دانشگاه تربیت مدرس فصلنامۀ نقد ادبی 2008-0360 18 72 2025 12 22 Critical Look at "Problem Statement" Section in Mystical Literature Articles: The Case of the Journal of Mystical Literature Studies نگاه انتقادی به نگارش «بیان ‏مسئله» در مقالات ادبیات عرفانی (مطالعۀ موردی: مقالات علمی ـ پژوهشی مجلۀ پژوهش‏های ادب عرفانی) 1 38 28121 10.48311/lcq.2026.115471.1000 FA اصغر خوشه چرخ دانشجوی دکتری ادبیات عرفانی دانشگاه مازندران 0009-0008-4013-2821 احمد غنی پور استاد گروه زبان و ادبیات فارسی دانشگاه مازندران مرتضی محسنی استاد گروه زبان و ادبیات فارسی دانشگاه مازندران مسعود روحانی استاد گروه زبان و ادبیات فارسی دانشگاه مازندران Journal Article 2025 10 16 In recent years, the necessity of adopting a critical approach to scholarly research articles in academic disciplines has become increasingly significant, not only due to the fundamental role of such articles in the university context but also as a result of the growing admission of postgraduate students. The consequent rise in the number of academic research papers and the increasing specialization of scholarly journals across various fields has emerged. Although problem identification is recognized as the starting point and a core element in the evaluation of research articles, the importance of writing a well-structured problem statement—given its selective and motivational functions—is no less significant than problem detection and problem solving themselves. A general review of the problem statements in articles on mystical literature published over the past decade reveals that, in a considerable number of cases, the inclusion of sections titled “Introduction” or “Problem Statement” at the beginning of papers is largely habitual and undertaken without sufficient awareness of the function, structure, and content required of a proper problem statement. The articulation of statements without a clearly defined problem, the presence of problems without adequate articulation, and the inappropriate inclusion of other research components within the problem statement section constitute major shortcomings in the writing of problem statements in articles on mystical literature. The present study adopts a survey–analytical method, with the research population consisting of scholarly research articles published in the journal Pazhuhesh-hā-ye Adab-e ‘Erfāni (Gowhar-e Goyā) [Journal of Mystical Literature Studies] between 2014 and 2024. Data were collected through library research using a note-taking technique. Extended Abstract 1. Introduction Academic research articles constitute one of the most prominent manifestations of research activity within academic environments. Adopting a critical approach toward research articles within a given academic discipline and its associated journals—aimed at identifying and eliminating potential shortcomings and enhancing their scholarly quality—can contribute significantly to the qualitative development of both the discipline and its academic outlets. Although the starting point of academic research articles is a problem-generating situation that gives rise to problem identification, the articulation of that problem, given its selective and motivational functions, represents one of the most crucial stages in the process of composing a research article. A review of problem statements in journals of mystical literature over the past decade indicates that, in a considerable number of cases, the inclusion of a section entitled “Problem Statement” at the beginning of articles has been largely habitual, while the authors’ awareness of the function, structure, and content of a proper problem statement remains limited and open to critique. Recurrent errors in the formulation of problem statements in mystical literature research over the past ten years, along with the absence of any independent academic research article works specifically devoted to analyzing the element of the “problem statement” in articles on mystical literature, constitute the primary motivations for the present study. Accordingly, the necessity and significance of this topic are self-evident and require no further justification. To identify the existing deficiencies in the writing of problem statements in mystical literature research, the present study examines articles published in the journal Pazhuhesh-hā-ye Adab-e ‘Erfāni (Gowhar-e Goyā) [Journal of Mystical Literature Studies] from 2014 to 2024. The study seeks to answer the following research question: What are the most prominent shortcomings in problem statements found in articles published in journals of mystical literature? 2. Methodology The present research employs a survey–analytical design. The research population consists of 237 scholarly articles published in the journal Pazhuhesh-hā-ye Adab-e ‘Erfāni (Gowhar-e Goyā) [Journal of Mystical Literature Studies] between 2014 and 2024, covering Volumes 8 to 18 across 27 consecutive issues (Issues 26 to 53). This journal is the only academic periodical that, since its inception, has been dedicated exclusively to the field of mystical literature, with the stated objective of promoting systematic research and enhancing foundational and specialized knowledge in this domain. Data were collected through library-based research using a note-taking method, and the data were analyzed descriptively within the text using a critical approach. 3. Results and Discussion One of the most fundamental requirements of academic research articles is adherence to a specific structural framework for presenting scientific content; without such structure, research articles cannot fulfill their role in the chain of knowledge translation. However, the importance of structure is not uniform across all components of a scholarly article. Given the selective and motivational–persuasive functions of the problem statement, the need for structural rigor in this section is particularly critical. Structure in the problem statement should be regarded as an independent and productive stage in the research process, rather than merely an evaluative criterion applied during textual assessment. Consequently, adherence to structural principles in formulating the problem statement is indispensable for strengthening the communicative relationship between the article and its audience. A structural approach to writing the problem statement conceptualizes its components as an interconnected network whose elements, through their mutual relations, play a decisive role in clarifying and articulating the content and direction of the research. 4. Conclusion The most prominent shortcomings observed in the writing of problem statements in articles on mystical literature include the following: Problem Statement without a Problem: This deficiency manifests in two components: the mere explanation of the topic in place of a genuine problem, and the production of a statement that only appears to simulate a problem. In topic-oriented articles, the problem statement often amounts to a subject explanation devoid of any actual problem, even though it may exhibit minimal structural coherence in form. Pseudo–Problem Statements: Pseudo-problems arise from artificially constructed titles produced during the process of title fabrication rather than genuine title identification. Such constructions represent a form of contrived problem-making and typically appear in two subcategories: problems that implicitly contain their own answers, and the aggregation of multiple distinct issues into a single, ill-defined problem. Problem without Proper Articulation: In some articles, the existence of an underlying problem cannot be denied; however, the potential problem has not been properly formulated or adequately developed. This deficiency appears in two forms: ambiguity in problem expression and negligence or excessive brevity in problem formulation, which may indicate fatigue, haste, or insufficient mastery of the problem-identification process. Conflation of Other Research Components with the Problem Statement: The integration of other research elements into the problem statement section reflects a lack of structural competence on the part of the author and frequently results in audience confusion. امروزه ضرورت رویکرد آسیب‏شناسانه به مقالات علمی ـ پژوهشی رشته‏های دانشگاهی جدای از اهمیت‏ بنیادین این مقالات در محیط دانشگاهی، به‌سبب افزایش پذیرش دانشجو در دورۀ تحصیلات تکمیلی و به‌تبع آن افزونی تعداد مقالات علمی ـ پژوهشی و تخصصی شدن مجلات علمی ـ پژوهشی در موضوعات مختلف دوچندان شده است. اگرچه در ارزش‏بخشی به مقالات علمی ـ پژوهشی مسئله‏یابی به‌عنوان نقطۀ آغازین پژوهش جایگاه ویژه‏ای دارد، اما اهمیت نگارشِ بیانِ مسئله به‌سبب کارکرد گُزینشی و انگیزشی آن کم‏تر از اهمیت مسئله‏یابی و حل مسائل نیست. نگاه کُلی به «بیان مسئله»‏های مقالات ادبیات عرفانی در دهۀ اخیر گویای این واقعیت است که در تعداد قابل توجهی از این مقالات نوشتن عنوانِ ‏«مقدمه یا بیان‏ مسئله» در ابتدای مقاله بر حَسَب عادت و بدون آگاهی نویسنده از کارکرد، ساختار و محتوای «بیانِ مسئله» است. بیان بدون مسئله، مسئلۀ بدون بیان و قرار دادن دیگر مؤلفه‌ها در متنِ بیان مسئله از آسیب‏های نگارش بیان مسئله در مقالات ادبیات عرفانی است. روش پژوهش در مقالۀ حاضر از نوع پیمایشی ـ تحلیلی و جامعۀ پژوهش شامل مقالات علمی ـ پژوهشی مجلۀ پژوهش‏های ادب عرفانی (گوهر گویا) بین سال 1393 تا 1403 است. روش گردآوری داده‏ها کتابخانه‏ای با ابزار فیش‏برداری است.

https://lcq.modares.ac.ir/article_28121_cad2dd4ac4d8d86663098a2843654559.pdf

دانشگاه تربیت مدرس فصلنامۀ نقد ادبی 2008-0360 18 72 2025 12 22 A Treatise in Defense of Poetry from the 9th Century AH: Azari Esfarayeni (830 AH/1426 AD) رساله‌ای در دفاع از شعر از قرن نهم هجری آذری اسفراینی (830 ق/ 1426 م) 39 72 28060 10.48311/lcq.2026.116785.82701 FA وحید رویانی دانشگاه گلستان Journal Article 2025 10 03 Religious and moral criticism of poetry and the relationship between poetry and Religious Law is one of the important issues that various poets and scholars have addressed in the history of literary criticism. One of these poets is Hakim Azari Esfarayeni, who wrote a treatise in defense of poetry (Meftah al-Asrar) in 830 AH, in which he raised significant points in defense of the value, status, and function of poetry, which are valuable from the perspective of the history of literary criticism in Persian Literature. In this treatise, he seeks to legitimize poetry by finding a place alongside revelation and hadiths (Narrations), and to shed light on the verses and hadiths that have been mentioned in denouncing and condemning the poets. To defend poetry, he cites reasons based on the sanctity of poetry, such as the prophets and saints being poets, the Prophet and Imams giving gifts to poets, the souls of poets believing in Islam, and supernatural stories based on the perfection of the spiritual level of poets. In addition to these reasons, he cites other reasons such as references to poetry in texts, the dependence of music on poetry, the reception of audiences, and the high status of poets among past kings. In addition to these, Azari, with the same religious perspective, mentions two characteristics for the poets of these poems, which are having research and success together and having access to divine perfection, beauty, and glory. 1. Introduction Ali ibn Hamze ibn Ali Malek, known as the Azari Esfarayeni, wrote an encyclopedia in 830 AH on the secrets of divine words, the secrets of the hadiths of the Prophet, the secrets of the words of saints and sheikhs, and the justifications of the words of poets, called Miftah al-Asrar. At the beginning of the fourth chapter, the author has included an introduction entitled “Introduction to the Description of Poetry and Poetry,” in which he has expressed his views on poetry. In fact, this introduction is a treatise in defense of poetry and in recalling its position, status, and supernatural foundations and its relationship with the Sharia, against the views of its opponents, namely the legislators who saw poetry in conflict with the Sharia and the foundations of Islam. 2. Research Background There have been studies published about Azari Esfarayeni's poetry collection and the characteristics of his poetry, as well as the Masnavi of Ajayeb Va Gharayeb [Wonders & marvels], but so far no one has fully addressed his theory about poetry. Only Shafie'i Kadkani, in his article "Azari Tusi and Poetry Criticism" (1998), paid attention to the section on criticism and classification of poets in this work, but did not analyze his message. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze and examine Azari's views on poetry. 3.Discussion Azari wants to find a place for poetry alongside revelation and hadiths, and in this way show the legitimacy of poetry, because the cultural environment that emerged in the early days of Islam was against poetry in two ways. On the one hand, several verses of the Quran criticize poets. On the other hand, some infidels who intended to contradict the Quran accused the Prophet of being a poet, and the Prophet's defense of himself against these opponents had a double effect on the stagnation of the poetry and poetics market. In the next section, to prove the value of poetry, Azari considers its source to be Islamic law and believes that poetry derives its meaning from Islamic law. Azari's next step in defending poetry is to interpret the verses and hadiths narrated in condemnation of the poets. In total, these verses of the Quran deal with poetry and poets: "Yasin 69, Al-Haqqe 41, Al-Safat 36 and 37, and Shoara 224 to 226." Azari believes that these verses are not absolute, but each one has an input reason. One of the reasons that he cites to prove the value of poetry is the historical anecdotes and narrations mentioned about the Prophet and Imams, which refer to gifts to poets and appreciation for their poetry, and he has mentioned some of them in his treatise. Another point that Azari mentions to honor Muslim poets is the conversion of their souls to Islam. The next point in defending the perfection of the poets' dignity is the supernatural stories that were narrated about the poets during their lifetime or after their death, which indicate the perfection of their spiritual status and divine approval. Also the importance that past monarchs, unlike the monarchs of the Azari period, gave to poets and honored them is, one of the reasons for the importance of poetry and the high status of poetry. He also considered the references to poetry in various books, even in religious books, as a strong proof of the high status and high value of poetry. The next point is the discussion of the acceptability of these poems and their reception by the audience, which can be analyzed and examined from the perspective of reader-response theory. Azari believes that the poems of Muslim poets are of interest to both specific and general audiences. Two other characteristics that Azari mentions for these poets are having research and success together that he believes these poets, with such characteristics, have access to divine perfection, beauty, and glory, and reflect it in their poetry. 4. Conclusion One of the important issues in the history of Islamic thought is the religious and moral criticism of poetry and the relationship between poetry and the Sharia, which some poets and scholars have addressed. Thinkers who have had a relationship with philosophy, before entering this issue, have examined the category of poetry in an abstract manner or have viewed the Sharia as a type of wisdom, but by the ninth century this relationship apparently had diminished. In his treatise, Azari has raised significant points in defense of poetry against legislators who saw poetry in conflict with the Sharia and the foundations of Islam, which are valuable from the perspective of the history of literary criticism. He does not have a philosophical and abstract view of poetry, but rather wants to find a place for poetry alongside revelation and hadiths, and in this way show the legitimacy of poetry, and shed light on the verses and hadiths that have been cited in condemning the clan of poets. نقد دینی و اخلاقی شعر و ارتباط بین شعر و شرع یکی از مسائل مهمی است که شعرا و حکمای مختلف در تاریخ نقد ادبی به آن پرداخته‏اند. یکی از این شاعران حکیم آذری اسفراینی است که در سال 830 ق رساله‏ای در دفاع از شعر نوشت، که در آن برای دفاع از ارزش، جایگاه و کارکرد شعر نکات قابل توجهی مطرح کرده است که از دیدگاه تاریخ نقد ادبی در ایران ارزشمند است. او در این رساله می‏خواهد برای مشروعیت بخشیدن به شعر جایگاهی در کنار وحی و احادیث بیابد و دربارۀ آیات و احادیثی که در ذم و نکوهش طایفۀ شعرا آمده است، روشنگری کند. او برای دفاع از شعر دلایلی می‏آورد که مبتنی بر قداست شعر است، همچون شاعر بودن انبیا و اولیا، عطیه دادن پیامبر و ائمه به شعرا، ایمان آوردن ارواح شعرا به اسلام و داستان‏های غیبی مبتنی بر کمال مرتبۀ روحانی شعرا. در کنار این دلایل به دلایل دیگری همچون استشهاد به شعر در متون، وابستگی موسیقی به شعر، استقبال مخاطبان و جایگاه رفیع شاعران نزد ملوک گذشته استناد می‏کند. علاوه بر این‌ها آذری با همان نگاه مذهبی دو ویژگی برای شاعران این اشعار ذکر می‏کند که عبارت است از داشتن تحقیق و توفیق درکنار هم و دسترسی داشتن به کمال و جمال و جلال الهی.

https://lcq.modares.ac.ir/article_28060_fc38d019366c0aa622caceb53f7f7a60.pdf

دانشگاه تربیت مدرس فصلنامۀ نقد ادبی 2008-0360 18 72 2025 12 22 A Narratological Analysis of Mystical Encounters in the Tales of Tazkirat al-Awliya from the Perspective of Possible Worlds Theory تحلیل روایت‌شناسانۀ مواجهۀ غیبی در حکایت‌های تذکرةالاولیا از منظر جهان‌های ممکن 73 115 28059 10.48311/lcq.2026.108615.0 FA فرشته صادقی دانشجوی دکتری زبان و ادبیات فارسی 0000-0003-0434-4719 حسن اکبری بیرق دانشیار زبان و ادبیات فارسی دانشگاه سمنان ابراهیم کنعانی دانشیار زبان و ادبیات فارسی دانشگاه کوثر بجنورد 0000-0003-2737-5462 Journal Article 2025 08 20 The present article offers a narratological analysis of mystical encounters in the stories of Tazkirat al-Awliya through the lens of Possible Worlds Theory. Using McHale and Ryan’s framework, it shows that mystical narratives, by creating possible worlds, blur the boundaries between reality and imagination. The various types of possible worlds—multiple, circular, and mental—are shaped by dreams, hypotheses, predictions, fantasies, desires, goals, and beliefs. These worlds reflect how mystical encounters are represented and how they influence spiritual practice. Through techniques such as merging reality and the supernatural, repetitive circular structures, and subjectivism, mystical encounters portray fluid possible worlds. Mental possible worlds in Tazkirat al-Awliya are not merely narrative tools but epistemic foundations for understanding mystical experience. In these stories, encounters with the unseen become possible worlds through language and imagery—a world where spiritual journey is narrated through circular, symbolic, and multi-layered structures. Purposeful repetition of patterns enables limitless possibilities for spiritual growth. This narrative structure presents the mystical journey in layered form, moving beyond linear progression and allowing the reader to face truth from diverse angles. Extended Abstract 1- Introduction This study aims to analyze the mystical encounters depicted in the tales of Tazkirat al-Awliya, a classic of Persian mystical literature, through the theoretical lens of possible worlds in narratology. The central question addressed is how a literary text can represent transcendental and mystical experiences within a narrative framework. The problem lies in understanding the narrative mechanisms employed by Attar to transition the reader from the tangible, material world to the intangible, spiritual realms. The theory of possible worlds provides a suitable analytical framework for this purpose. 2- Theoretical Framework and Methodology This research is descriptive-analytical in nature, grounded in the theoretical framework of possible worlds theory within narratology. It employs an integrated approach, combining Brian McHale's concepts of the "pluralistic world" and "repetitive worlds" with Marie-Laure Ryan's (1991) classification of "mental world-creation." This foundation is adapted and contextualized for Persian mystical texts, drawing on prior indigenous research (such as Kan'ani et al., 2021). The objective is to identify and analyze key types of possible worlds in Tazkirat al-Awliya, including "pluralistic worlds," "circular or repetitive worlds," and "mental worlds." The data consists of prominent tales from Tazkirat al-Awliya, selected based on their clear representation of mystical encounters and their suitability for analysis within the chosen theoretical framework. The analysis process involved close reading, extraction of conceptual codes related to mystical experiences and world-creation structures, categorization into main themes, and finally, mapping these themes onto the theoretical framework of possible worlds to understand the formation of narrative worlds and the transition from the material to the spiritual. 3- Findings and Discussion The findings demonstrate that in the Tazkirat al-Awliya, Attar represents mystical encounters through the narrative mechanism of "possible worlds." These worlds primarily fall into two categories: structural and mental. Structural worlds include the pluralistic world, which blends historical reality, miracles, and symbolism, and the circular world, which reproduces archetypal patterns from prophetic narratives. Together, these create a multi-layered narrative fabric for conveying mystical experience. Mental worlds, arising from the saints' cognitive and spiritual processes, manifest in six subtypes: dream-based worlds (revelation or trial through dreams), hypothetical worlds ("what-if" scenarios exploring spiritual alternatives), predictive worlds (disrupting linear time through foreknowledge), worlds of desire/fantasy (sublimating desires into ecstatic utterances), goal-oriented worlds (creating new ontological spaces based on spiritual intent), and epistemic worlds (reflecting distinct mystical schools of thought). Crucially, these worlds function not merely as narrative devices but as essential cognitive structures that make the multi-layered, paradoxical reality of direct mystical experience communicable. The break from linear plot and the fluid movement between these worlds mirrors the non-linear, multi-dimensional nature of the mystical path itself. 4- Conclusion This research concludes that the theory of possible worlds offers a powerful tool for analyzing the narrative structure of classical mystical texts like Tazkirat al-Awliya. Attar skillfully uses these worlds to bridge the gap between ineffable mystical experience and its literary representation. The findings reveal a sophisticated narrative architecture where the boundaries between material reality and spiritual truth are fluidly negotiated. This study establishes a meaningful dialogue between contemporary narrative theory and ancient mystical literature, highlighting the timeless relevance of Attar's narrative strategies for representing the transcendent. مقالۀ حاضر به تحلیل روایت‌شناسانۀ مواجهه‌های غیبی در حکایت‌های تذکره‌الاولیا از منظر نظریۀ جهان‌های ممکن می‌پردازد. با استفاده از چارچوب نظری مک‌هیل و رایان، نشان داده می‌شود که روایت‌های عرفانی با خلق جهان‌های ممکن، مرزهای واقعیت و خیال را درمی‌نوردد. انواع مختلف جهان‌های ممکن در تذکره‌الاولیا ازجمله جهان‌های متکثر، حلقوی و ذهنی ناشی از رؤیاها، فرضیه‌ها، پیش‌بینی‌ها، فانتزی‌ها، آرزوها، اهداف و باورها هستند. این جهان‌ها چگونگی بازنمایی مواجهه‌های غیبی و تأثیر آن بر سلوک عرفانی را نشان می‌دهد. مواجهه‌های غیبی از طریق تکنیک‌هایی مانند تلفیق واقعیت و فراواقعیت، ساختارهای حلقوی تکرارشونده و ذهنیت‌گرایی، جهان‌های ممکن سیال را بازنمایی می‌کند. جهان‌های ممکن ذهنی در تذکره‌الاولیا نه صرفاً ابزارهایی روایی، بلکه بنیانی معرفتی برای درک تجربۀ عرفانی‌اند. در این روایت‌ها، مواجهه با امر غیبی از طریق زبان و تصویر به جهانی ممکن تبدیل می‌شود. جهانی که در آن، سلوک عرفانی با ساختارهای چرخشی، نمادین و چندسطحی روایت می‌شود. تکرار هدفمند الگوها در این ساختار نیز امکان‌های نامحدودی برای تکامل معنوی فراهم می‌آورد. این ساختار روایی، سیر و سلوک عرفانی را به شکلی چندلایه بازنمایی می‌کند. روایت‌ها از مسیر خطی فاصله می‌گیرند و به خواننده امکان می‌دهند تا از زوایای گوناگون با حقیقت روبه‌رو شود.

https://lcq.modares.ac.ir/article_28059_90e6fd2326550c6b260ad136e5585003.pdf

دانشگاه تربیت مدرس فصلنامۀ نقد ادبی 2008-0360 18 72 2025 12 22 Teresa de Lauretis’ Theory of Gender Technology in Social Representation of Mother: Analysis of “Shiyar 143” Novel to Movie تکنولوژی جنسیت در برساخت اجتماعی جنسیتی زن به‌مثابۀ مادر (مطالعة موردی: فیلم «شیار ۱۴۳» از رمان به فیلم‌نامه) 171 209 28055 10.48311/lcq.2026.117122.82708 FA آمنه مجذوب صفا زبان و ادبیات فارسی/دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی دکتر علی شریعتی/ دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد، ایران 0009-0006-9979-5211 مریم صالحی نیا گروه زبان و ادبیات فارسی / دانشکده ادبیات علوم انسانی دکتر علی شریعتی /دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد، ایران Journal Article 2025 10 26 Cinema and literature are two mediums reflect societal norms and values, particularly through the lenses of Feminist studies which amplifies the voices that have been historically silenced. This study is going to examine an analysis of mother character in a movie titled as Shiyar143 based on de Lauretis technology of gender theory. Teresa de Lauretis borrowed this hypothesis from Foucault’s theory on technology of sex, but she modifies it to a new kind of theory. She explores how gender identity is formed through various technologies –social, psychological, and cultural-that influence how individuals perceived themselves and others. The application of this theory in the film will illuminate the mother character’s complex personality diverges from the prevailing societal norms and dominant discourses of her time. The analysis is based on visual representation and subjectivity of the character. Because de Lauretis thesis is based on subjectivity. Through this lens, the movie challenges viewers to reconsider the narratives surrounding motherhood and femininity. Technology of gender analyzes how gender is constructed and experienced in society. Narges Abyar is one of the most influential contemporary writers and director in Iranian cinema. She is an Avant-guard writer who creates challenging female characters in different genres. The application of de Lauretis’ theory will show how her female character embody new female personalities and their representation is different from other dominant discourses. Extended Abstract Introduction Cinema and literature, as tools of cultural transmission, can create and review discourses. Currently, the emergence of different theories makes studies in these two fields more appealing. Theories related to feminism always garner strong supporters and opponents. The field of gender studies and the investigation of gender constructions emerged in response to the first feminism movements. Sociologists, philosophers, social activists, and numerous researchers have extensively discussed and written about these theories. Driven by insights from various feminist studies across different periods and the necessity to delve deeper into the works of Iranian writers and filmmakers, we have chosen to analyse a movie by Narges Abyar and focus on female-centered roles in her work using Teresa De Lauretis' theory. This research aims to examine how this theory manifests in cinema and literature, particularly in Narges Abyar's screenplays. Our primary concern and question is: To what extent does the character of Olfat in Abyar's movie align with the characteristics considered in modern cinema? Is it possible to reveal the characteristics of the desired feminist criticism in this film and determine the intended representations? To what extent can we consider Abyar an active narrator and a diligent author who created the character of "Olaft"? Teresa de Lauretis researches women's studies, particularly women's cinema. In her theory, de Lauretis believes that gender does not have a genuine nature; instead, it is produced by various social technologies, with cinema being one of them. Like other technologies, cinema shapes people and defines social and sexual roles. On the other hand, she believes in a cinema that transcends gender differences, crossing boundaries using this medium. At the opening of the discussed treatise, "Gender Technology," de Lauretis emphasizes that the discussion does not focus on the biological variances between men and women. Rather, the primary focus is on the concept of "difference" itself, which arises from specific determined and discursive effects. In the background section of the research, we can only mention the works centered around Narges Abyar because de Lauretis ' theory is not well known and has yet to be studied due to the lack of translation into Persian. The article's main text mentions all the articles and theses related to Narges Abyar, both in her literary direction and from the cinematographic point of view. The sources and books used in this research include the novel and screenplay of "Shiyar 143," the two main books of the theorist Teresa de Lauretis ("Technologies of Gender" and "Figures of Resistance"), "From Veiled Women to Tame Bodies" by Marzieh Bahrami, "The Visual Culture of Worthy Gender in the 80s of Iran" by Hamed Taherikia et al., "Feminist Theory" by Josephine Danone, "Feminist Film Studies" by Janet McCabe, "What is Gender" by Marie Holmes, "Discourse Analysis as Theory and Method" by Marian Jorgensen, "Social Construction of Gender" by Abbas Mohammadi Asl, "Narrative and Narration" by Warren Buckland, "The Subjugation of Women" by John Stuart Mill, "Women's Cinema: The Contested Screen" by Alison Butler, and "Women and Cinema" selected and translated by Manizeh Najm Eraqi et al. Methodology The research starts with the introduction of the theorist Teresa de Lauretis and the author Narges Abyar. Following this, we provided a brief comparison and highlighted the differences between the novel and the screenplay using an analytical descriptive method, with reference to the two main texts: the novel and the screenplay “Shiyar 143”. After that, our focus is on the script of Shiyar 143. We have considered the portrayal of women in the screenplay, specifically focusing on the character of “Olfat”, the mother and leading woman. This character demonstrates subjectivity and norm avoidance. Our tool is the script and text samples from it, which are directly quoted when necessary. It is also featured in this article to present the textual findings of Teresa de Lauretis’ gender technology theory using discourse analysis. The research's implementation method involved using the text, applying the theory, and quoting evidence directly from it, as mentioned earlier. Results Based on the study of the screenplay and the novel Shiyar 143, it is evident that the character of Olfat as a mother is depicted subjectively. However, it is essential to note that this subjectivity is more prominent in the screenplay than in the novel. Visual cues in the script are more pronounced, including the clothing of Olfat, our main character, which is clearly visible. Working in the home workspace and outside of it also refers to showing subjectivity as much as possible. With these pieces of evidence, we must acknowledge that Olfat is a non-normative subject that does not remain within the constraints of traditional discourse and judgments based on it. Olfat does not actively display her stubbornness and difference, but she possesses an inherently different personality that has not been constrained by traditional discourse and expectations. This may have led to internal contradictions in her personality, reflecting a deviation from the norm we typically consider. Conclusion Based on the research process and its background, it can be concluded that the construction of motherhood and subjectivity of Olfat, as the central character in Narges Abyar's screenplay, is acknowledged and given emphasis. De Lauretis' gender technology examines being a subject and accepting constructed roles concerning power mechanisms. These mechanisms can be observed in the construction of Olfat's maternal role. Olfat has a unique personality but sometimes aligns with the dominant social discourse of her time. Overall, her behavior is practically that of an independent subject. Olfat has structural and contextual differences from Akhtar (the main female character of the Shiar 143 book). However, the point is that Olfat is more potent in expressing its characteristics. Olfat is a person who takes control of her life and destiny and displays nonconformity in various contexts, setting her apart from the dominant mechanisms of a discourse. Acknowledgment We would like to express my deepest gratitude to Ms. Narges Abyar for providing the original screenplays, which were invaluable for this research. سینما و ادبیات دو رسانه‌ای هستند که ارزش‌ها و پذیرش‌های اجتماعی را بازتاب می‌دهند.این بازتاب از منظر فمینیسم می‌تواند روشنگر صدایی باشد که در طی تاریخ خاموش شده است. در این پژوهش برآنیم تا براساس نظریة تکنولوژی جنسیت از ترزا دولارتیس به بررسی نقش مادر در فیلم شیار ۱۴۳ بپردازیم. دولارتیس این نظریه را ابتدا از فوکو و تکنولوژی جنس او وام گرفته و آن را به منظری جدید تبدیل کرده‌ است. او می‌گوید که چگونه هویت جنسی براساس تکنولوژی‌های مختلف اعم از اجتماعی، روان‌شناختی و فرهنگی شکل گرفته و باعث می‌شود تا هر فرد خودش و دیگری را با آن تعریف کند. کارکرد این نظریه در این فیلم، شخصیت پیچیدة مادر را متمایز از ارزش‌ها و گفتمان‌های زمان خودش نشان می‌دهد. این تحلیل براساس بازنمایی بصری و سوژگی شخصیت بنا شده، چراکه نظریة دولارتیس بر سابژکتیویته استوار است. این منظر دریافت مخاطبان از روایت‌هایی با محوریت مادرانگی و زنانگی را به‌چالش می‌کشد. تکنولوژی جنسیت چگونگی ساخت و تجربة جنسیت در جامعه را تحلیل می‌کند. نرگس‌آبیار از تأثیرگذارترین نویسندگان و کارگردان‌های معاصر سینمای ایران است. او به‌عنوان یک نویسندة پیشگام نشان می‌دهد که چگونه شخصیت‌های مختلف زنان در ژانرهای گوناگون به‌تصویر درمی‌آیند. کارکرد نظریة دولارتیس در فیلم او نشان می‌دهد که چگونه شخصیت‌های زنانة جدیدی تولید کرده و بازنمایی آن‌ها با دیگر گفتمان‌های مسلط چقدر تفاوت دارد.

https://lcq.modares.ac.ir/article_28055_c9a4268367a43297ba960eb5bd78155c.pdf

دانشگاه تربیت مدرس فصلنامۀ نقد ادبی 2008-0360 18 72 2025 12 22 Paratopia in Sacred Defense Literature and Cinema: An Examination of Spatial Strategies in War Art پاراتوپی در ادبیات و سینمای دفاع مقدس: بررسی راهبردهای محیطی در هنر جنگ 210 243 28053 10.48311/lcq.2026.108613.0 FA سحر غفاری دانشگاه تهران 0009-0003-4074-4100 Journal Article 2025 08 17 In the period following the consolidation of the Sacred Defense discourse in Iranian literature and cinema, a diverse body of works emerged that does not necessarily conform to the official ideological framework of this discourse. These works are frequently situated in non-combat or marginal spaces, employ a limited number of characters, and unfold within enclosed, elevated, or isolated settings. The narrative perspective is often entrusted to a solitary observer or soldier whose stance toward the war is ambivalent, contradictory, or at least unpredictable. Such formal and thematic features signal both distance from and plurality within the Sacred Defense discourse, foregrounding the need to examine the artist’s positionality and creative strategies. Drawing on Dominique Maingueneau’s theory of literary discourse, this article contends that while literary discourse grants the writer a privileged enunciative position, this position can only be occupied through the construction of a singular narrative space, or paratopia. The realization of such a space requires the mobilization of the author’s personal paratopic resources in conjunction with a negotiation of the constraints imposed by contemporary literary and cultural institutions. An artist who positions themselves beyond ideological discourse cannot entirely detach from social norms and collective expectations, but must instead navigate a precarious balance between creative autonomy and institutional limitation. Within this framework, the recurrent depiction of secluded spaces at the margins of war, as well as the portrayal of poetic, unconventional observer figures, may be read as textual manifestations of the artist’s paratopic condition. These narrative strategies reflect a dual authorial position that simultaneously affirms participation in the Sacred Defense discourse and articulates a critical distance from it. This analysis demonstrates that Sacred Defense art cannot be reduced to a direct or homogeneous representation of war; rather, it constitutes a contested site in which official ideology, individual experience, and literary creativity intersect and negotiate meaning. Keywords: Sacred Defense genre, paratopia, Dominique Maingueneau, authorial autonomy, subversive narrative strategies, ideology and literature, discourse analysis Extended Abstract This study investigates the transformation of Iranian Sacred Defense literature and cinema over the past two decades through the theoretical lens of Dominique Maingueneau’s concept of “paratopia”, which describes the creator’s simultaneous belonging to and estrangement from dominant social discourses. Traditionally, Sacred Defense narratives—produced in the sociopolitical context of post-revolutionary Iran—functioned as ideological instruments reinforcing religious devotion, martyrdom, and national solidarity. They centered on battlefield heroism, collective sacrifice, and a divine worldview that aligned consistently with the state’s nationalist-religious discourse. However, more recent works in both literature and cinema have increasingly departed from these epic and propagandistic frameworks. Rather than depicting large-scale battlefronts, contemporary narratives relocate their protagonists to marginal, remote, or introspective spaces such as watchtowers, deserted trenches, mountain outposts, isolated villages, or enclosed civilian structures. This spatial contraction is accompanied by thematic introspection, humanistic questioning, and the emergence of fractured or ambiguous narrative voices. The present study argues that these transformations reflect not mere aesthetic experimentation but deeper discursive negotiations in which authors and filmmakers carve out zones of autonomy within and against dominant ideological structures. Maingueneau’s theory provides a productive conceptual framework for interpreting these shifts. According to him, the artist’s position is fundamentally paratopic: the creator must simultaneously operate within the social and institutional world that legitimizes their work and maintain a margin of separation necessary for artistic identity. This duality manifests in narrative structures, characters, and especially spatial formations that symbolize the creator’s tension between belonging and non-belonging. The study demonstrates that contemporary Sacred Defense works employ paratopic strategies—both spatial and narrative—to assert independence from ideological expectations while remaining intelligible to the cultural field from which they emerge. The careers of prominent filmmakers such as Ebrahim Hatamikia and writers like Habib Ahmedzädeh exemplify this dynamic. Hatamikia, the most significant director of the Sacred Defense genre, oscillates publicly between asserting institutional independence and affirming dependency on state organizations such as the IRGC. These contradictions, often interpreted journalistically as political opportunism, are reinterpreted by this study as manifestations of authorial paratopia: the filmmaker’s creative position emerges precisely from the tensions between autonomy and institutional support. Similarly, Ahmedzädeh embodies a liminal identity—socially, ideologically, and geographically—which informs both his aesthetic commitments and his critical distance from propagandistic war narratives. Though recognized as a prominent Sacred Defense figure, he engages deeply with literary modernism and absurdism and occasionally expresses an explicit desire to transcend national boundaries in his storytelling. The study further analyzes the role of the wandering narrator, a recurring figure in new wave war narratives whose unstable belonging mirrors the author’s paratopic position. In works such as “Chess with the Doomsday Machine”, narrators adopt first-person perspectives that blur the boundaries between fiction and memoir, allowing state publishers to assimilate them into the ideology of martyrdom. Yet their inner conflicts, doubts, and encounters with marginal characters reveal a deeper estrangement from wartime orthodoxy. The narrator’s forced separation from comrades, his interactions with a prostitute and an atheist engineer, and his reflections on deterministic creation challenge the metaphysical and heroic certainties central to older Sacred Defense discourse. Such characters—confessional, fractured, and self-critical—embody the author’s ambivalence toward the ideological foundations of the war narrative. Spatial analysis constitutes another major component of this study. Remote, elevated, or enclosed settings—watchtowers, mountain bases, deserted houses, and isolated villages—are interpreted as paratopic spaces where authors construct a symbolic vantage point apart from mainstream discourse. These spaces enable introspection, skepticism, and aesthetic experimentation. Cinematic examples such as “The Red Ribbon”, “The Queen”, and “Minoo Watch Tower” illustrate how elevated watch points become metaphors for authorial transcendence. In “The Queen”, the observer’s tower acts as a quasi-divine platform from which human lives are judged, spared, or condemned—a symbolic representation of the artist’s imagined godlike autonomy. Such imagery foregrounds the creator’s desire to rise above both the chaos of war and the ideological pressures shaping its representation. The study also examines subversive scenes in contemporary works, where moments of emotional collapse, humor, or humanistic recognition destabilize the ideological coherence of the Sacred Defense narrative. Films like “The Night Bus” portray Iranian and Iraqi soldiers as mirror images of one another, employing visual motifs such as contrasting blindfolds to emphasize shared vulnerability. Humorous disruptions—such as a buzzing fly undermining a violent command—function as paratopic ruptures that mock or dilute the authority of wartime discourse. Similarly, absurd or comic descriptions of martyrdom in literature desacralize death, challenging the heroic and spiritualized framing traditionally imposed on it. Marginal figures—villagers, nomads, gypsies, and transnational characters—also play a crucial symbolic role. Their presence evokes the writer’s longing for forms of life unbound by modern ideological systems, reflecting the artistic aspiration for independence. These characters often inhabit the literal margins of society and narrative, but they anchor the paratopic realm where authors negotiate their estranged position. Examples from “Suran-e Sard”, “The Last Seven Days”, and “Red Ribbon” illustrate how encounters with rural or nomadic communities create pockets of humanity and authenticity that stand apart from the polarized moral universe of war propaganda. Finally, the study analyzes literary allusions as a strategy through which authors align themselves with global artistic traditions rather than state-sponsored narratives. References to Beckett, the presence of books and poetry within war stories, and the depiction of writers or musicians as protagonists signal the creator’s affiliation with “pure art.” Scenes in “The Suspension Bridge”, “Red Ribbon”, and “The Queen” underscore the confrontation between artistic sensibility and ideological rigidity, often portraying literature and music as forces capable of disarming violence. In conclusion, the shift toward marginal spaces, fractured narrators, aesthetic self-reflexivity, and humanistic questioning in contemporary Sacred Defense literature and cinema reveals a broad paratopic movement in which creators negotiate ideological pressures while asserting artistic autonomy. These works represent neither outright opposition nor uncritical affirmation but a complex, liminal engagement that redefines the spatial, narrative, and ethical contours of Iranian war storytelling. Future research should examine how global cinematic techniques and post-classical war genres influence these transformations, and how Iranian artists continue to navigate the interplay between national discourse and international aesthetic trends. با گذشت مدتی از شکل‌گیری گفتمان دفاع مقدس در ادبیات و سینمای ایران، آثار متنوعی شکل گرفته‌اند که لزوماً هم‌سو با گفتمان رسمی دفاع مقدس نیستند. این آثار غالباً در فضاهایی غیرجنگی رخ می‌دهند، تعداد شخصیت‌هایشان محدود، و محیط داستانی بسته و مرتفع است. راوی اصلی نیز اغلب دیده‌بان یا سربازی تنهاست که موضعی متناقض یا دست‌کم غیرقابل‌پیش‌بینی نسبت به جنگ دارد. چنین ویژگی‌هایی نشان‌دهندۀ فاصله و تنوع رویکردها در گفتمان دفاع مقدس است و ضرورت بررسی جایگاه هنرمند و تمهیدهای خلاقانۀ او را برجسته می‌کند. براساس نظریۀ دومینیک منگنو، گفتمان ادبی موقعیتی ممتاز برای نویسنده فراهم می‌کند، اما نویسنده تنها زمانی می‌تواند این موقعیت را به‌درستی اشغال کند که یک مکان خاص و یکتای داستانی (پاراتوپی) برای خود بسازد. تحقق این هدف مستلزم بهره‌گیری از توانایی‌های پاراتوپیک شخصی و هم‌زمان، هماهنگی آن با محدودیت‌های نهاد ادبی و فرهنگی زمانه است. هنرمندی که خود را فراتر از گفتمان ایدئولوژیک می‌بیند، نمی‌تواند کاملاً از جامعه و عرف‌های آن جدا شود و ناچار به برقراری تعادل میان استقلال خلاقانه و محدودیت‌های اجتماعی است. در این چارچوب، خلق فضاهای خلوت در حاشیۀ جنگ، یا طراحی شخصیت‌هایی شاعرمسلک و متفاوت در نقش دیده‌بان، بازتاب جایگاه دوگانۀ هنرمند و تلاش او برای حفظ استقلال خلاقانه در چارچوب گفتمان دفاع مقدس است. این تحلیل نشان می‌دهد که هنر دفاع مقدس تنها روایت مستقیم جنگ نیست، بلکه میدان برخورد میان گفتمان رسمی، تجربۀ فردی هنرمند و خلاقیت ادبی اوست.

https://lcq.modares.ac.ir/article_28053_4df6cbc5729a0eda1d4aecbb08fbe9f9.pdf

دانشگاه تربیت مدرس فصلنامۀ نقد ادبی 2008-0360 18 72 2025 12 22 Examining the Hero's Journey Archetype in the film "Yek Tekke Nan" [A Loaf of Bread] Adopting Joseph Campbell's Approach بررسی کهن‌الگوی سفر قهرمان در فیلم «یک تکه نان» با رویکرد جوزف کمبل 244 283 27775 10.48311/lcq.2025.108583.0 FA مجید هوشنگی استادیار گروه زبان و ادبیات فارسی، دانشکده ادبیات، دانشگاه الزهرا، تهران، ایران فاطمه سلیمان بیکی کارشناسی ارشد رشته زبان و ادبیات فارسی، دانشکده ادبیات، دانشگاه الزهرا، تهران، ایران. Journal Article 2025 04 13 Archetypal criticism is a new approach to the field of literature and art that seeks to understand the underlying themes and data in the historical unconscious of poeple and subsequently the artist's mind as an active matter and has been formed in the relationships between the sciences of psychology, anthropology and art, centered on Jung's theories. Continuing this theory, Joseph Campbell (1904-1987), an American mythologist, believed that the collective human unconscious will result in the creation of a specific and unified pattern in the stories of nations, which goes beyond cultural and historical differences, etc. He called one of these patterns the archetype of the hero's journey, which the hero will complete their transcendental or descending movement in the path of their evolution, after passing through the three stages of invitation, initiation and return. On the other hand, the movie "Yek Tekke Nan" [A Loaf of Bread] is a narrative of the hero's journey, who, in his journey to a transcendent destination, reaches perfection and annihilation after going through several stages. Therefore, this research, using a descriptive-analytical method, rereads this narrative with the approach of the hero's journey and has reached the following conclusions: the hero, due to the mystical structure and the centrality of the category of annihilation in this epistemological field, leaves his physical journey unfinished and stops at the stage of return. On the other hand, the author of this narrative has not failed the four mystical journeys and has brought the hero to perfection in the physical aspect in the stage of initiation and in the dimension of the Journey to the Servants, he will form a kind of metamorphosis and embodiment in the hero of the story from Qais to Aziz khanum. In fact, Aziz khanum is the manifestation of the spiritual aspect of the hero who will complete the hero's journey in the stage of return. Introduction In mythological criticism, various approaches emerged after Jung, among which structural criticism is one of the most significant. Joseph Campbell, a scholar of ancient literature and world mythology, through identifying mythological narratives and understanding the process of the heros evolution throughout the narrative, concluded that essentially all mythological narratives share a coherent and similar pattern. Based on the various stages of this pattern, common actions, actualizations, and structural systems can be identified in many stories. Since the film Yek Tekkeh Nan, written by Mohammadreza Gohari and directed by Kamal Tabrizi, presents a kind of mystical journey in the form of the heros journey, it appears that the structure of this journey is highly aligned with Campbells mythological journey. This is because the element of journey is one of the common themes of epic and myth, and the travel narrative in this film can be examined and analyzed through the mythological approach of the heros journey, interpreting the degree of conformity and the significance of the absence of some of the seventeen stages. Theoretical Framework It should be noted that the pattern proposed by Campbell applies to mythological narratives centered on the heros journey; however, there is a kinship between mystical journeys and mythological journeys that allows the scope of this type of analysis to be extended to works with a mystical orientation as well. Campbell proposes three main stages for the heros journey: 1.Departure 2.Initiation 3.Return Data Analysis and Discussion 1. Departure The Call to Adventure: At this stage, the hand of destiny calls the hero to itself through a summons, shifting the heros center of gravity from the framework of society toward an unknown realm. In Yek Tekkeh Nan, the heros journey manifests through a dreamlike call, encountered by the young soldier in his dreams. According to Campbell, this call often appears in the form of a dream, intuition, or an inner impulse. In line with this perspective, the soldier dreams for three consecutive nights of a man who tells him to come to the Imamzadeh for pilgrimage. This stage of the heros call aligns with mystical impulses and attractions. Considering the films framing, the hero is shown between two hesitant figures, while his inner certainty and calmness indicate that he does not refuse the call. <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial\,sans-serif'; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: FA;"> Supernatural Aid: At this stage, a benevolent helper and protector offers reassurance and promises future peace and heavenly tranquility to the hero. Here, the young soldier goes to the river to fetch water and meets Molla Asali, who encourages him to speak of his destination and to begin the journey. Crossing the First Threshold: According to Campbell, With the appearance of the messengers of destiny to guide and help the hero, he steps onto the road of the journey.In this instance, the soldier is arrested for giving his boots to a shepherd, but due to the illness of other soldiers and the absence of anyone else to accompany the sergeant major, he strangely ends up traveling along this path with him. The Belly of the Whale: As previously mentioned, at this stage the hero enters the unknown realm and, in a sense, steps into the annihilation of the self. In Yek Tekkeh Nan, when both the sergeant major and Karbalai return under different pretexts and leave him alone, the young soldier, after reflection, sets off alone toward Barz-e Kuh. In effect, he begins his true journey. 2. Initiation The Road of Trials: At this stage, once the hero has crossed the threshold, he enters a dreamlike landscape of ambiguous and fluid forms, where he must undergo a series of trials. The overheating and puncturing of the vehicle serve as obstacles that prevent the soldiers easy journey as the storys hero, yet he continues on his path and walks alone toward the Imamzadeh. Meeting with the Goddess: The meeting with the Goddess (manifested in every woman) is the heros final test to attain the boon of love and compassion—nothing other than the enjoyment of life as a small example of eternity. In the story, the meeting with the old miller, as a symbol of spiritual beauty and tranquility, embodies one aspect of this boon of love and kindness. Through his grace, he aids the hero during the initiation stage and even in benefiting from the elixir of the return stage. Woman as Temptress: One of the demonic beings who stands in the heros path and seeks to deceive himappears in this film as the temptress woman, who reflects the heros own lower self. Atonement with the Father: Atonement (becoming one) refers to overcoming this dual monster that is born of the self. Based on this premise, when a motorcyclist drops the soldier off midway, after meeting the miller—who embodies the Goddess—the miller asks him, What do you see?The soldier answers, No one.The old man replies, No one is everyone,thereby making the continuation of the journey easier for him. This bond and unity with the companion, who represents the father figure and, in Campbells terms, an embodiment of God, realizes the dimension of atonement with the father. Apotheosis: To some extent, the soldiers strange and mystical prayer in the forest—during which all creatures seem to join him in harmony—can be considered an instance of passing through this stage. The Ultimate Boon: When the hero of the narrative reaches the final destination (the Imamzadeh), and spiritual attraction and tangible blessing appear symbolically in the form of bread and honey on a tray beside him, the hero, in Campbells terms, becomes the bearer of the boon, which leads to the renewal of life for the people and the community. 3. Return If we examine the heros journey through the character of Aziz Khanom, part of the return and its dimensions can be sought in her astonishment and discovery of spiritual truth. Refusal of the Return: Given the heros non-return from the Imamzadeh, his refusal of the return can be found in his state of spiritual attraction and astonishment at the shrine. At this stage, the heros physical aspect is suspended, and the return is delegated to Aziz Khanom as the manifestation of the hero toward the material world and the human realm. The Magic Flight: At this stage, if the hero, upon achieving victory, has the blessing of the Goddess or God behind him, he is clearly tasked with returning to the world with an elixir to revive his society, while all supernatural forces protect him. This elixir is precisely the miracle of preserving the Quran, which manifests in the heros secondary dimension—Aziz Khanom—as a gift and blessing of the Goddess and as the achievement of the heros journey into the supernatural realm. Crossing the Return Threshold: This stage represents the heros return to ordinary life and the acceptance of the ordinary world, emerging through the confrontation of two opposing realms. In the film, this return does not occur in the heros physical dimension but is entrusted to his second manifestation, Aziz Khanom, who returns from the transcendent world to its opposing realm. Master of Two Worlds: At this stage, the hero must be able to move between the natural and supernatural worlds without altering the rules of either. At the end, it is observed that Aziz Khanoms intuition, formed prior to the heros departure during her meeting with him, places her in a liminal movement between the natural world (temporal time) and the supernatural (timelessness). Freedom to Live: At this stage, the hero saves the people of the material world with an elixir in the form of love, knowledge, ethics, a great treasure, or an eternal potion and attains immortality. In this film, the elixir is Aziz Khanoms recitation of the Quran, which brings salvation both spiritually and materially, restoring blessing to the shopkeepers and the villagers. Conclusion Mystical narratives can be conceptualized on two broad levels: first, narratives in which the hero reaches the final stage and ultimate goal and experiences annihilation (such as the story of Simurgh), and second, narratives in which the hero returns to the destination after the mystical journey and, in the terminology of mystics, undertakes a journey from the Truth to creation. Yek Tekkeh Nan appears to be an intelligent combination of these two patterns. That is, the hero, in his masculine aspect, completes the path of spiritual wayfaring and reaches the station of union and annihilation, while the mission of the secondary pattern is entrusted to the female hero of the story, who assumes the role of guide and mentor to humanity. Thus, the deficiency in Campbells heros journey pattern and the rupture at the return stage actually correspond to the first pattern of mystical narratives. The completion of the heros journey cycle is achieved through the delegation and reflection of his existence and mission to the female hero (Aziz Khanom) as the manifestation of the primary hero. In effect, Yek Tekkeh Nan can be considered, from this perspective, a complete narrative in fulfilling the entire cycle of the journey—fully structured both in its mythological construction and its mystical pattern, without any missing link. The heros journey, in its physical and bodily form, concludes at the return stage, while spiritually, within a mystical attraction, it is delegated to the second heroic character of the narrative. نقد کهن‌الگویی نگرشی نوین به ساحت ادبیات و هنر است که به دنبال درک بن‌مایه‌ها و داده‌های مبنایی در ناخودآگاه تاریخی بشر و متعاقباً ذهن هنرمند به‌صورت امری فعال بوده و در روابطی میان دانش‌های روان‌شناسی، انسان‌شناسی و هنر، با محوریت نظریات یونگ شکل گرفته است. در ادامۀ این تئوری، جوزف کمبل (۱۹۰۴-۱۹۸۷م)، محقق اسطوره‌شناس آمریکایی، بر این باور بود که ناخودآگاه جمعی بشری، به خلق الگوی خاص و متحد در داستان‌های ملل منتج خواهد شد که این امر فراتر از اختلافات فرهنگی و تاریخی و ... است. او یکی از این الگوها را کهن‌الگوی سفر قهرمان نامید که قهرمان در مسیر تکامل خود، پس از عبور از سه مرحلۀ دعوت، تشرف و بازگشت، سیر حرکت متعالی یا هبوطی خود را کامل خواهد کرد. از سوی دیگر، فیلم «یک تکه نان» روایت سلوک قهرمانی است که در سفر خود به مقصدی متعالی، پس از طی مراحلی به مقام کمال و فنا می‌رسد. لذا این پژوهش با روشی توصیفی ـ تحلیلی این روایت را با رویکرد سفر قهرمان بازخوانی کرده و به این نتایج دست یافته است که قهرمان به‌خاطر ساختار عرفانی و محوریت مقوله فنا در این حوزۀ معرفتی، سفر فیزیکال خود را ناتمام رها کرده و در مرحلۀ بازگشت متوقف می‌شود. از سویی، مؤلف این روایت، سفر عرفانی چهارگانه را ناکام نگذاشته و قهرمان را در وجه فیزیکال در مرحلۀ تشرف به کمال رسانده و در بعد سیر الی العباد، نوعی دگردیسی و پیکرگردانی در قهرمان داستان از قیس به عزیز‌خانم شکل خواهد داد. درحقیقت عزیز‌خانم، نمود وجه معنوی قهرمان است که سفر قهرمان در مرحلۀ بازگشت را کامل خواهد کرد.

https://lcq.modares.ac.ir/article_27775_a0febca5873988859c6876f326d19f65.pdf

دانشگاه تربیت مدرس فصلنامۀ نقد ادبی 2008-0360 18 72 2025 12 22 Reinterpreting Lacanian Concepts in the Structure of Islamic Mysticism بازتعریف مفاهیم ژک لکان در ساختار عرفان 28054 10.48311/lcq.2026.108618.0 FA حسین طاهری دانشگاه شیراز 0000-0002-5412-3407 Journal Article 2025 08 24 This study undertakes a comparative exploration of Lacanian psychoanalysis and Islamic mystical experience, aiming to demonstrate how two seemingly divergent epistemic systems—despite their distinct ontological and linguistic foundations—nonetheless converge at the level of structural and experiential dynamics. The central problem is the relation between lack as the motor of desire in Lacan and poverty [faqr] as the horizon of the mystic path; a nexus where desire, jouissance, the objet petit a, the Big Other, and other Lacanian categories are reread through the lens of mystical notions such as longing, annihilation [fanāʾ], divine ruse [makr], and the ethics of spiritual discipline [adab]. The method employed is a homological reading of classical Sufi texts in the light of Lacanian vocabulary, avoiding both reductionism and mechanical equivalence, while allowing each discourse to illuminate the blind spots of the other. Findings indicate that Sharīʿa and the ethics of the ṭarīqa can be read as analogues of the “Name-of-the-Father” and the symbolic order; that infinite longing and burning desire parallel the function of the objet petit a; and that limit-experiences of annihilation and bewilderment mirror the disintegration of the divided subject in psychoanalysis. Mysticism thus foregrounds the teleological horizon of lack, whereas Lacan insists on its structural logic. The study concludes that the encounter between the two discourses not only enables a cross-disciplinary understanding, but also redefines the central categories of each within the horizon of contemporary theory. Extended Abstract Introduction This study aims to reinterpret key concepts of Jacques Lacan’s psychoanalytic theory within the framework of Islamic mysticism [ʿirfān], exploring the possibilities and limits of dialogue between two seemingly heterogeneous epistemic systems. Lacanian psychoanalysis, as a language-centered and immanent theoretical framework, is grounded in lack, subjective division, desire, and structural incompleteness. Islamic mysticism, particularly in its Sufi tradition, by contrast, articulates a spiritual path in which the subject moves from multiplicity to unity, from selfhood to annihilation [fanāʾ], and from lack toward the horizon of the Absolute. The central question of this article arises from this tension: Can Lacanian concepts be redefined in a way that renders them meaningful within a mystical horizon, without reducing one system to the other or erasing their fundamental ontological differences? The article argues that both Lacanian discourse and mystical language operate through a shared logic of “reference to absence”: psychoanalysis through signifiers, slippages, and discursive ruptures, and mysticism through paradox, symbolic speech, and ecstatic utterance [shaṭḥ]. This structural affinity allows for a functional, rather than ontological, comparative reading. Methodology The research adopts an analytical–interpretive and comparative approach, based on a parallel reading of Lacanian concepts alongside key notions in Islamic mysticism. Rather than translating one discourse into the vocabulary of the other, the study examines conceptual correspondences at the level of structure and function. Core Lacanian concepts—such as the unconscious structured like a language, the Imaginary, the Symbolic order, the Big Other, the Name-of-the-Father, the phallus, desire, fantasy, jouissance, the Real, transference, and repetition—are examined in relation to mystical concepts including sharīʿa, spiritual discipline [adab], remembrance [dhikr], divine Names, imagination, veils, longing, intoxication [sukr], annihilation, ecstatic speech, and the master–disciple relationship. A guiding methodological principle is the distinction between formal homology and ontological heterogeneity. Similarities are analysed as structural correspondences, not as claims of metaphysical equivalence, thus avoiding reductionism or forced identification. Discussion and Findings At the theoretical level, the article shows that Lacan’s thesis of “the unconscious structured like a language” can be reread in mysticism as the mediation of truth through a sacred signifying order—scripture, divine Names, and ritualized remembrance. Just as the Lacanian subject emerges within a network of signifiers, the mystical subject is formed within a symbolic economy governed by Names, rites, and discursive discipline. The mirror stage and the Imaginary find resonance in the mystical domain of imagination [ʿālam al-khayāl], which likewise functions as a realm of images that both reveal and veil truth. The Symbolic order, the Big Other, and the Name-of-the-Father—understood as the network of law regulating desire—correspond structurally to sharīʿa, spiritual etiquette, and the system of divine Names in mysticism. In this context, Lacan’s “point de capiton” [quilting point] can be read alongside spiritual lineage, initiation [beyʿat], and named rituals, all of which stabilize meaning within a chain of signification. Desire in both systems is organized around lack; fantasy, as the screen structuring desire, appears in mysticism as veils and imaginal forms. Jouissance—excessive pleasure-pain beyond the pleasure principle—finds a structural counterpart in states of intoxication, ecstasy, and annihilation, which destabilize symbolic coherence. The Lacanian Real, as the traumatic and unsymbolizable, is reread in mysticism as overwhelming divine manifestation [tajallī qahrī], both marking the limits of language, though one operates within a negative logic of impossibility and the other within a logic of sacred disclosure. The findings demonstrate that many Lacanian concepts are structurally translatable into a mystical framework. Ecstatic utterances [shaṭḥiyyāt] function simultaneously as signs of encounter with the unsymbolizable and as attempts to symbolically register extreme experience. Lacanian transference—love grounded in the presupposition of knowledge in the Other—corresponds to the master–disciple relationship in Sufism. Linguistic slips in psychoanalysis can be read alongside ecstatic speech as signifying events that expose a rupture in discourse. The divided subject of Lacanian theory resonates with the mystical distinction between ego and spirit, with the crucial difference that psychoanalysis insists on the permanence of lack, while mysticism emphasizes movement within lack toward moments of annihilation and subsistence [fanāʾ and baqā’]. Repetition and the death drive, understood as compulsive return to impossibility, find a parallel in disciplined repetition of remembrance and the prophetic injunction “Die before you die.” Conclusion The study concludes that the relationship between Lacanian psychoanalysis and Islamic mysticism is best understood as one of formal homology rather than ontological identity. The Big Other, as an empty structural position guaranteeing meaning, can be functionally compared—but not equated—to the Absolute as plenitude of being. The phallus as a signifier of lack is not identical with the divine Names as modes of manifestation, and the Real as negative impossibility is not synonymous with divine disclosure. Nevertheless, this comparative encounter allows each discourse to illuminate the blind spots of the other. Mysticism introduces a positive teleology of lack—where lack becomes both deficiency and a path of transformation—as well as an ethical containment of jouissance. Psychoanalysis, in turn, warns against the fetishization of images and Others, emphasizing the necessity of traversing fantasy. By maintaining a clear distinction between horizons, the article proposes a critical and productive framework for redefining Lacanian concepts within a mystical structure without collapsing their fundamental differences. این پژوهش به واکاوی تطبیقی مفاهیم بنیادین روان‌کاوی ژک لکان و تجربه‌های عرفانی در سنت اسلامی می‌پردازد و می‌کوشد نشان ‌دهد که چگونه دو دستگاه معرفتی به‌رغم تفاوت‌های هستی‌شناختی و زبان‌شناختی، در سطح ساختارهای دلالتی و تجربی هم‌پوشانی‌ها و توازی‌هایی می‌یابند. مسئلۀ محوری مقاله بر فقدان به‌مثابۀ نیروی میل در روان‌کاوی و فقر به‌مثابۀ افق سالک در عرفان متمرکز است؛ جایی که میل، ژوئیسانس، ابژۀ کوچک، دیگری بزرگ و سایر مفاهیم لکانی در آینه‌ای تطبیقی با مقولات شوق، فنا، ذکر، سکر، مکر و ادب سلوک بازخوانی می‌شوند. روش کار، خوانش هم‌کنارانۀ مفاهیم سنتی صوفیانه درپرتو واژگان لکان است، به‌نحوی که نه مفاهیم تقلیل یابند و نه هم‌ارزی مکانیکی تحمیل شود، بلکه هر دستگاه در نسبت‌با دیگری محدودیت‌ها و کوری‌های خویش را آشکار کند. یافته‌ها نشان‌ می‌دهد که شریعت و ادب طریقت را می‌توان معادل کارکرد «نامِ پدر» و «امر نمادین» دانست؛ اشتیاق بی‌پایان و سوز عاشقانه درقالب یار پنهان، کارکردی مشابه با ابژۀ کوچک دارد و تجربه‌های حدی فنا و حیرت با برهم‌ خوردن انسجام سوژۀ منقسم در روان‌کاوی هم‌ارز‌ند. به این اعتبار، عرفان افق تلئولوژیک فقدان را برجسته ‌می‌کند، درحالی ‌که لکان بر منطق ساختاری آن صحه می‌گذارد. نتیجۀ مقاله آن است که رویارویی میان این دو دستگاه، هم فهم متقابل را میسر می‌کند و هم به بازتعریف مفاهیم مرکزی هریک در افق گفتمان معاصر یاری می‌رساند.

https://lcq.modares.ac.ir/article_28054_761067fbba1d6ef159173bfb8109abc2.pdf