Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Sachli Emami ¹
• Shahram Hemmatzadeh ²

¹ Master in Russian Literature, Tehran University

² Assistant Professor in Russian Language and Literature, Shahid Beheshti University

Abstract

Comparative literature is a valuable field of literary research that allows for a deeper understanding and exploration of the artistic and ideological characteristics of literary works. Throughout history, the issue of women has captivated the attention of writers and artists worldwide. Poets and writers from different periods have examined this topic from various perspectives.
Language, as a social institution, is influenced by a range of social factors including age, religion, social class, and gender. The gender factor can sometimes impact language usage, leading to the promotion of one group while unfairly demeaning another. Additionally, the sexualization of language is a culturally-centric concept that varies across societies.
Given the widespread and complex nature of women's issues, it is insufficient to address them through a single discipline. Interdisciplinary studies, such as combining literature with women's studies and feminism, are necessary to fully comprehend and discuss these matters.
The research problem at hand is to analyze the portrayal of women in two works by authors from different nationalities. By examining the level of sexualization in the language used, we aim to depict the position of women and the dominant culture of the society in which the authors reside.
The central question of this study is: to what extent are the stories of Sadiq Hidayet and Anton Chekhov linguistically gendered? The hypotheses for this study are as follows:

Hedayat's short story exhibits linguistic sexualization.
2. Chekhov's story also demonstrates linguistic sexualization.

The current research study adopts a library-oriented approach, utilizing qualitative content analysis. The primary texts under examination are Sadiq Hidayet's "The Woman Who Lost Her Man" in Persian and Anton Chekhov's "The Lady with the Dog" in Russian. The research utilizes a theoretical framework to examine the pure and algebraic model of sexualization. Drawing upon the principles of feminism, this study aims to extract relevant words and concepts associated with sexualization. Through a meticulous qualitative content analysis, the abundance of these extracted elements are assessed. Furthermore, a comparative analysis are conducted to explore the similarities and differences in the perspectives of the two authors involved in this study.
Although these two short stories were written 35 years apart and in two different countries, a comprehensive analysis reveals the presence of sexualized phrases and vocabulary in both narratives. However, Chekhov's utilization of sexual language is relatively limited, focusing more on social relations and the portrayal of women in society.
It is as if the Russian language lacks the abundance of sexualized words that exist in Iranian language and culture.
Remarkably, Chekhov's story lacks even a generic sexist term, where one gender is presented as the norm for the generic. This absence is intriguing and suggests a distinct linguistic and cultural context.
By studying these two stories, it becomes evident that Iranian society is patriarchal and misogynistic, while Russian society has afforded women greater freedom despite the gender-based perceptions surrounding them.
In conclusion, the comparison of these two short stories highlights the contrasting attitudes towards sexuality and gender in Iranian and Russian societies. Chekhov's subtle approach to sexual language underscores the societal differences, emphasizing the patriarchal nature of Iranian culture and the relatively more liberated status of women in Russian society.
Chekhov employs a relatively limited amount of sexist vocabulary, consisting of only 40 phrases. Out of these, 12 and 11 phrases respectively describe female characters based on their physical attributes and social relationships. It is worth noting that Chekhov uses significantly less gender-specific language, particularly in an explicit sense, with only three instances. Furthermore, there are no generic or explicitly sexist words present in this story. Initially, the reader is introduced to the female protagonist through her appearance and allure, but as the plot progresses, Chekhov presents a completely neutral perspective that avoids sexualization. This aspect of the story reflects Chekhov's underlying hope and optimism, which is conveyed through the deliberate use of neutral language.
On the other hand, Hedayat employs a significantly higher number of sexualized phrases, totaling at least 87 instances. Out of these, only 37 phrases are related to familial relationships, highlighting the prevalence of linguistic sexualization in his writing. The story "The Woman Who Lost Her Man" encompasses all seven identified categories of sexualization, emphasizing the woman's loss. Despite the abundance of sexualized vocabulary, Hedayat's intention is not to promote misogyny. Instead, he portrays the pain, suffering, and hardships experienced by women in Iranian society during that era. This story is a reflection of Hedayat's empathetic nature, as he strives to depict the women of his homeland in a realistic manner. "The Life of Zarrin Kolah" serves as a poignant narrative, shedding light on the oppression and betrayal inflicted upon innocent women by a patriarchal society.

Keywords

• Genderism
• Hedayat
• Chekhov
• Feminism
• Patriarchy. Interdisciplinary studies

Main Subjects

• Literary interdisciplinary research