Yusuf and Zulaikha (Trubner's Oriental Series, 2) - Classic Persian

In this review of Yusuf and Zulaikha (Trubner's Oriental Series, 2) the bottom line is straightforward: this edition is for readers and scholars who want an accessible English translation of a classic Persian love poem with Victorian scholarly context. Ralph T.H. Griffith's 1882 translation, presented as Volume II in the Oriental series and first published in 2000 in its current form, offers a faithful, readable rendering of Jami's 15th-century tale and serves as a useful reference for those studying Persian literature, comparative religion, or the poetic tradition of the region.

Key Features

• Historical translation: Griffith's 19th-century English translation makes a fifteenth-century Persian poem available to modern readers without requiring knowledge of Persian.
• Series context: As Volume II of the Trubner Oriental series, the book is presented within a curated set of regional studies that help situate the poem in broader Persian and Middle Eastern literary history.
• Scholarly value: The edition is useful for academic reference and classroom use because it pairs translation with the editorial perspective typical of Victorian oriental scholarship.
• Compact edition: Being a single-volume translation in a reprint published in 2000, it is convenient to handle and integrate into a reading list or syllabus.
• Cultural insight: The poem and Griffith's choices illuminate themes of love, mysticism, and narrative tradition important to regional and cultural studies.

Who It's For

This edition is best for literature students, historians of Persian culture, and general readers who appreciate classical poetry in translation and want to examine the Yusuf and Zulaikha narrative without consulting original Persian texts. Griffith's Victorian-era voice will appeal to those interested in how 19th-century scholars interpreted Middle Eastern works.

Readers seeking a modern annotated critical edition with contemporary commentary or extensive footnotes might look elsewhere; this volume emphasizes a direct translation and period perspective rather than exhaustive modern apparatus or recent scholarly critique.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Provides an accessible English presentation of Jami's classic poem, allowing non-Persian readers to engage with the narrative.
• Includes the imprimatur of the Trubner Oriental series, placing the work in a wider regional and historical framework.
• Compact and suitable for teaching or personal study, with a straightforward translation approach.

Cons

• As a late-19th-century translation, it lacks modern critical annotations and recent scholarship that some readers may prefer.

Specifications

Title	Yusuf and Zulaikha (Trubner's Oriental Series, 2)
Translator / Editor	Ralph T.H. Griffith
Original composition	Fifteenth century (poem by Jami)
Translation date	Written around 1882 (Griffith translation)
Reprint publication	First published in this edition in 2000
Series	Trubner's Oriental Series, Volume II

Our Verdict

Yusuf and Zulaikha (Trubner's Oriental Series, 2) is a valuable pick for readers and instructors who want a clear Victorian English translation of Jami's poem placed within a historical series. It offers solid cultural and literary insight at modest cost, though those needing contemporary critical apparatus should supplement it with recent scholarship.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a modern annotated edition?
No, this volume presents Griffith's 19th-century translation and does not include the extensive modern critical apparatus found in recent scholarly editions.

Who was the original author of the poem?
The poem Yusuf and Zulaikha was composed by the Persian poet Jami in the fifteenth century.

What is the series context?
The book is Volume II in the Trubner Oriental series, a set of works focused on regional and cultural studies related to Persia and the Middle East.