The Discoursal Challenge in Redefining of Female Identity in Shazdeh Ehtejab

“Woman” is one of the most pivotal social issues and also one of the main subjects of story literature in the post-constitutional Era. In the traditional discourse, a fixed identity was defined for woman, which was challenged, especially in the second Pahlavi era, after the arrival of modernity to Iran. Introduction of new issues such as equity of man and woman, woman freedom, the necessity of being modern and playing social roles, created a serious challenge in the traditional and ruled-by-man Iran society in regard to the redefinition of woman identity. In the present study, using  Laclau - Mouffe discourse analysis method, by considering the traditional aspects of woman identity, the challenge of traditional and modern discourses in the new definition of desirable woman, based on Golshiri Shazde Ehtejab, was investigated .The results show that ruled-by-the-man discourse defines the freedom and modernity of woman in such a way that instead of leading to women active social role, it leads to social nudity and in order to fix the nudity aspect, equated it with adornment and beauty of women. And being educated and having literacy was redefined in such a way that instead of increasing thinking and knowledge of women, it can simply result to more desirable service to husband and family. In the whole, the new mixed discourse, by emphasizing the traditional sex roles and keeping aspects based on the inferiority perspective and instrumental view to women, redefined and used fluid signifiers in such a way that practically followed a more exploitative approach compared to the traditional discourse. In the end, it can be said that a desirable woman in this discourse is a woman who is maidenly, made-up, mannered and literate. And all these characteristics are worthwhile only when they are used in the service of man for playing better the traditional sex roles. Confrontation between these two discourses eventually leads to symbolic death of Shazde Ehtejab and Fakhronesa. Also, in Shazde Ehtejab story, there is regret for the past hierarchical regime, a regime in which there is a fixed place for everybody and everything. This regime was destroyed in Shazdeh's time; his wife, Fakhronesa ridicules his identity and power and challenges and questions the facts arising from previous discourse. Reflection of the confrontation between traditional and modern discourses in redefining the woman identity can be investigated in the form of the story. For instance, although masculine discourse for controlling everything is reflected in Shazdeh's viewpoint and perspective throughout the story; the story took a polyphonic texture due to constant hearing of women's voices through Shazdeh's mind. The story's anachronism and flashback between past and present events represents the narrator's ramble and wandering between the traditional and modern discourses.