Naim Frashëri

Naim Frashëri
Picture of Naim Frasheri
Born May 25, 1846(1846-05-25)
Frashër, Ottoman Empire, now Albania
Died October 20, 1900(1900-10-20) (aged 54)
Kadıköy, Istanbul in Ottoman Empire, now Turkey
Occupation Poet, censor, and translator
Genres Romanticism
Literary movement Albanian National Awakening

Naim Frashëri (25 May 1846 – 20 October 1900) was an Albanian poet and writer. He was one of the most prominent figures of the Albanian National Awakening (Albanian: Rilindja Kombëtare) in the 19th century. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Albania.[1]

Contents

Early life and career

His father was an impoverished bey from Frashër, Kolonje, now District of Përmet. Naim studied at the Zosimea, Greek high school, in Ioannina, back then the city was part of the Ottoman Empire.

Hailing from a family with long connections to the Bektashi Sufi order, Naim became an Ottoman official in Sarandë, Berat, and Ioannina. In 1882, Frashëri became the head of the censorship department in Istanbul.

Naim took part in the Albanian National Renaissance of Albania, and often had to sign his writings using his initials, as otherwise he would have placed himself in danger in front of Ottoman officials. His works had to be smuggled into Albania.

Early on, he started writing poetry. The very first pieces Frashëri wrote were in Persian. In all, he authored twenty-two major works: four in Turkish, one in Persian, two in Greek and fifteen in Albanian. The patriotic poems and highly popular lyric poetry, were at first strongly influenced by Persian literature, and later also French poetry. He also translated several fables of Jean de la Fontaine.

Naim Frashëri's poem Herds and Tillage depicts the activities of the shepherd and the tiller, alongside his personal reflections on the beauty of Albanian landscapes and expressions of longing after his homeland. The epic poem Skanderbeg's Story retells the life of national hero Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg, while intertwining it with imaginary episodes.

He also translated Homer's Iliad, and wrote articles on didactics and Islamic practice.

Frashëri died in Kızıltoprak, Kadıköy, an Istanbul neighborhood, in present-day Turkey.

Influence and Recognition

Memorial to Naim Frashëri in Tirana
Portrait of Naim Frashëri on the 200 lekë banknote

Through all of his writings, Frashëri exerted a strong influenced on the later Albanian literature and society. The independent Albanian state created an order of merit that bears his name, awarded to, amongst others, Mother Teresa; a publishing house in Tirana was named Naim Frashëri.

Naim Frashëri is depicted on the obverses of the Albanian 500 lekë banknote of 1992-1996, and of the 200 lekë banknote issued since 1996.[2]

Bageti e Bujqesia

His most famous work was Bageti e Bujqesia, a little piece of it:

Albanian lyrics Translation
Bageti e Bujqesia (Small impresion)

"Ti Shqipëri, më jep nderë, më jep emrin shqipëtar,"
"Zëmrën ti ma gatove plot me dëshirë dhe me zjarr."
"Shqipëri, o mëma ime, ndonëse jam i mërguar,"
"Dashurinë tënde kurrë zemëra s'e ka harruar."

You, Albania, give me honour, give me the name Albanian,
My heart you cooked, filled with desire and fire."
Albania, oh my mother, even though I have emigrated,"
my heart has never forgotten your love."

Works

  1. Kavaidi Farisiyye ber tarzi nevin (English: Grammar of the Persian language according to the new method), Istanbul, 1871.
  2. Ihtiraat ve kessfiyyat (English: Inventions and Discoveries), Istanbul, 1881.
  3. Fusuli erbea (English: Four Seasons, Istanbul, 1884.
  4. Tahayyülat (English: Dreams), Istanbul, 1884.
  5. Bagëti e Bujqësija (English: Herds and Crops), Bucharest, 1886.
  6. E këndimit çunavet (English: Reader for Boys), Bucharest, 1886.
  7. Istori e përgjithshme për mësonjëtoret të para (English: General history for the first grades), Bucharest, 1886.
  8. Vjersha për mësonjëtoret të para (English: Poetry for the first grades), Bucharest, 1886.
  9. Dituritë për mësonjëtoret të para ({{General knowledge for the first grades), Bucharest, 1886.
  10. O alithis pothos ton Skypetaron (English: The True Desire of Albanians), Bucharest, 1886.
  11. Luletë e Verësë (English: Flowers of the Summer), Bucharest, 1890.
  12. Mësime (English: Lessons), Bucharest, 1894.
  13. Parajsa dhe fjala fluturake,(English: Paradise and the Flying Word) Bucharest, 1894.
  14. Gjithësia English: Omneity, Bucharest, 1895.
  15. Fletore e bektashinjët, (English: The Bektashi Notebook)Bucharest, 1895.
  16. O eros (English: Love), Istanbul, 1895.
  17. Iliadh' e Omirit, Bucharest, English: Homer's Illyad, 1896.
  18. Istori e Skënderbeut (English: History of Skanderbeg, Bucharest, 1898.
  19. Qerbelaja, Bucharest, (English: Qerbela), 1898.
  20. Istori e Shqipërisë (English: History of Albania), Sofia, 1899.
  21. Shqipëria (English: Albania), Sofia, 1902.

References

  1. ↑ Cornis-Pope, Marcel (2004). History of the literary cultures of East-Central Europe: junctures and disjunctures in the 19th and 20th centuries. History of the Literary Cultures of East-central Europe. 2. John Benjamins Publishing Company. pp. 291. ISBN 9027234531. http://books.google.com/books?id=5pAwqsSyTlsC&pg=PA291&dq=national+poet+naim+frasheri&ei=tAHbS8XLIpq0zQTL17WcCQ&hl=en&cd=2#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
  2. ↑ Bank of Albania. Currency: Banknotes in circulation. – Retrieved on 23 March 2009.

External links