Savushun

by Simin Daneshvar 

The title of the book refers to the pre-Islamic legend of Siavash, a hero celebrated in Ferdowsi 's Shahnameh (Iran's national epic, composed over 1000 years ago) regarded as a symbol of innocence and as a metaphor for the state of the nation.  The fate of Siavash was indeed tragic and unjust, and as such, inspired a national ceremony of mourning, the soog-e-Siavash, which was symbolised and reconciled with Iranian Shia rituals.

Simin Daneshvar (1921-2012) is the first Iranian woman novelist and fiction writer.

Educated in a missionary school in Shiraz, she became fluent in English language. She obtained a PhD in Persian literature from Tehran university.

She married Jalal Al Ahmad (1923-1969) a famous contemporary writer and social critic in 1950 .Two years later she obtained a Fulbright scholarship and left Tehran for Stanford university. She wrote two short stories in English while studying there. Simin and Jalal remind me of Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir in many respects, they made a trip to Israel in February 1962. 

Savushun  was published  in 1969, a couple of months after Jalal's death.

The story written from Zari's perspective, depicts  a Shirazi landowning family entangled in the dirty politics of 1940, instigated by foreign intruders,and local opportunists. The hero Yusuf Zari's husband, resists foreigner demand that he turns over his crop to feed the occupying army*. To do so would result in the starvation of his own peasants. He finally pays his stubbornness with his life. Yusuf 's burial procession is among the most moving and well written passage in the book.

Zari's character was discussed , weak for some and strong for others. She was also perceived as an over protective mother. Not brave enough at the start  she became brave at the death of Yusuf and gave her final message , no believe in fate , fortune or luck but Liberty.

Readers were generally satisfied to read the book, discovering traditional customs and beliefs  beautifully narrated. Those who were not aware of Iranian political situation during 1940-1945, admitted to be completely lost to follow the story. 

* According to the book, during  WWII although Iran had declared neutrality, British  propaganda accused Iran of  being pro-German.  Without a prior declaration of war, Anglo-Russian armies invaded and occupied the country. Qashqai and Bakhtiary tribes were manipulated by the Anglo-Russian invaders against the central Power.

Russians had interest for Iranian Azerbaijan to spread communism.

The British had interest in the Abadan petrol refinery owned by the Anglo Iranian oil company.

      

Susan Op de Beeck