The Secret of Seasons. A Comparative Study of Farrokhzad's “Iman Biavarim be Aqaz-e Fasl-e Sard” and Demeter-Persephone Myth

In Greek mythology, the abduction of Persephone, daughter of Demeter, by Hades—the deity presiding over the underworld—and her traffic between the world of the living and the underworld, explains the concept of seasons as well as informative beliefs regarding fertility, mortality, and resurrection procedures. Demeter, the fertility deity of earth, animals, and humans, ceases fertility when she rages after the abduction of her daughter. In the poem “Iman biavarim be aghaz-e fasl-e sard,” there is a strong intertextuality with the myths of Demeter and Persephone. The main objective of this research is to find the various aspects of this intertextuality and then present the problem of how and for what purpose Farrokhzad, through this textuality of death and rebirth—and in general, the world she lived in—exposes the form of this myth. Initially, the mentioned indications of Farrokhzad are assessed by the framework of intertextuality theory, and attempts are made to discover connections and then indicate the strong intertextuality of these signs with Demeter and Persephone. The results show that Farrokhzad nourishes themes like fertility cessation, human rebirth, and the phytomorphism of humans.

Keywords:

Comparative literature” , “Intertextuality” , “Forough Farrokhzad” , “Myths of fertility” , “Demeter and Persephone Myth” , “Death and rebirth”