The Grotesque, Its background and Developmental in Iran

The Grotesque is a literary-artistic genre which contains contrasting elements. Such contrast causes readers to develop confusing and multiple feelings and responses towards the grotesque. This genre mingles horrifying, humorous and disgusting aspects of life so that it can realistically convey life’s heterogeneous and asymmetrical nature which is materialized outside the abstract space of the mind. It is believed that the grotesque had been used as a literary-artistic genre from the 1st century CE, and due to social circumstances, scholars began studying it from the 16th century CE. Bakhtin and Cassirer are two of the key scholars who have discussed the grotesque extensively. As an artistic genre, the grotesque was used in the discovered ancient tablets, relics and containers of Jiroft in Iran. Due to the meekness of scholarly pursuits in this area, the present study defines the grotesque first. After giving a working definition, the study reviews the literaryartistic place of the grotesque in Iran’s art and literature. For such a review, it uses documents and library survey as its research methodology. The study believes that the grotesque needs to be discussed extensively since it has a determining place in the developmental history of Iranian art, literature and architecture.