The comparative analysis of feminism thought in works of Shahrnoush Parsipour and Marguerite Duras

Shahrnoush Parsipour and Marguerite Duras are both Iranian and French contemporary writers. There are similarities in their works for reasons such as being a woman, being writer, being intellectual, living in 20 century, being familiar with various approaches of feminism, experiencing Eastern life. The question is, what is the ideological and intellectual coordination that exists in Parsipour and Duras? The premise of this research is based on the attention given to “free love” and “magic realism”; breaking the tradition and rebellion against women's status, challenging superstitious and baseless beliefs, protesting against women owning property, criticizing man-centered governing laws, accepting to be oppressed and humiliated by women in history, prostitution and women's fear and insecurity, encouraging women to acquire various sciences and considering men as a model by women are the same cases in stories of both writers. The titles of both stories reflect concerns over the authors’ minds and explicitly represent feminist thought.


INTRODUCTION
The origin of feminism thought dates back to 7 th and early 18 th century.The writers of the Age of Enlightenment in Europe analyze human nature in the frame of "wise speculative the bourgeoisie" and their analysis was based on "persons"; they analyzed any gender, race or ideology based on individualism humanism (Benhabib, 1995:35).Feminist tendencies mainly were in opposition to the reform with the adoption of predefined roles for men and women in family and society.They represent an inappropriate and extreme theory about the same education for both men and women and the same social roles for both sexes not compatible with human nature (Alice, 2002:23).They try to instill this belief that in marital relationships the most important role of men and women is not starting a family and childrearing, but what matter is the egotistic happiness and satisfaction.Feminists insist on rejection of the role of women as mothers and wives as their duty; generally, these bunch of feminists give less value to home and family unless the basis is female.
Writers and intellectuals who advocate this thought believe that in a marriage, all enjoyments and growth belongs to men and all backwards to women.According to feminist thoughts, women are free to live in any format To struggle against inequalities, feminists believe in using available recent legal and political opportunities to change the situation, providing equal economical opportunities, changes in family and school, and mass media message.
These thoughts influence the majority of contemporary writers and have attracted their works as media tools.Shahrnoush Parsipour is among such writers who address woman's suffering and painful lives in their stories.
Stories such as "the dog and long winter", "tuba and the meaning of night", "free experiences", "women against women", "blue wisdom", "women without men", "heat in year zero" which are full of concerns of feminist and thoughts based on free thinking are the subject of discussion in this study.Marguerit Duras, as a contemporary French writer, her stories bear witness of being one of the promoters of ideological-literal feminist thought.The study of Duras's stories show that three subjects of "woman", "love" and "poverty" form her triangle of thought; her stories include "Pain", "Lover", "Love", "Lal Stein", "Summer Rain", "Ten and a Half Hours a Night During the Summer", "Vice Consul".
A writer's thought concerns would be his/her main investment for writing; basically, if there are no thought concerns, there will not be a creation of any work of art or fiction.The how and the why of feminist concern, dominant element of both writers' -Parsipour and Durasthought is the question on which this study is based.

Research method in the article
Comparative criticism in this study has been used as a way to criticize both writers' works.Comparative criticism is a kind of comparative world view which transcends national, geographical, lingual boundaries and considers literature as a global phenomenon of which human nature is the same in all cultures (Justi, 2002:37).Comparative literature is important because it reveals sources of intellectual and art currents and because each literary current on first contact with global literature helps human consciousness or ethnic orientation.Comparative history studies international literary relationships; it studies about common elements in various literatures as well (Radfar, 2006:81).In comparative literature based on the unity of human thought, it can be realized how a thought in one part of the world is represented by a scientist, scholar or a writer and the same one appears in another way in another part of the world (Akbari, 2007:53).

Signs of feminism in Shahrnoush Parsipour's stories
Parsipour's tendency to express woman's issues and Tahsili et al. 271 rebel against traditions and social conventions in order to create a change in people's lifestyle, especially women, as well as a call of the society to equality and have a view beyond gender, puts her among feminist writers.In her opinion, women have been oppressed and of course acceptted to be oppressed.Parsipour considers thinking as a necessary way to pass tradition to modernity; a tradition that considers women as an object, she says: "apparently, I'm writing as if I'm going to be a human, who am I? I want to know how I can imagine God in my mind.
How can I recognize evil's boundaries?I want to think about these; I don't want others to think about my thought" (Parsipour;1987:20).

Breaking tradition, novelty and change
In her stories, Parsipour always looks for novelty and wants to escape the traditional society defined by men.
Her stories represent objection literature by a sensitive and awareness woman.Huri, in "the Dog and the Long winter", says: "I'm tired of constantly being an object waiting for husband.I want to be a human.I don't know why I shouldn't be a human.I must get rid of this definition.I want to be disgraced; I'm tired of this honor because it has closed my feet like those of a sheep in the herd (Parsipour;1990:246).She believes that, insisting on society, the social submission and relations will change."You know, if you don't change definitions, if you don't accept changes, what is happening will fall on you like a nightmare" (The Very Book, p: 246)."Tuba and the Meaning of Night" is the clear manifest of wry to arranged traditions and conventions of society.Mounes, as a breaking with tradition character who seeks novelty, works in an office; she got married couple of times and had a miscarriage.The girl, ''Mounes was distressed and couldn't sleep that night, she was approaching a monstrous marriage" (Parsipour, 1993: 228).According to Mounes's opinion, marriage is a fettered contract and an abominable custom which always limits human.However, Mounes did it (marriage).Few years later with another wry to traditions she divorced Mr.Khansari and married Ismail; when Ismail was arrested, again she had another miracle: miscarriage.
Mounes got such self-confidence that she could moved a mountain if it is necessary (The very book: p, 248).In "Men vs. Women" it is said that:"finally, this is time for women, those Godless ones have gotten more power in a way that they become lawyers and ministers" (Parsipour, 2004: 87).
In "Women without Men", Parsipour consciously struggles with traditional beliefs as a feminist missioner.Parsipour considers virginity as an inhibitory means that even limit children to enjoy their happiness because they may hurt their imaginary screen.Mounes as one character in the story "never climb the tree because of fear" (The Very Book: p, 15).Furthermore, other characters are created as breaking with tradition too.Faezeh suggests that they will bring a clergyman and formalize her marriage, she will read the marriage contract herself (The Very Book: p112).All cases above indicate that Parsipour is one of Iranian writers who represent her thoughts and concerns as well as those of others about life by fictional characters dauntlessly.She has no fear of tradition rebelling against her.

Emphasis on learning and reasoning
Parsipour regards learning and reasoning as the only way of flying and reaching equality and escaping men's dominion.In "the Dog and the Long Winter" she believes that Huri can free herself of limitations and conviction by knowledge and wisdom.As a character in this story, Huri focuses on knowledge and thinking, "I shouldn't go ahead with this useless growing up and grow up indeed.I should save wisdom behind my broken eyebrows instead of sentiment" (Parsipour, 1990 p, 280).Men abuse women's illiteracy in order to dominate them in Parsipour's stories.Tuba's father "by 50, when he got married to his illiterate wife, he enjoys her stupidity; just a quick glance was enough to make her quiet and sit down" (Parsipour, 1991 p, 13).In Parsipour's stories, male characters are worried about woman's thinking.Haji thought, "they are thinking"; he was hit again (The Very Book: p, 90).''They have to look at the front of their feet not to fall on the ground" (Parsipour, 1993:p403)."Women without Men" could be considered as an intentional statement for women's education and wisdom.Mounes, as a central character emphasizes on education and knowledge; she is a feminism wisdom missionary as well.She bought a book, read it, and now she has another meaning of trees, sun and streets in her mind; she was growing up.In "the Blue Reason" Parsipour highlights this topic explicitly and says "women aren't accustomed to thinking, because they have lost their right of thinking over thousands of years''.(Women without Women;p,16).Katayoun as a central character in "Men vs. Women" always lays emphasis on learning and knowledge; she is a student and turns to intellectual side.Learning more and satisfying her curiosity, she keeps company with men.She said she was bored spending time with people of her age; she wants to jump higher and be a tourist" (Parsipour, 2004: p .65).

Marriage escape and monotony avoidance
Huri, as a central character in "The Dog and the Long Winter", escapes marriage because she thinks it makes her stay home like her sister "Badri"to cook and clean.She says: "whenever I was thinking about marriage Badri comes in front of my eyes.If I was getting married, I'd probably suffer the same fate" (Parsipour, 1990;p, 189).In her stories, Parsipour always considers marriage as the cause of life monotony and boredom."What a futile life!She always does household works at a house which may not exist at all" (Parsipour, 1993;p, 390)."Tuba" in "Tuba and the Meaning of Night", thinks to herself: "finally one day when she settled all kids down, she will go to find out The God, to that time she has to weave, clean and cook.She should circle around this eternal circle then returned back to her place'' (The Very Book: p, 119).

The loss of identity and ownership look on women
In "the Dog and the Long winter" Huri feels lack of identity, "I'm not alone, I don't have identity only, and where is my identity?"(Parsipour, 1990: p, 287).Huri sees herself on an unknown direction and life as an unlimited corridor."Our way didn't have a particular direction; sometimes we were down, sometimes we were up; we head thousands of times in different complex curves but there was no end for it" (The Very Book: p, 336).Parsipour considers this ownership look as a cause of keeping women in stagnation; she believes that it encourages women to temptation; "when she is not a "human" anymore but one's "property" so, finding a better owner, she uses seduction" (Parsipour, 1993, 322).Parsipour emphasizes that a woman should be accepted as she is, as always the look on man is a balanced look and is appropriate to his value as a human being."I wish you understand me as I am, this simply means a woman is a woman" (The Very Book: p, 322).

Signs of feminism in Marguerite Duras's stories
In her life, Marguerite Duras, always escapes commitment to thoughts currents and even love.She is thirsty for instability and chaos.She wants to live freely, to think freely and to write freely; based on which, Duras lays emphasis on her unique style of writing.In this method, Duras does not inform others, but tells "herself".Her novels are talking to herself; so she wrote all her internal ebullitions on paper.While she writes, Duras follows her subconscious mind that modernity, being away of moral and logical constraints, could be seen in her works.She shows the fact as she analyzes; she rebels against wordcentered method and wants to free word from limitation of meaning.That is why repetition is common in her writings; however, this repetition is a variety because her writings are more about exploration with a linear narrative story.She explores justice, beauty, simplicity of words and even whiteness among them.Describing her works, she says: "my work is not literature, not cinema too; it's something else" (Iulen, 2004; p.66).To Duras, writing is a necessity as well as both life and death, with an obvious contradiction; she believes "if I keep writing, I won't die" (lebli, 2001; p,184).The combination of various styles of writing as well as relating controversial matters to the most important ones, generally incoherence, adorn her writing style with postmodernism.

Breaking with tradition, novelty and change
Women's monotonous life was always complained of by Duras.In "the Rain of Summer", she protests against the strong presence of women in the kitchen."Such a big world in each corner of which various things exist with all these different events but you are sitting here peeling potatoes from morning till night!Why don't you want to do another thing?"(Duras, 2001;p, 17).In "Ll and Enstain Mania", Duras criticizes Ll's boredom and monotony as well as her lack of novelty and change in life.By her statements, ''it's not possible to explain how boring and long is, to be Ll.v.Estain is long" (Duras, 2001;p, 19); in another part she says: "with a blur smile on her lips, he says: years after years, there is no change around me" (The Very Book: p, 67).

Excessive sadness and depression
Sadness in "the pain" is so deep that it leads to depression."The woman leans on the closet of kitchen.She is always deep in the heart of absolute pain of thought (Duras, 2004;p, 41).The pain of sadness and expectation imagine the life in such way for her "nothing but a black hole without any light rays" (The Very Book: p, 47).Excessive sadness causes the narrator of "the Lover" to say: "it was late very soon, eighteen was late; I was old in eighteen" (Duras, 2004;p. 7).In "the Vice Consul", Duras regards women as receptive of this pain and suffering, "those women, who all pain descend on them like waves, those open armed women" (Parsipour, 1990;p.107).

Emphasis on learning and reasoning
In "the Love", Duras believes that if women and girls obtain the required knowledge, they will pass all superficial things."Now, I know something; I know that what makes women almost attractive isn't wearing or clothes, but knowledge" (Duras, 2004;p, 94)."Here women are careful about their beauty closely.In my opinion women's failure was a mistake done by themselves, I mean Not to Thinking" (The Very Book: p, 22).In "the Pain" Duras considered women's ignorance and unawareness as the source of all their pain; "all these things that come to you flow from ignorance and unawareness" (Duras, 2004;p, 37).

Free love and marriage escape
Duras regards marriage as the cause of women's plights; about her friend, Helen, she says: "the very girl, whose husband could be any man, was frightened by him; then he commands her to stay home and to wait" (Duras, 2004;p, 75).Ll and Tatiana in "Ll Mania" enjoy having relationship with others after marriage."Tatiana delighted among her lovers.She enjoys her vivid memory of afternoons in "D'boi" hotel, where she seeks a partner to be calm.That very body reaches perfection just in that hotel" (Duras, 1987;p, 69)."However I'm ready for mockery of marriage, but it's always accompanied by call of internal resistance" (The Very Book: p, 15).

The necessity of social activities for women
Marguerite's relationship in the age of fifteen and half with the Chinese man was not for love.She tried to reduce her family's financial problems because "poverty has destroyed family's fences" (Duras, 2004;p, 47).''Money should be brought home; it makes no difference how, and a desert surrounded the house".(The Previous: p, 27).We shouldn't consider ourselves fumbling; this should be removed from the minds of us as women" (The Previous: p, 63).

Conclusion
One of communism-feminism doctrines is belief in free love vs. marriage.Communism regards a family as a patriarchal institution of class system which rebels against system by free love (Bordo, 1990 p, 23).In Parsipour and Marguerite Duras' stories this theory is desired.In Huri's opinion in "The Dog and the Long winter" this kind of free love is normal.In "the Men vs. the Women" Katayuon has free relationship with other men.In "the Pain" when her husband was in prison, the narrator, starts a free relationship with Mr.D. in "Daring to be bad", Alisa and Estein make love to each other freely even before her husband, Max's very eyes.The most important features of love in Parsipour and Duras's stories are failure and dismal.The love of woman to her brother is common in both author's stories.In "The Dog and the Long Winter", Huri loves her brother Hossein very much; their love is deep and radical.In "the Lover" Duras as the narrator tells about her deep and excessive love to her younger brother.Heroes in Parsi pour and Duras's stories, always break with traditions and rebel against status quo.In "the Dog and the Long Winter" Hurri evades customs of society; she was pregnant.
When her brother asked her surprisingly: "who's her child's father?"She replied with equanimity: "a man".In "Free Experiences" the girl went beyond traditions and got married to a man whom she saw in street and completely stayed away from accepted traditions.Duras in "the Lover" pays attention to the narrator's relationship with her Chinese lover which was against custom; and shows how she pulls wry face to social traditions.In Parsipour and Duras' opinion, women are the center of existence.In "Tuba and the Meaning of Night", Parsipour regarded Tuba as the one who gives all men.In "The Blue Reason" she comes with sunset and along with a male passenger in Estala beach.There is an ownership look on women in both writers' works.In "Tuba and the Meaning of Night" Prience Fereidun Mirza had the sense of ownership to his wife and behaves the way he likes.In "the Dog and the Long Winter" Hurri rebels against this social look on women and tries to free herself from such look.In "Men vs. Women" katayoun tries to represent this look as an inappropriate thing.It is also clear in "vice consul" by Duras; vice consul calls the woman "the thing".Woman in Duras's stories seeks shelter to escape being an object as well as monotonous look at life.Parsipour does the same but limited by Iranian culture in which free love is not acceptable; it is interpreted as scandal.Lack of thinking, knowledge and reasoning are common points in both authors' stories.In all her stories, Parsipour invites all women to learn and think; she believes that thinking is natural and a special ability in women; as the woman in "The Blue Reason", emphasizes that I give the very child I was thinking of.The woman in "The Blue Reason" is not a child any more, but she decides to think and pass the way of progress and perfection.In "women without Men", after getting rid of her brother, Mounes becomes familiar with books, and spies her progress of thought; she starts to study.Tuba in "Tuba and the Meaning of the Night" was thinking and her father regards her thinking as the cause of impudence; as in patriarchal society, women's thinking is very dangerous.Duras in "the Pain", and "the Lover", considers woman's unawareness and her less knowledge as the only cause of her humiliation.Duras in "Writing" says: men cannot only stand a woman who thinks and writes but also find it really frustrating for them.At the end, it should be said that these two writers' stories in spying different cultural context, audiences and languages, are frank manifest that represents feminism thoughts.All cases here indicate that Parsipour is one of Iranian writer who represents her thoughts and concerns as well as those of others with fictional dauntless characters.
. m.khosravishakib@gmail.commail: -*Corresponding author.E Creative Commons agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the s Author on License 4.0 International License Attributi of family structures including nuclear family and marriage, family without marriage…