The mirror in its cultural and literary traditions is known for its versatile meanings of reflection, truthfulness or simply as a means to staring at oneself. In the Iranian literary tradition, the...Show moreThe mirror in its cultural and literary traditions is known for its versatile meanings of reflection, truthfulness or simply as a means to staring at oneself. In the Iranian literary tradition, the mirror was used as a metaphor of a woman: a passive, objective tool, emphasising the selflessness of a woman. Zhâle (1883-1946) and Farrokhzâd (1935-1967) are two Iranian female authors who both suffered from their society's oppressive assumptions of womanhood. They especially disputed the way Iranian literary and cultural traditions symbolised the mirror. This thesis analyses and compares Zhâle's and Farrokhzâd's personal backgrounds, poetry, and the use of the mirror in their poetry.Show less