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Volume 13, Issue 63 (July & August 2025)
Abstract
Abstract
Grotesque, which is referred to as mixed humor, is an artistic and literary style that challenges conventional norms and expectations and shifts many boundaries. Today, this style has gained importance because it tries to establish a connection between many fields such as art, literature, religion and social issues, and because it includes elements such as exaggeration, riddles, humor and combinations of human and animal forms, it can have obvious manifestations in Iranian folk tales and legends. Reflecting on grotesque interpretations can familiarize us with fundamental interpretations of legends that are naturally present in our minds, and analyzing the underlying layers of content and talking about them will lead to a more conscious understanding and a more attractive perspective of these original cultural sources. Therefore, this research uses qualitative thematic analysis to express and explain some of the actions, characters, and characteristics of Iranian legends that are similar to grotesque themes. The results of this research indicate that grotesque, especially in the context of Iranian folk literature, is present in various forms and can be an effective tool for social and cultural criticism. Some of these similarities arise from the common ideas of the human mind all over the world and the way they are processed is appropriate to the cultural characteristics of different lands. Emphasizing this important point that what is known as grotesque in the world today has had a colorful presence in Iranian popular literature for centuries.
Keywords: Iranian legends, popular literature, grotesque, bitter humor, cultural and social criticism.
Introduction
Research background
In recent years, Iranian researchers have paid attention to grotesque in various fields. But the research that is the intersection of grotesque and Haft Peykar is the article by Shirzad Taifi and Somayeh Ghorbanpour Delivand titled "Recognition and Analysis of Grotesque Manifestations in Haft Peykar Stories". Based on the findings of this research, in Haft Peykar stories, some physical and mental issues that are repressed from human life, along with its ugliness and filthiness, are depicted in a complex, surprising, contradictory, and unexpected way.
Research method, questions, and objectives
This research uses qualitative research and thematic analysis. The research questions are:
1. How grotesque manifestations are reflected in Iranian legends?
2. What functions do they have in conveying the deeper meanings of Iranian legends?
3. How do grotesque elements contribute to the social and cultural criticism of Iranian society?
The objectives of the research are to analyze and identify the manifestations of the grotesque in Iranian legends, to examine the social and cognitive functions of the grotesque in Iranian popular literature, and to discover and analyze the semantic and cultural layers present in grotesque stories and to create a space for reflection on their social and cultural impacts.
Main discussion
The most frequent components of the grotesque in Iranian legends are:
1. Unreasonable and extraordinary actions: Unreasonable actions are among the most frequent actions in Iranian legends that are abundantly seen in grotesque themes and works. The unconventional and extraordinary birth of many heroes in Iranian legends represents a common and meaningful concept in the grotesque, whose presence in legends is accompanied by mythological and ritual secrets. In the legend culture of the Iranian people, there are a large number of stories that narrate the birth of a hero with amazing characteristics. Including the stories of the smiling flower 1, 2 and 3 (Darvishian and Khandan, 2005, vol. 12, pp. 305 -346).
2. Extraordinary and strange elements and narratives: Fairy tales are often characterized by their extraordinary and larger elements that allow for the inclusion of strange and unconventional actions. The talking goldfish, the magic tree, the talking fountain and many other strange elements and narratives, the first feature of which is the entertainment aspect and the stimulation of imagination and dreams, have always been attractive to humans. Fairy tales often use grotesque elements to convey moral teachings and understand ontological truths, explore fears, wishes, ideals and other cultural elements. In the collection of fairy tales of Azerbaijan (Behrangi & Tabrizi, 2008, p. 67), the newborn speaks to neutralize the conspiracy of the system of domination and the discourse of the ruling power.
3. Grotesque places and legends: Grotesque places, such as cemeteries, wells, caves, ruins, deserts, and underground living spaces, have a significant presence in Iranian legends, which, on the one hand, represents the mythical aspect and the connection of legends with the basic concepts hidden in myth, and on the other hand, narrates the themes in question in grotesque narratives, which have sociological and psychological functions. “The word grotesque entered the language with the discovery of unusual images in the underground corridors of the Pool of Titus and the ruins of Nero’s Palace. The first word to adopt this common usage was grotesque. Geoffrey Harpham concludes that grotto means cave or crypt, which is derived from the word for underground. In this way, grotesque indicates the secrets hidden deep in the earth.” (Adams and Yates, 2015, pp. 25-26). In the three stories of the Laughing Flower, the presence of a ruin where a woman gives birth is a common place in grotesque stories (see Darvishian and Khandan, 2005, Vol. 12, pp. 305-346).
4. Grotesque feminism and challenging social norms: In Iranian legends, many beautiful girls are captured in wells, caves, dark rooms without windows, and secret places by the court or even their parents. Many of these closed and dark places, which must eventually be opened by the activism of a prince in love, show the power structures of patriarchal discourse in society, which can be explained by the theme of grotesque and feminism. In some legends, most of the black and ugly girls are servants and maids or in jealous and evil activism, and ultimately, as a punishment for their misdeeds, they are mostly tied to the tail of a mule and released into the plain and desert.
5. Morphology: Morphology, which is a frequent and prominent feature of Iranian legends, is present in the representation of grotesque forms in the form of composite or fantastic creatures with strange appearances, noting that with the explanation that in morphing, a change of shape occurs, but in grotesque, the appearance of a strange and unusual creature is not necessarily due to change or metamorphosis. It should be noted that the transformation and metamorphosis of humans into plants and animals in fairy tales can be interpreted with other actions of the story. Girls who are often transformed into fruits, flower bushes, deer or trees are among the most frequent examples of fairy tales, which, if each of them is studied and analyzed in the context of the story, will convey obvious and hidden messages. The relationship between grotesque and transformation into plants and animals, from the perspective of sociology and psychology, can be considered as a reflection of human anxieties and fears of the unknown and uncontrollable factors.
6. Grotesque characters in Iranian fairy tales: Grotesque characters in literature and art often act as symbols of contradictions and exaggerations. These characters usually oscillate between reality and fantasy and can represent the ridiculous, dark and unusual aspects of human life. They are usually known for exaggerating their behaviors, emotions or physical characteristics. This exaggeration can be used for the purpose of social criticism or satire.
Conclusion
The findings of this study show that grotesque as a literary and artistic style is clearly visible in Iranian legends and as a modern artistic technique it shows some of the complexities of human behavior and experiences in stories. Grotesque manifestations in Iranian legends often appear in the form of unreasonable actions, fantastic elements and playing with reality and behind the narrative and visual appeals, they help to analyze and criticize social norms and structures. Therefore, grotesque, as a means of cultural expression, can examine fears, desires, and social norms and invite the audience to reflect on human and existential issues. This study also showed that Iranian fairy tales, from the perspective of grotesque feminism, have the power to criticize and invert social and gender norms. Female characters, often as symbols of the discourse of power in patriarchal society, sometimes express the sufferings that women face with their unreasonable and abnormal actions. The presence of disgusting elements based on horror and humor, which are characteristics of grotesque and are abundant in stories, provides a deeper analysis of ignorance and superstition in the depths of the individual and society. Inconsistencies and unreasonable actions allow the audience to think about their cognitive and social undercurrents and sometimes to reconsider their individual and social beliefs and behaviors.
Grotesque, which is referred to as mixed humor, is an artistic and literary style that challenges conventional norms and expectations and shifts many boundaries. Today, this style has gained importance because it tries to establish a connection between many fields such as art, literature, religion and social issues, and because it includes elements such as exaggeration, riddles, humor and combinations of human and animal forms, it can have obvious manifestations in Iranian folk tales and legends. Reflecting on grotesque interpretations can familiarize us with fundamental interpretations of legends that are naturally present in our minds, and analyzing the underlying layers of content and talking about them will lead to a more conscious understanding and a more attractive perspective of these original cultural sources. Therefore, this research uses qualitative thematic analysis to express and explain some of the actions, characters, and characteristics of Iranian legends that are similar to grotesque themes. The results of this research indicate that grotesque, especially in the context of Iranian folk literature, is present in various forms and can be an effective tool for social and cultural criticism. Some of these similarities arise from the common ideas of the human mind all over the world and the way they are processed is appropriate to the cultural characteristics of different lands. Emphasizing this important point that what is known as grotesque in the world today has had a colorful presence in Iranian popular literature for centuries.
Keywords: Iranian legends, popular literature, grotesque, bitter humor, cultural and social criticism.
Introduction
Research background
In recent years, Iranian researchers have paid attention to grotesque in various fields. But the research that is the intersection of grotesque and Haft Peykar is the article by Shirzad Taifi and Somayeh Ghorbanpour Delivand titled "Recognition and Analysis of Grotesque Manifestations in Haft Peykar Stories". Based on the findings of this research, in Haft Peykar stories, some physical and mental issues that are repressed from human life, along with its ugliness and filthiness, are depicted in a complex, surprising, contradictory, and unexpected way.
Research method, questions, and objectives
This research uses qualitative research and thematic analysis. The research questions are:
1. How grotesque manifestations are reflected in Iranian legends?
2. What functions do they have in conveying the deeper meanings of Iranian legends?
3. How do grotesque elements contribute to the social and cultural criticism of Iranian society?
The objectives of the research are to analyze and identify the manifestations of the grotesque in Iranian legends, to examine the social and cognitive functions of the grotesque in Iranian popular literature, and to discover and analyze the semantic and cultural layers present in grotesque stories and to create a space for reflection on their social and cultural impacts.
Main discussion
The most frequent components of the grotesque in Iranian legends are:
1. Unreasonable and extraordinary actions: Unreasonable actions are among the most frequent actions in Iranian legends that are abundantly seen in grotesque themes and works. The unconventional and extraordinary birth of many heroes in Iranian legends represents a common and meaningful concept in the grotesque, whose presence in legends is accompanied by mythological and ritual secrets. In the legend culture of the Iranian people, there are a large number of stories that narrate the birth of a hero with amazing characteristics. Including the stories of the smiling flower 1, 2 and 3 (Darvishian and Khandan, 2005, vol. 12, pp. 305 -346).
2. Extraordinary and strange elements and narratives: Fairy tales are often characterized by their extraordinary and larger elements that allow for the inclusion of strange and unconventional actions. The talking goldfish, the magic tree, the talking fountain and many other strange elements and narratives, the first feature of which is the entertainment aspect and the stimulation of imagination and dreams, have always been attractive to humans. Fairy tales often use grotesque elements to convey moral teachings and understand ontological truths, explore fears, wishes, ideals and other cultural elements. In the collection of fairy tales of Azerbaijan (Behrangi & Tabrizi, 2008, p. 67), the newborn speaks to neutralize the conspiracy of the system of domination and the discourse of the ruling power.
3. Grotesque places and legends: Grotesque places, such as cemeteries, wells, caves, ruins, deserts, and underground living spaces, have a significant presence in Iranian legends, which, on the one hand, represents the mythical aspect and the connection of legends with the basic concepts hidden in myth, and on the other hand, narrates the themes in question in grotesque narratives, which have sociological and psychological functions. “The word grotesque entered the language with the discovery of unusual images in the underground corridors of the Pool of Titus and the ruins of Nero’s Palace. The first word to adopt this common usage was grotesque. Geoffrey Harpham concludes that grotto means cave or crypt, which is derived from the word for underground. In this way, grotesque indicates the secrets hidden deep in the earth.” (Adams and Yates, 2015, pp. 25-26). In the three stories of the Laughing Flower, the presence of a ruin where a woman gives birth is a common place in grotesque stories (see Darvishian and Khandan, 2005, Vol. 12, pp. 305-346).
4. Grotesque feminism and challenging social norms: In Iranian legends, many beautiful girls are captured in wells, caves, dark rooms without windows, and secret places by the court or even their parents. Many of these closed and dark places, which must eventually be opened by the activism of a prince in love, show the power structures of patriarchal discourse in society, which can be explained by the theme of grotesque and feminism. In some legends, most of the black and ugly girls are servants and maids or in jealous and evil activism, and ultimately, as a punishment for their misdeeds, they are mostly tied to the tail of a mule and released into the plain and desert.
5. Morphology: Morphology, which is a frequent and prominent feature of Iranian legends, is present in the representation of grotesque forms in the form of composite or fantastic creatures with strange appearances, noting that with the explanation that in morphing, a change of shape occurs, but in grotesque, the appearance of a strange and unusual creature is not necessarily due to change or metamorphosis. It should be noted that the transformation and metamorphosis of humans into plants and animals in fairy tales can be interpreted with other actions of the story. Girls who are often transformed into fruits, flower bushes, deer or trees are among the most frequent examples of fairy tales, which, if each of them is studied and analyzed in the context of the story, will convey obvious and hidden messages. The relationship between grotesque and transformation into plants and animals, from the perspective of sociology and psychology, can be considered as a reflection of human anxieties and fears of the unknown and uncontrollable factors.
6. Grotesque characters in Iranian fairy tales: Grotesque characters in literature and art often act as symbols of contradictions and exaggerations. These characters usually oscillate between reality and fantasy and can represent the ridiculous, dark and unusual aspects of human life. They are usually known for exaggerating their behaviors, emotions or physical characteristics. This exaggeration can be used for the purpose of social criticism or satire.
Conclusion
The findings of this study show that grotesque as a literary and artistic style is clearly visible in Iranian legends and as a modern artistic technique it shows some of the complexities of human behavior and experiences in stories. Grotesque manifestations in Iranian legends often appear in the form of unreasonable actions, fantastic elements and playing with reality and behind the narrative and visual appeals, they help to analyze and criticize social norms and structures. Therefore, grotesque, as a means of cultural expression, can examine fears, desires, and social norms and invite the audience to reflect on human and existential issues. This study also showed that Iranian fairy tales, from the perspective of grotesque feminism, have the power to criticize and invert social and gender norms. Female characters, often as symbols of the discourse of power in patriarchal society, sometimes express the sufferings that women face with their unreasonable and abnormal actions. The presence of disgusting elements based on horror and humor, which are characteristics of grotesque and are abundant in stories, provides a deeper analysis of ignorance and superstition in the depths of the individual and society. Inconsistencies and unreasonable actions allow the audience to think about their cognitive and social undercurrents and sometimes to reconsider their individual and social beliefs and behaviors.
Mehdi Loni, Parviz Eghbali, Farideh Davoudimoghadam,
Volume 15, Issue 58 (Summer 2022)
Volume 15, Issue 58 (Summer 2022)
Abstract
One of the key motifs in Shahnameh is the struggle between evil and good. Motifs serve a unique and essential role in the text’s visual and narrative networks because of their distinctive repeating feature and characterization. As a result, they assist in enhancing the text’s semantic layers. In Shahnameh and epic literature, the struggle between evil and good permeates human social interactions and appears as motifs in heroic and epic stories. Motifs are used by the painter to create visuals throughout the text visualization process, and visual elements are placed in the composition in line with the motifs employed in the literary text and take on the function of symbols and signs. This study examined the roles that literary motifs play in the visualization of an epic narrative and in shaping the visual narrative. The main research question was: What functions do the literary motifs from Rostam’s Seventh Labor play in rendering paintings and transforming the text of Shahnameh into a visual text, and what techniques does the painter employ to visualize such motifs. A descriptive-analytical methodology was used in this qualitative study. A desk study was used to collect the data. The results showed that the motifs of the text are represented in the visual symbols and signs of the paintings. Paintings can be composed and planned utilizing these aspects in accordance with the priority of motifs employed in the literary narrative thanks to this visual translation from the literary text.
Extended Abstract
Recurring and salient in pictorial and narrative networks of the text, motifs have a prominent and fundamental role in literature. They foreground the literary text, adding layers of meaning. Good versus evil is a major motif in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh where the struggle eventually surfaces in humans and social life, manifested in the form of heroic stories and epics. The battle of Rostam and Div-e Sepid (the White Demon) is one of Shahnameh’s stories illustrated frequently in the miniatures of different periods, spotlighting the importance of its illustration. The general theme of the “Haftkhān” (known in English as the “Seven Labours of Rostam”) is the hero (good) saving Iran and the king from the demon (evil) and ultimately, his victory over evil after undertaking seven difficult tasks. The major motifs in the literary text used in this narrative network include real human characters (hero or good or Rostam), real-bestial characters (Rakhsh), mythical-legendary elements (evil force or Div-e Sepid), events encompassing the main actions in the story (slaying Div-e Sepid, overcoming evil, and dropping the blood of the demon’s liver in Kay Kavus’s eyes to restore his sight), symbolic objects (the blood of the demon’s liver), natural elements (black cave), unusual incidents (the seven labours). In the process of illustration, the miniaturist uses motifs to produce the images. Therefore, pictorial elements become symbols when they are placed in the composition according to the motifs. The contribution of literary motifs to shape the pictorial narrative in the illustration of an epic was a central discussion in this article. This study attempted to answer the following main questions: What is the role of literary motifs of the “Haftkhān” in the illustrated miniatures of the story and the process of turning the text of Shahnameh into pictorial text? What techniques have miniaturists used to manifest these motifs in the illustrations?
Bound and free motifs, which form the narrative network of the text, were extracted and compared with the illustrated versions of the stories in miniatures. The purpose of this study was analysing the place of the literary motifs of the “Seven Labours of Rostam” in the formation of illustrated miniatures of this story. In this qualitative descriptive-analytical study, the data were collected through documentary and library research.
The results showed that pictorial signs and symbols in the miniatures appear in congruence with the manifestation of the motifs in the text. Such an illustrated translation of the literary text has led miniaturists to utilize motifs used in the plot based on their priority in the composition and framing of their works.
Volume 20, Issue 79 (4-2023)
Abstract
This research aims to analyze these themes in the poetry of women in this field through a descriptive-analytical method. The selection of women's poetry is to show some female perspectives in the use of motifs, the frequency of their use and the character of their flow in the field of sacred defense. The results of the research indicate a very surprising effect of the value concepts of sacred defense and its important elements and events on the minds of poets and their manifestation in the form of themes that show the intellectual dimensions and feelings and emotions of passionate and thoughtful women. It is also understood from the results of this research that in the poems of this type, there are themes that are unique to the holy defense and due to the frequency of use, real narration, historical identification, archetypal depth and symbolic function. It will remain forever in Persian literature.
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