Literary Studies

The historical backgrounds of this "Nohe" (religious chanting" is the scene of Karbal. However, the scene of Karbal is installed within a new historical context in which a dissenting voice is raising his dissidence against the dominant ideology. In other words, the poem that is chanted is a re-narration of the history positioned in a new historical context. This being the case, the poem is shaped with catchy words of the last presidential election.

Brannigan in his book New Historicism and Cultural Materialism brings about the characteristics of cultural materialism as a way of reading: “First, the literature at particular moments offer a dissident perspective and, second, that the potential for either dominance or dissidence in a text will be shaped by history and will change according to the historical context in which the text is read” (1998, pp. 169 170).

As the presidency of Khatami was reaching the end of the line, the dress code of women representations in cinema were pushed backed by filmmakers and women were freed from the confines of their stationary filmic roles. Actresses were portrayed in the form of physically active women and their mobilities were mostly shown while they were driving cars. In Milani’s The Fifth Reaction, we are facing a group of housewives aspiring to have active narrative roles while Niki Karimi is the only one succeeding in standing up to the hegemony of patriarchal society. Niki Karimi's endless escaping from Haji Safdar without any eventual closure, may best represent a state of deadlock in a society in which women are pushed by modernity but faced with tradition.

By the way, try to watch this series if you haven't yet, I'll try to get there after some other notes.

After 1998, women's visibility increased in the society and consequently, a new trajectory was taken by the female heroines in the Iranian Cinema. From the role of a victim, they jostled for a stronger position. This more aggressive image of women is best portrayed in Ghermez produced in the following year in which a wife kills her husband. As it appears in the poster of the film, the first signs of women rejecting the dominant ideology of women is manifested in this film by the violent character of Hedieh Tehrani.

One of the reworking of Ibsen's A Doll’s House in a cinematic form is created in Mehrjui's Sara in 1993. As a landmark of Mehrjui's career, Sara, played by Niki Karimi, shows a middle-class woman suffering from social circumstances but succeeding in breaking the femme fatal image of women formed in previous decade. Mehrjui in his Iranian version of A Doll’s House, brings about a transition for women from being a mere housewife to an independent woman.

There appeared a distinctly eerie atmosphere in yesterday's soccer match between Germany and Denmark. Seemingly Danish people beseeched Thor to help them with his thunderbolt. Unlike Greek people, they can have their gods on earth for conducts other than their pleasure.

Dear all Really sorry that I haven't responded to your queries, I'll get to them tonight, I was away from the city and your papers😉 Best

"Each day many people claim to be the viper of Tehran" As a severe critic who is dealing with childhood traumas, it is acceptable to criticize his society harshly but being a colonial mind too, he finds no way just to take action and eliminates people. Because he thinks, his society is far behind an ideal one and is almost incorrigible. For him, the ideal city is unreachable unless he violently eliminates the flawed people. As such, it is no wonder that the main character talks about making a second film (second part of his life) by actually doing it when taking a trip to an island which is not almost like the whole country. It seems, after succeeding the act of killing many people, he has finally reached his ideal imaginary place. Nevertheless, not to forget that many people each day claim to be the viper of Tehran means many people each day think of such violent acts toward any type of flawed behavior. In this regard, the colonial minds may at best bring violence for their society.

Children's literature! Kindly let me know which class is empty so we can have our session there, thanks alot.