An Analysis of Resistance Poetry Symbols in Ahamad Shamlou’s Poetry Based on Mythological Criticism

Myths are collective dreams that, as a result of many years of similar experiences of human ancestors, have deposited in the deep layers of human's collective unconscious. They have risen from the depths of human's existence in various forms such as religious ceremonies, individual dreams, art and literature and they have created symbols that manifest the whole nature of human being, creation and human history. One of the most important points of connection between modern poetry and Persian classic poetry is its use of myth and symbol to pay for poetic concepts because the language of myth and symbol makes the poem rich, prominent and enduring. Myths and mythical symbols are one of the most important tools in modern Persian poetry, through which the poet can express various goals and in addition to increasing the charm and spirit of poetry, the poet indirectly expresses what he or she cannot or does not want to express clearly.
In fact, we can say that symbolism in literature is "the art of expressing thoughts and emotions, not through direct description, ... but by the way they refer to them and the use of unexplained symbols to create those emotions and thoughts is in the mind of the reader. "(Chadwick, 1996, 11), The poet's use of this power has always put poetry and literature into an atmosphere of political and social vitality and movement. Today's modernist poets, with their overtones and mere references, present their own myths and narratives. In other words, in the process, "myth becomes a midwife who gives birth to the poet's infant thoughts." (Horri, 2009, 22) Therefore, recreating myths in poetry is one of the most beautiful and artistic uses of myth. In such recreation, the goal is to link the past to the present and to provide backgrounds in the field of mythical insight. Through this link, it presents its readers with a specific social and political perception. By reflecting on the points mentioned above, one can understand the significance and value of the mythical criticism of a literary work because when: "The individual dream is to be considered a myth, every genuine literary work is in fact a literary masterpiece of the collective human dream." (Ismaeilpour, 2003, 43) Mythological elements are one of the enduring symbols in contemporary poetry at various points in Iranian history. It expresses the ideals and feelings of the nation where the poet leaves and is dependent on. Resistance literature is "a kind of committed literature created by people and intellectual leaders in society against what threatens their material and spiritual life" (Basiri, 2009, 26) and is the literature in the context of people's lives and risen amid not only war, but also social changes (Mohammadi Roozbehani, 2010, 28). With the beginning of the 19th century, Persian poetry and literature also entered a new society and had new themes which were named by contemporary writers and researchers as 'jihadist literature', 'anti-colonial literature' and 'resistance literature' (Taheri Khosroshahi, 2011, 5).

This study aims to investigate the themes of resistance and the myths associated with this field in Shamlou's poetry and, by in-text analysis, show the poet's new look at various myths. It has used an analytical-descriptive method and a symbolic approach. In fact, this research seeks to answer the following questions:1. What are the reasons for Ahmad Shamlou to embody symbolism in his poems of resistance?
2. Which themes of resistance literature have been more emphasized  in Ahmad Shamlou's poetry and have been mostly studied from mythical view?
3. Has Ahmad Shamlou been more concerned with the unaltered narration of old myths or has he sought to create and construct new myths?

Resistance poetry is a dynamic and transcendent art that has brought honor to literature against injustice and oppression. The era of oppression and despotism that precedes the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran is a reflection of contemporary human suffering in poetry and Ahmad Shamlou is one of the poets of this era. Reflections of resistance poetry can be found in much of Shamlou's work. The flow of desire for freedom in his poems is evident as he considers freedom to be precious to man. The coup of Mordad 28, 1332 was the most important event in Shamlou's poetry, which can point to the failure of the national movement, the collapse of the Tudeh Party, the formation of the SAVAK, and the despotism of society.

After the political events of 1332 in Iran, there was a sense of frustration and sadness at the community level, especially among the intellectuals that gave up idealism and switched to cryptography and ambiguity, and as a result, a kind of social and political literature. Shamlou's poetry contains a variety of socio-philosophical thinking, which is distinguished by allegory and by symbols and myths. Shamlou's poetry is a reflection of all the social and political issues of the day. The beauty, the conciseness, the ability to deliver the aim, the publicity and accessibility of symbols to everyone, all made Ahmad Shamlou to choose a symbolism during the era of tyranny instead of expressing his thoughts and intentions directly and explicitly.
Recounting social and political issues and expressing the moods and passions and the introspective and philosophical occupations, most of the attention is drawn to the myth in poetry. Rather than simply imbuing or narrating, without changing the old myths, he himself has created myth. Shamlou with the help of expressive techniques from a word, event or historical figure and revolutionary fighter, makes a superhero or a great mythical event. In ways such as mythological descriptions, the combination of various myths, myth-breaking or taking advantage of the features of time, myths, and mythical symbols.
Shamlou avoids slogans and by deepening and combining poetry with the spirit of society and the fight against oppression, especially in  the despair after the 1332 coup, his poetry serves the fight for human freedom and the defense of human aspirations. He is victorious with his symbols and innovations in the poetry of resistance poetry. With using mythical symbols, he has adapted and expressed the state of society of his time. Shamlou has been in the midst of social-political events and he has tried to make the epic of his time with the help of mythical symbols. The main themes of resistance literature which have been more focused  in Shamlou's poetry and have been dealt with in terms of myth and symbol are commemorating the fighters and the martyrs, blowing the spirit of hope and victory in society, reflecting the influence of tyranny and oppression in society and depicting the face of the oppressed.