Analysis of the discourse of resistance in Naftha al-Masdoor Based on the discourse analysis theory of Laclau and Mouffe

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD candidate

2 Member of Faculty of Human Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran

3 Member of the Faculty of Human Sciences and Cultural Studies

10.22103/jrl.2025.24884.3029

Abstract

Objective: Nafthat al-Masdur, authored by Shahab al-Din Mohammad Khurandzi Zaydari al-Nasavi during the early years of the Mongol invasion of Iran, reflects some of the earliest cultural responses to this crisis. The present study, based on Laclau and Mouffe’s theory of discourse analysis, aimed to examine the formation of the discourse of resistance in this work. It sought to answer the following questions: what are the central signifiers in the articulation of the discourse of resistance in Nafthat al-Masdur, and how is Zaydari’s encounter with the Mongol invasion represented in the text?
Methods: This study employed a descriptive–analytical method and was conducted utilizing library sources, digital repositories, and related materials.
Results: The findings indicated that Nafthat al-Masdur functions as a form of resistance literature. Through the articulation of the signifiers of religion, homeland, destiny, and the struggle for honor around the central nodal point of the “ideal Shahriar (sovereign)”, Zaydari constructs a discourse that contributes to the symbolic healing of the trauma of defeat and revitalizing Iranian identity.
Conclusion: Jalal al-Din Khwarazmshah is positioned as the ideal Shahriar. By foregrounding Jalal al-Din’s character, emphasizing his virtues, and downplaying his faults, Zaydari endeavors to uphold a discourse of resistance against Mongol hegemony.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Resistance Literature
Volume 17, Issue 32
September 2025
Pages 127-146

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