The Spanish Don Quixote is adopted from Iranian story writing style
Mir Jalaleddin Kazzazi in a meeting about the travel of Iranian culture to Spain:
The Spanish Don Quixote is adopted from Iranian story writing style
TEHRAN (Amordadnews): “The link of Spain with Iranian history and culture in the ancient and present world has been a mediator for transfer of Iranian culture to Europe. The method of story-in-story writing is the oldest style of Iranian story writing, which the Spanish have copied. One of the most valuable stories written is Don Quixote by Cervantes, the Spanish writer. The most outstanding feature of Don Quixote, which is written in the Iranian style, is the story-in-story style. Western literators believe this style to have been adopted from the East.”
In a meeting on “Open gates – the travel of culture between Iran and Spain”, Mir Jalaleddin Kazzazi, professor in Persian literature, started his speech with the above statement and continued: “One of the most known features in Spain is bullfighting. Spain is the land of bullfighters. This phenomenon has a very old history which is connected to Mithraism, which spread in Europe in a different shape. While, in Iran cow (or bull) was a symbol of creation of water and earth and the universe because a cow was called the mother of Earth. We read in an ancient legend that the Earth is turning on the horn of a bull.”
Kazzazi said: “Through these links that the Spanish had with Iranians, Spain became the gateway for the western countries to adopt the culture of Iran.”
Kazzazi believed that Iranians have closer link with Spain than other European countries. An Iranian who travels to Spain will not find himself a stranger. He named Italy as the second country in Europe who was most influenced by Iranian culture.
Seyd Hassan Shafti, President of the Iran and Spain Society, was the next to speak. He said: “Literary works, like Samson & Delilah, Marzbannameh and Maghamat Hariri, had a major role in the creation of contemporary stories in Spain, and the lives of the people of Andelos was greatly influenced by eastern customs.
He said that these features mean that the gates of culture will never close because they have roots in the people’s culture.
In ancient Iran a very rich culture prevailed.
In this meeting, Leopoldo Estampa, Spain Ambassador in Iran, spoke in Spanish and his wife translated his speech for the guests.
He said that in Spain there is little knowledge about the art, science and civilization of Iran before and after Islam and all these in Europe are mainly known to have Arab origin. But, we know that these are all due to the influence of Iran and should be better recognized.
Leopoldo Estampa said: “Before Arab invasion Iran enjoyed an advanced civilization and several scientific/academic centres existed in Iran in the Sassanian era.
In this meeting Gholamreza Aavani spoke about the common aspects of Iran and Spain in the field of philosophy and Dariush Pirniyakan spoke about the history of the influence of Iranian music on Spain.
Translation by Rowshan Lohrasbpour