Herman Melville in Iran: Translations, Interpretations, and Receptions

Considering the reception of Melville's works in Iran from the 1950s to the present, this essay traces Herman Melville's position in Iran in three distinct areas: translation, academic interpretation, and popular reception. I will first examine the translations made of Melville's popular works Moby-Dick, Billy Budd, and "Bartleby, the Scrivener," focusing mainly on Parviz Dariush's 1965 translation of Moby-Dick, and listing the other translations in brief. Next, I will refer to the traditional and modern academic interpretations of Melville's works. Finally, I will illustrate briefly how Melville and his works have been received in the wider public arena and among ordinary people who might not have read his works in translation or be familiar with the scholarly studies carried out in the academy.