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While the work actually was supposed to be amusing, it also held deeper intentions. Atkinson states his own intentions in his preface. In his preface to the work, Atkinson writes that though the work may resemble a ‘grave’ ‘code of laws’, it is actually a humorous description of ‘Persian life behind the curtain’. Atkinson’s model of the work is divided into twelve chapters, every giving advice and rulings on every-day home and religious matters comparable to prayers and quick-days (chapter II), the nuptial night (chapter V), charms (chapter VIII), and gossips and intimates (chapter X), accompanied by his copious footnotes and preface. He's introducing this work not as a heavy, critical piece of literature, however something of a lighter naturea and he goes on to admit that ‘the domestic customs and superstitions of every nation are for the most half absurd or trivial, and within the East typically extraordinarily ridiculous’ however he sees the merits of the research of such texts. The Persian Version opened the 40th edition of the Munich Film Fest, when this piece was initially written. |
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