What is Persepolis?
Persepolis is an autobiographical series of bande dessinées ( French comics) by Marjane Satrapi that depicts her childhood up to her early adult years in Iran and Austria during and after the Islamic Revolution. The title Persepolis is a reference to the ancient capital of the Persian Empire.
Who wrote Persepolis comic book?
Only ten pages long, Persepolis 2.0 recounts the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on June 12, 2009. Done with Satrapi’s permission, the authors of the comic are two Iranian-born artists who live in Shanghai and who give their names only as Payman and Sina.
Why did Marjane Satrapi write Persepolis?
Marjane Satrapi's use of graphic novels to depict her own life events has made her reading easily accessible to people throughout the world. In an article titled "Why I wrote Persepolis ", Satrapi says "Images are a way of writing. When you have the talent to be able to write and to draw, it seems a shame to choose only one.
Who translated Persepolis into English?
In 2003, Pantheon Books published parts 1 and 2 in a single volume English translation (with new cover art) under the title Persepolis which was translated by Blake Ferris and Mattias Ripa, Satrapi's husband; parts 3 and 4 (also with new cover art) followed in 2004 as Persepolis 2, translated by Anjali Singh.
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Why did the author write Persepolis?
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi was not originally written in Farsi, Satrapi's first language, but in French. She did not write her book for an Iranian audience. Satrapi's goal was to provide an alternative outlook on Iran for “westerners” who consumed the false and negative media attention given to Iran at that time.
Is Persepolis based on a true story?
Unlike so many other comics-turned-movies, this one is not only true to the spirit of the original work, but the author is actually one of the filmmakers, because (also unlike so many other comics) this one is based on a true story: her story.
Where is Marjane Satrapi now?
ParisShe now lives in Paris, where she is a regular contributor to magazines and newspapers throughout the world, including the New Yorker and the New York Times. She is the author of Persepolis, Persepolis 2, Embroideries, Chicken with Plums, and several children's books.
What is the book Persepolis about?
About Persepolis In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq.
Is Persepolis Banned in Iran?
In 2014 Persepolis was the second most challenged book on the American Library Association's list of frequently challenged books. The book and film is banned in Iran, and the film was temporarily banned in Lebanon, but the ban was rescinded due to public outrage.
What is the message of Persepolis?
Throughout Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel, Persepolis, education is an important theme. The main messages are that education is essential for a person to have true freedom, but also that institutionalized education cannot always be trusted. It is Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, after all.
What does the ending of Persepolis mean?
By Marjane Satrapi At the end of Persepolis, Marjane divorces her husband and returns to Europe. But she's not fleeing her life in a Lifetime Original Movie way (no crying in the shower here)—she's leaving to regain her freedoms. Moving back to Iran from Vienna has its positives and negatives.
How do you pronounce Marjane?
0:150:39How to Pronounce Marjane (Real Life Examples!) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPersepolis by marjane satrapi is one uh fun home by allison bechdel an uh artist marjan satrapi whoMorePersepolis by marjane satrapi is one uh fun home by allison bechdel an uh artist marjan satrapi who told the story of the iranian revolution the iran-iraq.
Is Persepolis a feminist movie?
Persepolis (2007), Directed by Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud. A tale of growing up, and being a punk-loving teenager, in pre and post revolutionary Iran.
Why is it called Persepolis?
Definition. Persepolis was the capital of the Persian Achaemenid Empire from the reign of Darius I (the Great, r. 522-486 BCE) until its destruction in 330 BCE. Its name comes from the Greek Perses-polis (Persian City), but the Persians knew it as Parsa (City of the Persians).
Why is the book called Persepolis?
But readers have often wondered: why is the title of the novel Persepolis? The name 'Persepolis' refers to the capital city of the Persian Empire in 560 BCE and is another reference to Iran's history. ' It is the name of ancient Persia's ceremonial capital, dating back some 2,500 years.
Why is Persepolis black and white?
Persepolis utilizes black and white to communicate feeling, emotions, scenes, and situations in the entire story. Iran was in war and many people died there, and the author describes her experience in a story that portrays actions with the help of contrasting colours.
Where is Persepolis today?
Persepolis, whose magnificent ruins rest at the foot of Kuh-e Rahmat (Mountain of Mercy) in south-western Iran, is among the world's greatest archaeological sites.
Why was Uncle anoosh executed?
Anoosh is arrested and executed as a Russian spy. she rejects her faith, Just when she thinks nothing worse can happen, bombs begin to fall on Iran.
How old is Persepolis in Iran?
Archaeological evidence shows that the earliest remains of Persepolis date back to 515 BC. André Godard, the French archaeologist who excavated Persepolis in the early 1930s, believed that it was Cyrus the Great who chose the site of Persepolis, but that it was Darius I who built the terrace and the palaces.
What is Black Friday in Persepolis?
Black Friday (Persian: جمعه سیاه, romanized: Jom'e-ye Siyāh) is the name given to an incident occurring on 8 September 1978 (17 Shahrivar 1357 in the Iranian calendar) in Iran, in which 64, or at least 100 people were shot dead and 205 injured by the Pahlavi military in Jaleh Square (Persian: میدان ژاله, romanized: ...
What is the title of the book Persepolis?
The title Persepolis is a reference to the ancient capital of the Persian Empire. Originally published in French, the graphic memoir has been translated to many other languages, including English, Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Swedish, Finnish, Georgian, Dutch, Chinese and others.
Who translated Persepolis?
In 2003, Pantheon Books published parts 1 and 2 in a single volume English translation (with new cover art) under the title Persepolis which was translated by Blake Ferris and Mattias Ripa, Satrapi's husband; parts 3 and 4 (also with new cover art) followed in 2004 as Persepolis 2, translated by Anjali Singh.
What is the title of the Persepolis comic?
Persepolis is an autobiographical series of bande dessinées ( French comics) by Marjane Satrapi that depicts her childhood up to her early adult years in Iran and Austria during and after the Islamic Revolution. The title Persepolis is a reference to the ancient capital of the Persian Empire.
Why did Marjane Satrapi write Persepolis?
Marjane Satrapi's use of graphic novels to depict her own life events has made her reading easily accessible to people throughout the world. In an article titled "Why I wrote Persepolis ", Satrapi says "Images are a way of writing. When you have the talent to be able to write and to draw, it seems a shame to choose only one. I think it's better to do both". Her first novel in this series, Persepolis: The Story of A Childhood, depicts her childhood experiences in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, while her subsequent novel, Persepolis 2: The Story of A Return, depicts her high school years in Vienna, Austria. Persepolis 2 also includes Satrapi's return to Iran where she attends college, marries, and later divorces before moving to France. Hence, the series is not only a memoir, but a Bildungsroman. Throughout both books, she focuses on the idea of "witnessing". Meaning, the motivation behind her writing involves describing her life from the viewpoint of someone viewing political and social chaos. This displays the "survival" aspect behind Satrapi as a young girl, and eventually young woman within this context. The influences of Satrapi's past education in Iran and Europe, and specifically German impressionism, can be felt throughout her writings and drawings as well. She seeks to create a visual context for not only those from the West, but also those from the Middle-East due to the lack of physical optics for this important time in history.
How old is Marji in Persepolis 1?
Persepolis 1 begins by introducing Marji, the ten-year-old protagonist. Set in 1980, the novel focuses on her experiences of growing up during the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Her story details the impact of war and religious extremism on Iranians, especially women.
Why did Satrapi name Persepolis?
Satrapi chose the name Persepolis, originating from the Ancient Greek term for Iran, in order to convey the message that the current state of Iran comes from thousands of years of background, not just recent hostile events.
What is the name of the main character in Persepolis?
Persepolis: The Story of A Childhood. Marjane (main character): nicknamed Marji, Marjane' s life is depicted beginning with her early childhood. Growing up in Iran during the Iran-Iraq war, Marjane grows up in a family who is involved in the political unrest of Iran.
Where did Persepolis live?
According to her autobiographical graphic novel, Persepolis, she stayed in Vienna through her high school years, staying in friends' homes, but spent three months living on the streets. After an almost deadly bout of pneumonia, she returned to Iran.
Where did Satrapi grow up?
Satrapi grew up in Tehran in a family which was involved with communist and socialist movements in Iran prior to the Iranian Revolution. She attended the Lycée Français there and witnessed, as a child, the growing suppression of civil liberties and the everyday-life consequences of Iranian politics, including the fall of the Shah, the early regime of Ruhollah Khomeini, and the first years of the Iran-Iraq War. She experienced an Iraqi air raid and Scud missile attacks on Tehran. According to Persepolis, one Scud hit the house next to hers, killing her friend and entire family.
Why was Satrapi sent to Vienna?
In 1983, at the age of 14 Satrapi was sent to Vienna, Austria by her parents in order to flee the Iranian regime.
Where did Satrapi get her masters degree?
She studied Visual Communication, eventually obtaining a Master's Degree from Islamic Azad University in Tehran. During this time, Satrapi went to numerous illegal parties hosted by her friends, where she met a man named Reza, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq War.
What happened to Satrapi?
She experienced an Iraqi air raid and Scud missile attacks on Tehran. According to Persepolis, one Scud hit the house next to hers, killing her friend and entire family. Satrapi's family are of distant Iranian Azeri ancestry and are descendants of Nasser al-Din Shah, Shah of Persia from 1848 until 1896.
How many languages has Persepolis been translated into?
24 Number of languages Persepolis has been translated into.
What is Marjane Satrapi's first book?
Marjane Satrapi’s first book, Persepolis, is an autobiographical graphic novel about the author’s experience as a young girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The English translation first appeared in 2003, done by her spouse, Mattias Ripa.
What is the most important thing to Satrapi?
Satrapi says that the most important thing for her is understanding people ; that they are all similar, regardless of country or culture. She adds, “A person laughing or crying means the same thing everywhere in the end.”
Where did Satrapi grow up?
Selling more than 2 million copies worldwide and taught in schools and colleges, the graphic novel is the first of many small books Satrapi has written about her life growing up in Tehran, Iran. Satrapi recalls her childhood, “I read a lot and nothing was forbidden.
Is Persepolis more complex than East and West?
Many argue that Persepolis is much more complex than bridging trials between East and West; it is a powerful tool showing the impact of translatability of emotions through images, in the same way, that the images from Satrapi’s childhood impacted the novel that made her a cultural and literary phenomenon.
Is Persepolis a movie?
Persepolis has been adapted into a film, produced by Marjane Satrapi herself and Vincent Paronnaud. The film has since received many awards, including but not limited to the Special Jury Prize in 2007 from the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated in 2008 for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Set in a modern city ripe with conflict and ...
Who built Persepolis?
Archaeological evidence shows that the earliest remains of Persepolis date back to 515 BC. André Godard, the French archaeologist who excavated Persepolis in the early 1930s, believed that it was Cyrus the Great who chose the site of Persepolis, but that it was Darius I who built the terrace and the palaces. Inscriptions on these buildings support the belief that they were constructed by Darius.
Where is Persepolis located?
550–330 BC ). It is situated in the plains of Marvdasht, encircled by southern Zagros mountains of Iran. Modern day Shiraz is situated 60 kilometres (37 mi) southwest of the ruins of Persepolis. The earliest remains of Persepolis date back to 515 BC. It exemplifies the Achaemenid style of architecture. UNESCO declared the ruins of Persepolis a World Heritage Site in 1979.
What was the capital of Persia during Darius I?
With Darius I, the scepter passed to a new branch of the royal house. Persepolis probably became the capital of Persia proper during his reign. However, the city's location in a remote and mountainous region made it an inconvenient residence for the rulers of the empire. The country's true capitals were Susa, Babylon and Ecbatana. This may be why the Greeks were not acquainted with the city until Alexander the Great took and plundered it.
What is the name of the city of Persepolis?
To the ancient Persians, the city was known as Pārsa ( Old Persian: 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿 ), which is also the word for the region of Persia.
What is the architecture of Persepolis?
It exemplifies the Achaemenid style of architecture. UNESCO declared the ruins of Persepolis a World Heritage Site in 1979. The complex is raised high on a walled platform, with five "palaces" or halls of varying size, and grand entrances. The function of Persepolis remains quite unclear.
When was Persepolis the capital of Persia?
In 316 BC , Persepolis was still the capital of Persia as a province of the great Macedonian Empire (see Diod. xix, 21 seq., 46; probably after Hieronymus of Cardia, who was living about 326). The city must have gradually declined in the course of time.
What was the main building material used at Persepolis?
Grey limestone was the main building material used at Persepolis. After natural rock had been leveled and the depressions filled in, the terrace was prepared. Major tunnels for sewage were dug underground through the rock. A large elevated water storage tank was carved at the eastern foot of the mountain.
Who is Marjane Satrapi?
Marjane Satrapi. Marjane is a strong-willed, sometimes confused protagonist who we follow from childhood to burgeoning adulthood over the course of Persepolis. The confusion stems from her valiant attempts at trying to understand the embattled and… read analysis of Marjane Satrapi.
Who is Niloufar in Marjane?
Niloufar. A young communist, Khosro hides this woman until she is caught and executed. Marjane’s parents use her as an example to explain to Marjane of the dangers that young women face when arrested. Niloufar was… read analysis of Niloufar.
What does Marjane find comfort in?
God. As a child, Marjane finds much comfort in God, who becomes a friend as well as a source of support. However, as the world around Marjane becomes uglier and uglier, and as she comes… read analysis of God.
What advice does Marjane give to Marjane?
At the end of the novel she gives Marjane important advice about how to live and survive in a world with people who wish to cause other people suffering.
How did Marjane's uncle die?
Marjane’s Uncle, he dies from his fourth heart attack after being frightened by an exploded grenade. Before he dies, knowing of his ill-health, Marjane’s family tries to get him a fake passport through Khosro … read analysis of Taher
Why did Marjane's uncle flee to the USSR?
Marjane’s Uncle who fled to the USSR after Fereydoon is caught and executed for opposing the Shah. He returns to Iran to see his family but, though disguised, gets imprisoned. He becomes a role model… read analysis of Anoosh
Was Marjane a Persian prince?
He was a Persian Prince, and though at first Marjane gets excited by this fact, the truth of the matter is that he was often imprisoned and tortured for his communist beliefs.
Overview
Persepolis is an autobiographical series of bandes dessinées (French comics) by Marjane Satrapi that depicts her childhood up to her early adult years in Iran and Austria during and after the Islamic Revolution. The title Persepolis is a reference to the ancient capital of the Persian Empire. Originally published in French, the graphic memoir has been translated to many other languages, including Englis…
Plot summary
Persepolis 1 begins by introducing Marji, the ten-year-old protagonist. Set in 1980, the novel focuses on her experiences of growing up during the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Her story details the impact of war and religious extremism on Iranians, especially women. Belonging to an upper-middle class family, Marji has access to various educational materials, such as books and a radio, which expose her to Western political thought at a very young age. By discovering the ideas of n…
Character list
• Persepolis: The Story of A Childhood
• Characters only in Persepolis: The Story of A Return
Background
Marjane Satrapi's use of graphic novels to depict her own life events has made her reading easily accessible to people throughout the world. In an article titled "Why I wrote Persepolis", Satrapi says "Images are a way of writing. When you have the talent to be able to write and to draw, it seems a shame to choose only one. I think it's better to do both". Her first novel in this series, Persepolis: The Story of A Childhood, depicts her childhood experiences in Iran during the Islami…
Genre and style
Persepolis is an autobiography written as a graphic novel based on Satrapi's life. The genre of graphic novels can be traced back to 1986 with Art Spiegelman's depiction of the Holocaust through the use of cartoon images of mice and cats. Later, writers such as Aaron McGruder and Ho Che Anderson used graphic novels to discuss themes such as Sudanese orphans and civil rights movements. This genre has become an appropriate forum for examining critical matters …
Analysis
Persepolis reminds readers of the "precarity of survival" in political and social situations.
Satrapi's graphic memoir contains themes concerning feminist ideals and the hegemonic power of the state. Satrapi uses the context of the Iranian Revolution to criticize the hypocrisy of state-enforced social pressures that seek to enact violence. During the Iranian Revolution, martyrdom had been nationalized by the state in order to encourage young men to participate in the revoluti…
Publication history
The original French series was published by L'Association in four volumes, one volume per year, from 2000 to 2003. Marie Ostby, professor at Connecticut College, noted that, David Beauchard, a co-founder of L'Association, strove to "create a forum for more culturally informed, self-reflective work," especially consisting of female writers. L'Association published Persepolis as one of their three "breakthrough political graphic memoirs." Persepolis, tome 1 ends at the outbreak of war; …
Reception
Upon its release, the graphic novel received high praise, but was also met with criticism and calls for censorship. Time magazine included Persepolis in its "Best Comics of 2003" list. Andrew Arnold of TIME described Persepolis as "sometimes funny and sometimes sad but always sincere and revealing." Kristin Anderson of The Oxonian Review of Books of Balliol College, University of Oxford said, "While Persepolis' feistiness and creativity pay tribute as much to Satrapi herself as to cont…