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Dusty mirrors: A feminist criticism of Asef Soltanzadeh’s stories
By Rayhana Bayani, translated into English by Rustam Seerat.
Feminist criticism, or women-centric critique, is a method of modern literary criticism that aims to protest the portrayal of female characters in literature, especially fiction. The female character in the works of male authors usually follows clichéd patterns consistent with a male-dominated culture. These patterns reflect the author’s perception and expectations of women and present them as subordinate entities on the sidelines.
In literary texts written by male authors, women are often depicted as the “other” or objects who aid the male protagonist, move in his shadow, or become obstacles to his goals. Such literature denies women’s intrinsic individuality and independent identity, repeatedly representing them through stereotypes and worn-out moulds. The common thread in these limited forms is women’s dependence on men. These works do not depict a woman’s internal experiences as the woman’s inherent identity isn’t the focus. Therefore, the reader can’t grasp the woman’s true feelings, thoughts, and character from the male narrator’s perspective (Ahmadi, 1378/1999).
The emergence of feminist criticism as a legitimate perspective began in the 1920s in Britain with the publication…
