "meaning" of the poems. Since most people do not fit in this category selecting Bell or Ladinsky, or another translation will only matter to your personal taste rather than accuracy. So maybe it's best that you read different translations to get different "flavors" of Hafez. Enjoy the books and love one another, remember "all you need is love."

Gertrude Bell is better known for her work as a diplomat (she was intstrumental in the creation of "Trans-Jordan" and in placing the Hashemites as rulers, and in establishing Iraq following the First World War)and archeologist ( a charter founder of the Baghdad Archelological Museum) rather than as a translator. Still, Bell was fluent in both Arabic and Farsi, and having lived in the Near East and Persia for much of her life, she was intimately familar with Arabic and Persian culture. As such, her credentials as translator are impeccable.

Purists will of course bemoan any sort of poetry in translation, and perhaps rightly so; however, given the challenges and priorities of learning a language (made more diffuclt when reading and understanding poetry), allowances must be made. That this collection is dual language is all the better. Being unable to speak to the original Farsi, I will limit my remarks and review to Bell's interpretation. In brief, Bell's translated Hafez is a jewel. Hafez is considered a national treasure by Iranians, and is revered there as much (perhaps more, given the Persian love of poetry) than Shakespeare in English-speaking countries. In this spirit, Bell has captured the ornate and flowery formalism of the Near East while capturing the themes one associates with poetry of the Middle East: its magnificent metaphors, vivid imagery and recurrent themes of love and passion. Added to this, Bell has succeeded in maintaining the ghazal form of the original. To some, the language Bell uses may sound a bit "dated" and overly formalized, and the ghazal structure is at times, a bit clunky. Rather than detracting from the translation, though, this added to the feel of the original.

What clinced this collection (above others by Hafez - most notably The Gift) are the translator's notes at the end of the collection, detailing the editorial decisions, literal meanings and allusions made in the original Farsi. This is pure gold, as it adds not only to the depth of one's understanding of the poetry, but also gives insight into the challenges and choices Bell made in presenting the poetry as she does. Hafez, like Rumi, is beautiful, moving and speaks to the eternalness of the human experience. This collection certainly does the poet justice, and I give it my strongest recommendation. If you own only one copy of Persian poetry, this is the copy I would have.

Hafez is one of the best known and most perennially popular poets of Persia, a land traditionally noted for its reverance for its poets. Gertrude Bell, however, an exceptional scholar, adventurer, diplomat and dreamer, in an age of magical literature, has captured his tenderness, magnificence and delicacy in an impeccable translation, easily as exquisite as the original, a superb example of a good interpretation, with intimate knowledge of both languages and both cultures and a talent for writing in either or both.

I too found the translation "dry bones" with no spirit to give life...I think it takes a poet to properly "translate" a poet.Literal translation just won't do. My highest praise in the exciting poetry of Hafez, will be found in the translations of Mr. Daniel Ladinsky : The Gift...or The Subject Tonight Is Love... Sorry Ms. Bell.

The book is the most interesting book I have ever read.it discusses about a real life with so nice visions.