Sociology of Ritual Poetry in Iran Case study: Contemporary Persian poetry of the last four decades

What was the basis and theme in ancient religious poems, emphasized more on myths, traditions and cultural customs, but from the Islamic period, especially the Safavid Shiite government, took on a religious color and attention was paid to national and religious rituals. Constitutional social developments, social movements and modernism strengthened the sense of patriotism and archeology in poetry and literature during the Qajar period, the first and second Pahlavi. The victory of the Islamic Revolution and the era of war and holy defense changed the content and direction of ritual poetry, which can be referred to as the renaissance period in ritual poetry. The poetry of the revolution and the holy defense, using the religious concepts and the help of the school of Ahl al-Bayt (AS) and religious beliefs in the form of ancient, half and even white poetry, created the period of modernity of religious and ritual poetry. The present study aims to investigate Iranian and Islamic rituals and ceremonies and their crystallization in contemporary Iranian poetry with emphasis on the last four decades. In this research, an attempt is made to deal with the background, principles, components, themes, stylistic and sociological developments of this type of Persian poetry in the contemporary period.

This research has been done by documentary and library methods and in some cases by interviewing experts.

Ritual poetry, like other types of poetry and the realm of Persian literature, has expanded over time and a new sphere has opened before it. It is clear that new phenomena, developments of the contemporary period, changes in language, ideas and new themes have all marked new events in contemporary Iranian ritual poetry, and this type of poetry should be viewed in several ways and with different themes.

The study and recognition of Iranian and Islamic rituals and ceremonies in the contemporary period in the form of national and religious traditions and ritual poetry and literature are associated with cultural, social and sometimes political developments. In fact, it can be said that ritual literature has become a platform for transmitting the concepts and values of the Islamic Revolution, sacred defense, national and religious occasions, and customs and traditions.