The social role that the poet had to fulfill also entailed demands on his personality and his behavior. Basic requirements were, according to Nezami-Aruzi, “a good character, an open mind, a sound nature, and a sharp wit.” In his chapter on the requirements of the poetical profession Key-Kavus also stresses the importance of the poet’s behavior in public. He should take care of his clothes as well as his manners: If you are looking for a patron and when you are in business, do not look dejected and do not wear dirty clothes. Show at all times a fresh and smiling face. Memorize a lot of funny stories and jokes that make people listen, for in company and in front of the patron … you cannot do without them. The emphasis on the practice of poetry as a craft in these descriptions does not mean that poetry was only a matter for professionals. Poems were written also by amateurs, among them kings and sultans, ministers, dignitaries and officials as well as scholars. This proves that, already in the early centuries, being able to write poetry was part of the normal training of an educated person. It was in particular a prerequisite of the secretaries in the offices of the state, whose letters and other writings needed embellishment by poetic inserts. Moreover, the improvisation of short poems was greatly appreciated in social settings.
Social Context of Persian Literature
