Studies on the 'Khaterat' by Taj as-Saltane, a Qajar princess

This thesis explores the Khaterat (Memoirs) written by Taj as-Saltane (1884-?), a Qajar princess who was a daughter of Naser ad-Di n Shah (1848-1896) and a sister of Mozaffar ad-Di n Shah (1896-1906). These Memoirs, which were probably written in the 1920's, belong to a tradition which began to develop in Iran during the 19th and 20th centuries: members of the Qajar court compiled their travelogues and diaries, wrote autobiographies and recorded their remembrances in their final years. Many scholars of the Qajar period use these works as an essential source of data.;This study examines three important aspects of the Khaterat: the Khaterat as a socio-historical document, as a reflection of the impact of Western ideas on Persian society, and as an example of the simplification and modernization of Persian prose. (1) The Khaterat as a socio-historical document: while narrating the main events of her life, Taj as-Saltane comments on and criticizes significant people and events of both her father's and brother's reign. In addition, her numerous reflections on the life and role of her fellow countrywomen give us a detailed portrait of Persian society at the turn of the century. (2) The Khaterat as a reflection of the impact of Western ideas on Persian society: these Memoirs make evident the efforts made by the Persian intellectuals to bridge between Western and Persian cultures and of the difficulties they experienced in trying to merge such different societies and their values. (3) The Khaterat as an example of the simplification of Persian prose: the convoluted and bombastic style which had characterized Persian prose until the second half of the 19th century was unsuitable for expressing the European philosophical, political and moral ideas with which Taj as-Saltane was sympathetic. The simple, straightforward language used for writing the Khaterat marks a crucial step in the evolution of Modern Persian Prose.