An Intertextual Reading of Akhundzadeh’s Maktoobat-e Kamal-al-Dawleh (Letters of Kamal al-Dawla) and Montesquieu’s Persian Letters

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• akbar shayanseresht ¹
• zahra khosravi ²
• ebrahim mohammady ¹
• abbas vaezzade ³

¹ Associate Professor, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.

² PhD Student in Persian Language and Literature, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.

³ Assistant Professor, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.

10.22067/rltf.2025.92505.1140

Abstract

This article explores the origins of the epistolary novel in Iranian literature, with a specific focus on Mirza Fath-Ali Akhundzadeh’s seminal work, Maktoobat-e Kamal-al-Dawleh. Inspired by Montesquieu’s renowned Persian Letters, Akhundzadeh masterfully employed the epistolary format, weaving in themes that resonated deeply with those explored by the French Enlightenment thinker. Employing the framework of intertextuality, this research conducts a comprehensive analysis of the parallels and transformations that emerge between these two seminal literary works. Both Akhundzadeh and Montesquieu employed the epistolary form as a powerful tool for incisive social critique, skillfully utilizing the perspectives of foreign narrators to scrutinize their respective societies. A spectrum of recurring themes, including sharp criticisms of political and social systems, the examination of religious institutions, impassioned calls for societal reform, and explorations of identity, governance, and the imperative of educational advancement, is meticulously analyzed across both texts. In crafting Maktoobat-e Kamal-al-Dawleh. Akhundzadeh, while remaining steadfastly committed to the core philosophical tenets of Montesquieu’s oeuvre, adeptly adapted the thematic material to the unique cultural and political milieu of 19th-century Iran. This investigation illuminates the profound capacity of literary works to serve as conduits between disparate cultures, simultaneously fostering spaces for critical discourse and challenging established social and political paradigms. Ultimately, a comparative analysis of these two literary landmarks provides invaluable insights into the intellectual currents and burgeoning literary trends that characterized a period marked by significant historical and societal upheaval.

Keywords

• Comparative
• literature
• Correspondence
• novel
• Iranian
• letters

Main Subjects

• french literature

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