"I played so much tragedy and woe on stage that in the end, the woe is on me as well."

September 22, 2012 7:04 AM

When Satire Conquered Iran: [NYR Blog] Molla Nasreddin, an early twentieth-century Azerbaijani magazine that “attacked the hypocrisy of the Muslim clergy, the colonial policies of the US and the venal corruption of the local elite, while arguing repeatedly for Westernization, educational reform, and equal rights for women.”

From a commenter on the NYR Blog:

1. The full version of the Slavs and Tatars edition of "Molla Nəsrəddin" can be accessed at the publisher's website [Note: PDF file, 19 MB]: http://www.slavsandtatars.com/MOLLA.pdf

2. While “Molla Nəsrəddin” had a broad readership all across the Middle East and Central Asia, most of the authors and artists who contributed their work were Azerbaijani writers and artists - Cəlil Məmmədquluzadə (the editor and author), Mirzə Ələkbər Sabir, Əzim Əzimzadə (cartoonist), Ömər Faiq Nemanzadə, Əbdürrəhim bəy Haqverdiyev, Məmməd Səid Ordubadi and others. Here is a short scene showing some of these figures at work and Mirzə Ələkbər Sabir reciting one of his poems: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk3_2TXszoE&feature=youtu.be&t=48m [Film: “O olmasın, bu olsun”, Baku, 1956].
~ Farid Guliyev

posted by Fizz (10 comments total)

In the parallel universe where religious lunatics didn't oust everyone else involved in the revolution Iran must be such a cool place.
posted by Artw at 7:22 AM on September 22, 2012 [3 favorites]

Nasreddin being the name of a popular trickster islamic/sufi folk figure who punctures big egos and mocks the powerful ( and rides a Donkey backward)
posted by The Whelk at 7:46 AM on September 22, 2012 [2 favorites]

Update: When Satire was Beheaded
posted by Danf at 8:01 AM on September 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

The engine is labeled: Usool jadeedah, which should mean "modern principles" or "the modern way"

I don't recognize the first word on the white turban, but think it probably means old/primitive, since the other word there is usool (principle/way), also. One of the coats reads "old (assuming I have that word right) habit" and the other "old learning/knowledge"
posted by bardophile at 9:37 AM on September 22, 2012

In the parallel universe where religious lunatics didn't oust everyone else involved in the revolution Iran must be such a cool place.

The parallel universe in which the democratically elected Mossadegh government wasn't overthrown by the CIA would've been a pretty cool place too.
posted by Nomyte at 11:46 AM on September 22, 2012 [2 favorites]

Yup. Thanks BP!
posted by Artw at 11:52 AM on September 22, 2012

> Nasreddin being the name of a popular trickster islamic/sufi folk figure who punctures big egos and mocks the powerful ( and rides a Donkey backward)

Not to mention a MeFite!

(Nice post; reminds me of the Golden Age of MeFi.)
posted by languagehat at 11:53 AM on September 22, 2012

(Nice post; reminds me of the Golden Age of MeFi.)

Your assertion of the existence of a singular "golden age" is incoherent. It's common knowledge that the nature of MeFi is cyclical and made up of four parts:

1. Bhāvita Yuga (age of elation)
2. Uttānaśīvan Yuga (age of stagnation)
3. Anadhigatamanoratha Yuga (age of disappointment), and
4. Election Yuga

Each yuga, or age, lasts approximately 1,703,498 human lifetimes.
posted by Nomyte at 1:57 PM on September 22, 2012 [8 favorites]

bardophile: "One of the coats reads "old (assuming I have that word right) habit""

Yeah, the word is kohneh (old/archaic).
posted by Gordafarin at 2:38 PM on September 22, 2012

Poemas del Rio Wang had a post about this too.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 3:46 PM on September 22, 2012