Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
PhD student in Persian Language and Literature, Ahar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, Iran.
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Ahar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, Iran (Corresponding author).
3
Assistant Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Ahar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, Iran.
10.22034/jmzf.2025.505035.1223
Abstract
Introduction
Forugh Farrokhzad (1935–1967) and Ahmad Shamlou (1925–2000) are two prominent poets of the She’r-e Nou (New Poetry) Nimaic movement, whose works are overshadowed by nihilism. In their inclination toward nihilism, the component of love is directly connected, such that love—in both individual and social dimensions—has influenced their nihilistic tendencies. This article examines the nature of this influence and the perspectives of the two poets.
Research Method
The statistical population of this research comprises the collected poems of Farrokhzad and Shamlou. Through library research, data on the relationship between love and their nihilistic thoughts were extracted via note-taking. By categorizing the content of these notes, the article was written using a descriptive-analytical method.
Discussion
Nihilism derives from the word nihil (meaning "nothing" or "void") (Shayegan, 1999: 13). Terminologically, it translates to "nothingness-ism" or "negationism" (Zaršanās, 2006: 13). Various dimensions of nihilism appear in the poetry of Farrokhzad and Shamlou, with the influence of the love component evident in the following aspects:
The Love Component in Political Nihilism
Political nihilism expanded in contemporary literature during the She’r-e Nou movement following the 1953 coup d’état. Part of Shamlou’s poetic nihilism is political. However, Farrokhzad did not engage with politics during that period. The themes of absurdity in Shamlou’s poems from this era are linked to romantic despair toward the struggling human, as seen in the poem "Sorud-e Mardi ke Tanhā Mi-ravad" (Anthem of the Man Walking Alone), where the description of "Khanjar az posht khordan" (being stabbed in the back) expresses ultimate despair.
The Love Component in Social Nihilism
Social nihilism in Farrokhzad and Shamlou’s poetry relates to their view of love in society. Their nihilistic thoughts converge on the absence of love in society, yet each reflects from their own perspective. Farrokhzad (early period) despairs societal attitudes in a patriarchal society. Her nihilism also stems from personal struggles and marital failure, generalized to society. Shamlou’s social nihilism connects love’s decay to societal decline and the lack of affection among people, influenced by political conditions.
The Love Component in Individual Nihilism
This dimension is more prominent in Farrokhzad’s poetry than Shamlou’s. Emotional failure cast nihilism over her work, which she never transcended. Her most bitter experience—marriage and divorce—fueled nihilistic thought in her poetry. Her primary reason for nihilism is the absence of a sublime beloved, leading to persistent death imagery, as in:
"The savior sleeps in the grave / and the earth, the accepting soil / is a gesture toward tranquility" (Farrokhzad, 2005: 298).
Shamlou’s romantic nihilism emerged in the 1950s. After the coup, he was imprisoned; post-release, his first wife divorced him. A second marriage also failed. This defeat—compounded by socio-political disillusionment and societal decay—drove him to romantic nihilism, pushing him to the brink of suicide. This is reflected in poems like "Ghazal-e Bozorg" (Grand Ghazal), where love is likened to "an empty birdcage." However, Shamlou transcended this nihilism through sublime love with Āydā.
Conclusion
Results indicate that the link between love and individual nihilism is frequent in both poets’ works but also extends to political-social nihilism. Both poets’ emotions are intrinsically tied to the love component. The decay of love among people, absence of love in life, and romantic failures drive their nihilistic tendencies.
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