نوع مقاله : علمی-پژوهشی
عنوان مقاله English
نویسنده English
Introduction:
The relationship between literature and social identity has been a central concern of committed literature. Poetry, as a flexible and influential artistic medium, has consistently served as a powerful tool for reflecting, recreating, and sometimes transforming national and cultural identity (Terry Eagleton, 1989, p. 75). In the context of Iran, where poetry has historically been the most resonant cultural medium (Shahrokh Moscow, 1994, p. 205), contemporary poetry has emerged as a dynamic field of identity discourse. From the Constitutional Revolution to the present day, Iranian poets have engaged with questions of history, mythology, language, and social justice. However, previous research has largely focused on individual poets (e.g., Farshad Soleimani, Thoraya Davoudkhani & Khodabakhsh Asadollahi, 2021; Masoud Rouhani & Mohammad Enayati Ghadikolaei, 2010) or specific thematic components, lacking a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the functions of poetry in shaping identity. This study addresses this gap by asking: Through what mechanisms and components has contemporary Persian poetry represented, criticized, and revived national and cultural identity? The central hypothesis is that Persian poetry performs four key functions—reflective-descriptive, critical-analytical, identitarian-promotional, and revivalist-reconstructive—each with distinct, traceable components.
Materials & Methods:
This research employs a descriptive-analytical method with a qualitative content analysis approach. The research population includes poems by influential poets from the Constitutional Era to the end of the 1390s (2010s). Due to the vast scope of the population, purposive sampling was used based on criteria of poetic influence, period diversity, and geographical and ideological variety. The final sample includes works by Nima Yushij, Mehdi Akhavan Sales, Forough Farrokhzad, Simin Behbahani, Ahmad Shamloo, Mohammad Reza Shafiei Kadkani, Sohrab Sepehri, Hushang Ebtehaj, Qeysar Aminpour, and selected later poets. Data were collected through library research from authoritative poetry collections. The analysis proceeded in two stages: first, extracting all verses explicitly or implicitly addressing components of national or cultural identity; second, categorizing these instances under the four proposed functions and their respective sub-components.
Discussion & Result:
The results confirm the four proposed functions. First, the Reflective-Descriptive Function manifests through components such as representing social problems (e.g., addiction in poems by Parvaneh Najati and Mohammad Ali Mo'allem), showcasing cultural and ethnic diversity (e.g., Nima Yushij's depiction of Mazandarani life and Hushang Ebtehaj's mention of Baloch, Kurd, Lor, Turk, and Gilak), reflecting national history and mythology (e.g., Mohammad Reza Shafiei Kadkani's evocation of Nishapur), and depicting sacred places (e.g., Mehdi Akhavan Sales's "Shush"). Second, the Critical-Analytical Function appears in critiques of imposed/colonial identities (e.g., Maryam Jafari Azarmani), challenging outdated traditions (e.g., Maryam Aryan's critique of child marriage), criticizing injustice and class divisions (e.g., Tahereh Safarzadeh's depiction of housing inequality), and protesting political repression (e.g., Ahmad Shamloo's "In This Dead End"). Third, the Identitarian-Promotional Function is evident in creating new national symbols (e.g., Seyed Hasan Hosseini's portrayal of Mirza Kuchak Khan), fostering national solidarity during the Iran-Iraq war (e.g., Nasrollah Mardani and Hamid Mosaddeq), and promoting peace (e.g., Sohrab Sepehri's poetry). Fourth, the Revivalist-Reconstructive Function includes creative reinterpretation of myths (e.g., Mehdi Akhavan Sales's "The Story of the Stone City"), revival of forgotten rituals (e.g., Hushang Ebtehaj's celebration of Mehregan), and redefinition of literary figures (e.g., Mohammad Reza Shafiei Kadkani's defense of Khayyam). A key finding is the intertwining of these functions: a single poem often simultaneously reflects reality, critiques it, promotes alternatives, and revives cultural memory.
Conclusion:
This systematic analysis confirms that contemporary Persian poetry is not a passive reflector but an active agent in the discourse of national and cultural identity. Its four functions—reflective-descriptive, critical-analytical, identitarian-promotional, and revivalist-reconstructive—operate both independently and in complex combinations. The study's innovation lies in providing a function-based framework that moves beyond thematic or poet-specific studies. The primary limitation is the inherent subjectivity in purposive sampling, which was mitigated by clear selection criteria and diverse evidence. Future research can apply this framework to specific periods (e.g., post-Revolution poetry), specific poetic movements, or comparative studies of individual poets. Ultimately, this research demonstrates that contemporary Persian poetry, through its sophisticated use of language, myth, and symbol, continues to engage in a continuous dialogue with Iran's past, a critical interrogation of its present, and a hopeful envisioning of its collective identity.
کلیدواژهها English
