Nietzschean “Transformations of the Soul” and “Typology of Women” in Forough Farrokhzad's Poetic Vision

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD of Persian Language and Literature, Lecturer in Islamic Azad University, Saqqez, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Language and Literature, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran

Abstract

Forough Farrokhzad (1934-1966) emerged as a distinguished intellectual contemporary Iranian poet whose poetry, while embracing the notion of “tragic culture,” rejects every dualistic structure and gender essentialism. Instead, it posits the potential for human empathy, thereby contributing to a deeper understanding of gender dynamics within the broader context of human experience. According to “Typology of Women” in Nietzsche's writings, the tragic vision is determined in the theory of the “Dionysian Woman” after passing through the stages of “desire for illusion” and “desire for truth.” On the other hand, this potentiality within Farrokhzad's poetic corpus exhibits a gradual and evolutionary character. In accordance with her aesthetic approach, it serves as a manifestation of the “transformations of the soul” delineated by Nietzsche. His conceptual framework posits a “transformative journey of the soul,” progressing from the stage of submission (camel) through rebellion and destruction (lion) to ultimately attain the stage of innocent creation (child). Employing an analytical-descriptive methodology, this study elucidates the manifestation of the transformative paradigm in Farrokhzad's poetry, primarily evident in her dual modes of "erotic" and "rebellious" poetic expressions, which reflect her engagement with metaphysical themes. Furthermore, an exploration of the imprint of the "love of fate" concept in Farrokhzad's verse is presented as a derivative outcome.

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References

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Critical Literary Studies
Volume 8, Issue 1 - Serial Number 15
October 2025
Pages 195-216

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History

  • Receive Date: 07 January 2025
  • Revise Date: 06 October 2025
  • Accept Date: 07 October 2025

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