Contemporary Persian Literature

Opposition to Power through the Discourse of Folk Culture and Folklore in Ahmad Shamlou's Poetry

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Mohsen Abbasi 1
abdolali oveisi kahkha 2
Abdollah Vaceghabbasi 3

1 PhD student in the field of Persian language and literature, University of Sistan and Baluchestan

2 Associate Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature at University of Sistan and Baluchestan

3 Associate professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature , University of Sistan and Baluchestan ,

10.30465/copl.2025.49332.4167
Abstract
The collection of legends, folk ballads, folklore, beliefs, ideas, tales, customs, songs, and the early arts of a nation is called “folklore”. Alongside official literature, which is crafted and endorsed by those in power and is aligned with various structures of “authority”, “folk literature” does not originate from official sources within society and no “authority” plays a role in its creation and continuation. This research examines the “anti-authoritarian” discourses within folk literature and analyzes how folk literature, by distancing itself from sources of power and authoritarianism, strives to limit and oppose manifestations of authoritarianism. It also explores the tools and strategies used in this endeavor. Rarely has literature and literary works been devoid of anti-authoritarian concerns, but from the early 1940s to the late 1970s, influenced by socio-economic changes and the teachings of political parties, and based on the prevailing political-philosophical trends in the contemporary world, a type of combative literature emerged in Iran. This literature made the struggle against despotism and colonialism the main theme of the prevailing culture, and in the interactive relationship between literature and society, militancy and revolutionary spirit gained theoretical and practical authenticity. Influenced by this environment, where power and authoritarianism were subjected to criticism and challenge, Ahmad Shamlou, with his special interest in folk culture and literature, succeeded in creating a type of folk literature, one of the achievements of which was “opposing and limiting power and authoritarianism” using the language and capabilities of folk literature.

Keywords

Opposition to power
anti-authoritarian discourses
folk literature
Ahmad Shamlou
Subjects
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Contemporary Persian Literature
Volume 15, Issue 1
August 2025
Pages 109-139

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