An Adaptation-Based Study of the Influence of Ahmad Khani’s Epic “Mem û Zîn” on Kurdish Drama in Comparative Literature

Volume 23, Issue 157
July 2026
Pages 5-18

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

Department of Performing Arts, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Iran

Abstract
Problem statement: A large number of dramas that have been created, published, or performed in the Kurdish language are rooted in stories, legends, and epics previously produced by Kurdish writers and poets. Among these, playwrights have paid more attention to some of the works. The epic “Mem û Zîn” is one of these works, based on which a noteworthy number of dramas and other literary and artistic genres have been created. This work is the first long epic written in the Kurdish language, which Ahmad Khani composed in the second half of the 17th century AD.
Research objective: This article examined the various influences of this epic on Kurdish drama using Linda Hutcheon`s theories on adaptation and its types, and it aimed to answer the main question of how the epic “Mem û Zîn” has influenced Kurdish playwriting, and to identify the similarities and differences between the works that are derivative of it, as well as among themselves.
Research method: The research method in this article was descriptive-analytical, based on adaptation and its types from Linda Hutcheon`s perspective; and existing library resources in this field, and the epic “Mem û Zîn” itself and two derivative dramas “Mem û Zîn” by Pirmard and “Mem û Zîn” by Rasul Bangin were used to answer the posed research question.
Conclusion: The findings of this research indicate that the epic “Mem û Zîn” has been a popular source for the creation of Kurdish dramas. Kurdish playwrights, while incorporating significant similarities in their works based on this epic, have also included their unique viewpoints, transforming the epic into a performable play from various perspectives.

Keywords

Subjects
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