Shakespeare's Contemporary Resonance in Iran: Historical Context and Contemporary Representation

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor of,English Language and Literatur, Department of English Language and Literature, Kharazmi University, Karaj, Iran(corresponding author)

2 Ph.D. Candidate in English Language and Literature, Department of English Language and Literature, Kharazmi University, Karaj, Iran

Abstract

This article examines the reception and interpretation of Shakespeare’s works in modern-day Iran, beginning with an overview of the Qajar Dynasty (1789–1925) and focusing on Post-Revolutionary Iran. The study aims to illuminate an often-overlooked aspect: a significant shift in attitudes toward Shakespeare’s plays between pre- and post-Revolutionary Iran, shaped by the dominant policies and ideologies of each era. Prior to the 1979 Iranian Revolution, adaptations of Shakespearean works such as Macbeth and Hamlet demonstrated discernible political orientations. In contrast, post-Revolution adaptations, including Tardid and Mortal Wound, adopted a more sophisticated moralistic perspective. This transformation extended not only to thematic content but also to the medium of adaptation. During the pre-Revolution period, Shakespeare’s plays were primarily translated into dramatic performances. However, the post-Revolutionary era saw a shift toward visual adaptations, including cinematic productions and home-video renditions. The contrast between these periods offers insights into Iran’s contemporary outlook, revealing the interplay between historical power structures and the reception of Shakespeare’s works. This study highlights the extent to which prevailing systems of authority shape the acceptance and adaptation of cultural expressions across distinct historical contexts.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Abrahamian, Ervand. (2021). Iran Between Two Revolutions. United States: Princeton University Press. “Books and Press Censorship in Pahlavi II”. (2018). Etemad, 21 February. 2024. https://www.etemadonline.com/ 7/239420
Bozorgmehr, Shirin. (2000). The Influence of Translation of Dramatic Texts on Theater in Iran. Tehran: Tabyan Publications. 
Brujerdi Alavi, Mahdokht and Nasrin Hadad. (2012).”Arzeshhaye akhlaghiye erae shode dar tablighate bazarganiye jomhuriye eslamiye Iran (baraye forosh mavad-e ghazai be kudakan va nojavanan) [The Ethical Values Provided in Commercial Advertising of the Islamic Republic of Iran: To Sell Food to Children and Teenagers].” Culture and Communication Studies, 13: 17, pp.213- 254.  DOR: 20.1001.1.20088760.1391.13.17.7.7.
Farhadi, Ramin. (2020). “Adapting Shakespeare’s Richard III: A Political Reading of Hamid-Rezā Naeemi’s Richard.” Cogent Arts & Humanities, 7: 1, pp. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2020.1823599.
Ghandeharion, Azra., and Behnaz Heydari.  (2016). “Shakespeare’s Tragedies Re-contextualized as Comedies in Iran’s State TV Sitcom, Kolāh Ghermezī.” Forum for World Literature Studies, 8: 4, pp. 572-589. 
Ghandeharion, Azra and Behnaz Hrydari. (2017). “When Shakespeare Travels Along the Silk Road: Tardid, an Iranian Adaptation of Hamlet.”  Acta Via Serica, 2: 1, pp. 65-84. DOI: 10.22679/AVS.2017.2.1.65.
Ganjeh, Azadeh. (2017). Performing Hamlet in Modern Iran. Bern University. Ph.D. Dissertation.
Hambly, Gavin. (2011). “Attitudes and Aspirations of the Contemporary Iranian Intellectual.” Journal of The Royal Central Asian Society, 51: 2, pp. 127-140. https://doi.org/10.1080/03068376408731861.
Horri, Abbas. (2003). The Influence of Translation on Shakespeare’s Reception in Iran: Three Farsi Hamlets and Suggestions for a Fourth. Tehran University. Ph.D. Dissertation.
Hutcheon, Linda. (2012).  A Theory of Adaptation. England: Routledge. 
Irfani, Sorush. (1996). “New Discourses and Modernity in Post-revolutionary Iran.” The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, 13: 1, pp. 13-27. 
Jalayer, Rodabeh and AliReza Anushiravani. (2017). “Transcultural Hamlet: Representation of Ophelia and Gertrud in 21st Century Iran.” Kata, 19: 2, pp.55-62. DOI: 10.9744/kata.19.2.55-62.
Katouzian, Homa.  (2011). “The Revolution for Law: A Chronographic Analysis of the Constitutional Revolution of Iran.” Middle Eastern Studies, 47: 5, pp. 757-777. https://doi.org/10.1080/00263206.2011.588797.
Kuhestaninejad, Masoud. (2003). Theater in Iran. Tehran: The Organization of National Documents in Iran. 
Mossaki, Nodar and Lana Ravandi-Fadai. (2018). “A Guarded Courtship: Soviet Cultural Diplomacy in Iran from the Late 1940s to the 1960s.” Iranian Studies, 51: 3, pp. 1-29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00210862.2018.1436402
Partovi, Parviz. (2020). “Shakespeare in Iran.” Translation 29: 71, pp. 139-146.
Yahaghi, Mohamad-Jafar. (2000) A Rivulet of Moments. Tehran: Jami. 
Shafie, Fatemeh.  (2012). “Translation of the Dramatic Works During Qājār and Pahlavi Dynasty,” Tebyan. 20 January 2024. https://article.tebyan.net/195122 
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, 1992. 
Shakespeare, William. (2005). Macbeth. London: Pearson Education. 
Shakespeare, William. (2006). Romeo and Juliet. United States of America; Wiley Publishing, Inc. 
 “Pars Theater or Farhnag Theater, A Memoriam of Iran in Twenties,” (2013). Theater. 7 February. 2024.  https://theater.ir/fa/33021
Pour Mohsen, Mojtaba. “An Interview with Tarikhirani: Drama as a Way for the Constitutionalists to Enlighten People.” (2014). Tarikhirani.  5 February. 2022. http://tarikhirani.ir/fa/tag/3777/
Interdisciplinary Studies of Literature, Arts and Humanities
Volume 5, Issue 1 - Serial Number 9
April 2025
Pages 267-280

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 20 November 2024
  • Revise Date: 16 January 2025
  • Accept Date: 21 March 2025

Share

How to cite

Statistics