a vast network of the world¿s literary traditions. This study reflects on Hedayat¿s attempts at various genres of artistic creation, including painting, fiction writing, satire and scholarly research, as well as his persistent struggles for artistic authenticity, which transcended solidly established literary and artistic norms. Providing a critical reading of Hedayat¿s work to untangle aspects of his writing ¿ including reflections on science, religion, nationalism and coloniality ¿ alongside his pioneering work on folk culture, and how humor informs his writings, this text offers a critical review of the status of Persian literature in the contemporary landscape of the world¿s literary studies.