On the basis of analyzing the works of the Persian poets of the XI–XVII centuries, the author of the paper has made an attempt to trace the main stages of evolution of the genre of Shahrashub, which is little dealt with in Iranian studies. Such study is meant to throw some light upon the process of evolution of minor genres of Persian poetry throughout the classical (X–XV c.) and postclassical (XVI–XVII c.) periods. Revealing the generic forms used by Persian poets for writing Shahrashubs, the author has made a number of suggestions concerning the reasons for their choice of different poetic forms. The main stress is made upon the analysis of verses of two outstanding poets – Mas‘ud Sa‘d Salman (1046–1121) and Sayido Nasafi (d. 1711), whose works have served as basic landmarks on the way of the evolution of the genre.
Keywords:
evolution of genre Shahrashub; system of genres and generic forms of classical Persian poetry; religious and mystical poetry; minor poetic genres
