Sociological Analysis of Praise and Criticism of Spouse (Male and Female) in Persian Poetry and Literature

Though females are not presented positively Persian literature, and poets usually ignore them, but when they get the role of a wife they are somehow praised, even in classical literature that again their presence is not so clear. Women in contemporary sonnets have a lofty place. They are constantly praised by poets. Men usually do not appear in Persian sonnets, whether classic or contemporary, but when they appear, they usually are not praised but criticized by women. The study tried to investigate and analyze the praise and criticism of spouse (male-female) in Persian poetry and literature. Library resources were used and a descriptive-analytical method was applied. The results showed that in classical poetry, poets do not usually speak about their spouses and even if they praised them, the poems are so limited and mostly briefly praise them in the mourning of their deaths. Men even do not appear in these poems. In contemporary Persian sonnets, however, patriarchal or man oriented thoughts have been greatly reduced, so that poets’ wives are praised and even men are sometimes praised and sometimes criticized for just being spouse. Contemporarily, poets’ lyrical thoughts has changed as not only they praise their wives, they even mention their names in sonnets. This is not seen at all in Persian classical poetry. This issue is so tangible in contemporary poetry. Spouses get sometimes the position of the poets' lovers. No more do they praise an imaginary lover. Spouses only are praised by poets.