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The interpretation and comprehension of a literary work based on sociological theories usually requires an eclectic approach. Such an approach unveils different aspects of a literary work and at the same time examines the validity of the theories. This article is a structural, semiological, and hermeneutical approach towards “Giyahi dar gharantineh” from the collection of short stories, Yozpalangani ke ba man davideh-and,[1] by Bijan Najdi based on the theory of ideology and power discourse. First, we determined the metatextual and textual signs and then all the signs were interpreted in the web of textual signification. Finally, the meaning-making codes were recognized according to the theory of ideology–in Marx, Althusser, and Žižek–and power discourse in Foucault. The overall aim of the article, apart from recognizing the intertextual aspects and narrative structures, decoding the textual signs, and understanding the hidden textual structure of the story, is to determine the macro-metaphor which can function as a common nucleus for all the stories. The tenors of this metaphor are the dominance of ideology and the illusion of identity.
[1] The Leopards who have Run with Me

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Nowadays different discourses compete to have the most influence on the people’s minds to change into the power discourse. The present article shows how power and counter- power metaphors are made and used. To this end,  in a corpus type of study, 600 articles of two parties - conservatives (Osool- garayan) and reformists  ( Eslah –talaban) - during their counter- power and power period were chosen. The metaphors were extracted and analyzed using a critical- cognitive approach in a descriptive – analytic method, according to Chartris – Black 2004 and Hart and Lukes (2007). The results show that the hegemonic discourse uses media to manipulate the personal and social sources of knowledge as well as choosing metaphors and forming the mental concepts and giving the related information. In this way they reform the cognition and experiential latitudes. They reconstruct new metaphors using ideology, culture and history to legitimate the counter- power discourse and delegitimize the power discourse in order to convince. Media repeat the desired metaphors and construct people’s concepts and finally beliefs. If a discourse has legitimacy, the counter- power discourse uses its words and metaphors. According to the findings of the research the metaphorical schemas of some concepts such as government, election, power etc. are used completely different in these two discourses and delegitimize each other.
 

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The agency of literature is one of the keywords of New Historicism. New historicists believe that literature is not simply a product of history; it actively makes history. History, power discourses, marginalized parts of society, and the mutual relationship between literature and culture are central concerns in new historicism. Both Ferdowsi and Shakespeare, although from two diverse cultures and six centuries apart from each other, their works share similar characteristics seen from a historical and literary perspective. Ferdowsi was contemporary with the Sāmānids age of reviving the Persian language and culture after a long period of repression. Shakespeare also lived during the Renaissance age of change in beliefs, views, and worldviews. In addition, challenging the dominant discourses of power and cultural clichés, they created new outlooks towards women in their respective culture. Women who were so far voiceless and marginalized during the times, now get an active presence in their works. The passive, silent Persian woman, kept marginalized for centuries, has an active role and presence in the Shahnameh. Silent and obedient women considered sinful during Shakespeare’s era, have a voice and dynamic presence in his plays. This study tries to depict women’s dynamic personalities both in their contemporary societies and selected literary works. By examining the dominant discourses regarding women, reading their contemporary texts, and analyzing the role of women in their literary works, it is found that both writers in the selected works had different viewpoints towards women compared to the dominant discourses of their time.