The Influence of Nezāmi Ganjavi’s Layli o Majnun on Parviz Eslampour’s Shaqiqah-ye Sorkh-e Layli

The re-creation of classical romantic narratives in contemporary Persian poetry stands as one of the most significant manifestations of the interplay between tradition and modernity in Iranian literature. Nezāmi Ganjavi’s Layli o Majnun, as one of the most influential romantic works in Persian literature, has perpetually inspired poets across various epochs. In the contemporary era, some poets have adopted a critical and deconstructive approach to reinterpret this narrative. Parviz Eslampour, a prominent figure in modern poetry (sheʿr-e now) and the "Other Poetry" (sheʿr-e digar) movement, offers a distinct reimagining of the Layli and Majnun story in his long poem Shaqiqah-ye Sorkh-e Layli, employing innovative language and a socio-philosophical perspective. This study aims to examine the extent and methods of Eslampour’s appropriation of Nezāmi’s narrative and to analyze thematic divergences between the two works. The research employs a descriptive-comparative methodology. Findings indicate that Eslampour, while utilizing the core motifs of Nezāmi’s narrative, intervenes in its structure and meaning through a critical lens—redefining Layli’s role, critiquing social traditions, and foregrounding feminine suffering. By departing from classical lyrical diction and incorporating novel, often somber imagery, he constructs a space that challenges the classical narrative and advances a social-gendered interpretation of love.