The Dual Function of War Space in Islamic Revolution Literature: A Case Study of Behrooz Sepidnameh’s Poetry

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Urmia Branch

2 professor assistant in Azad uni urmya

10.22103/jrl.2025.25154.3041

Abstract

This study examined the dual function of space in the resistance poetry of Behrooz Sepidnameh, with a focus on the poetry collection ‘Az Zamin Baran’ (Rain from the Earth), analyzing how space is represented as a dual framework encompassing both the objective reality of war (physical space) and subjective, lived experiences (virtual and regional space). Drawing on Henri Lefebvre’s theory of the production of space (perceived, conceived, and lived spaces), Edward Soja’s spatial triad (emphasizing the concept of thirdspace), and Gaston Bachelard’s phenomenology (topoanalysis and intimate spaces), this study demonstrated that Sepidnameh’s poetry, as an example of regional resistance poetry (rooted in the geography of Ilam, Iran), simultaneously reflects, on the one hand, the battlefields of the Iran-Iraq War through tangible signs and the official discourse of resistance, and on the other hand, reconstructs the indigenous identity of Ilam by engaging with regional literature through nature, collective memory, and poetic imagination. The research methodology was based on qualitative content analysis employing semiotic and phenomenological approaches to explore the semantic and ideological layers of the text. The findings revealed that space in these poems functions as a dynamic, multilayered phenomenon that integrates the harsh reality of war with a spiritual, indigenous, and metaphorical world, thereby transforming the discourse of resistance from a purely epic narrative into a human-centered and localized experience. By highlighting the dual function of space, this study contributed to a deeper understanding of the interaction between resistance literature and regional literature in the reproduction of identity and meaning.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Resistance Literature
Volume 17, Issue 33
February 2025
Pages 1-21

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