The image of Iranian society and culture in the privet letters of Sir Spring Rice

 

Introduction

One of the important sources for getting to know the culture, lifestyle, beliefs and customs of different nations and how they react to events is the texts written by other nations in literary formats such as stories, travelogues, and letters about them. These texts often show an image of the observed society, which is mainly different from what the people of that society know about themselves. The represented image of another society may correspond to the reality to some extent, but sometimes the author generalizes a part of his experience and understanding from that society to the whole society. This generalization is sometimes caused by little awareness and inadvertence, but sometimes it is done intentionally. Sir Cecil Spring Rice's private letters during the Qajar period are among such sources. Although these letters show a vivid picture of the political and social situation of Iran during the Constitutional period and are also valid and valuable sources for anthropological and sociological researches, a picture of Iranian culture, lifestyle of Iranians, beliefs, moral teachings, norms, and values ​​accepted by people are depicted in them in a different form, a distorted image that causes the formation of a wrong view of us in the society of the alien author.
Imagology is an important approach in the field of image research and comparative studies that studies the figured illustration of the other and his/her cultural elements, countries, personalities, nation or a foreign society, in the literature and art of the self or vice versa. It can be said that this image is a symbolic expression of the ethnic and intercultural relations of two viewing and viewed societies and a dialogue between two cultures, two literatures, or two texts. . The current research is devoted to the examination of the private letters of Sir Spring Rice based on the iconography approach and Edward Saeed's thoughts about the Orient and the conflict between East and West in post-colonial studies. In these letters, the author is the West and the other is the East. The author's view of us/the other is influenced by his stereotypes and mental images, and therefore, it is not free from falsification. These letters are a sign of the West othering and strengthen and stabilize the colonial ideology.

Methodology

This research is done using the content analysis method. First, we have collected information by referring to library sources and in a professional manner, then we have analyzed and examined them by using the principles of the interdisciplinary approach of imaging. In the meantime, we have also paid attention to post-colonial studies and Edward Said's views on the confrontation between the West and the East and the way the East is represented in the texts of the foreign West.

Discussion

Imagology is an important approach in the field of image studies, the purpose of which is to "investigate insider culture in another's literature or another culture in insider's literature" (NamorMotlagh, 1388: 122); Therefore, it has an intercultural color. The represented image of the other is either an image of a foreigner or an alien character, or an image of a country, or a nation or a society, or an image of an author's sensibility in a period. This approach has four main concepts: stereotype, template, prejudice, and image. A set of stereotypes form a temple, a set of temple form a prejudice, and a set of prejudices form an image (Mora, quoted by Nanket, 2013: 105). These images are either the result of the author's direct communication with the target community, or based on other images, and are formed through mediation. In general, prejudices are involved in making and processing these images. The image of other is always based on the paradigms and ideologies of the culture of the author and the reader of the image maker" (Namor Mutlaq, 1388: 126). However, studying these texts allows the nations to see their image in the literature of other nations and to be aware of their place among other nations (GhanimiHilal, 2010: 564). In the Imagological reading of texts, theories such as post-colonial criticism can also be used. This method, which is considered among the branches of cultural criticism and post-structuralism, is dedicated to the criticism of the literary texts of the colonized. In post-colonial literature, the concept of "self" is always superior to "other" and what belongs to oneself is positive, better and more acceptable, and what belongs to "the other" is reprehensible, false, and bad. According to Edward Said in the book of Orientalism, in the works of 19th century writers, the East (and the Middle East) is constructed in relation to the West and defined according to its differences with the West... The description that was presented of these colonized countries was in a way that made them look inferior, they were made as a negative image, as other, in order to present a positive and civilized image of the British society (Mills, 1382: 137). The subjective of western human that is formed based on orientalist narratives, considers itself as superior and the oriental man as different and inferior. The post-colonial discourse tries to change the represented image of the East and represent an attitude of viewing and receiving differently. (Yang, 1390: 10). What causes the creation of other, in the first step, is the lack of sufficient knowledge of the subject of knowledge. The result of combining little knowledge with sparse and sometimes incorrect information is generalization. Generalizing a part to the whole of a group or generalizing stereotypes and unrealistic images of a society to its reality. In his letters, the author often shows a false picture and far from the reality of Iranian society. The political and economic disorder in Iran is the most vivid picture that Rice figures in his letters. This image is sometimes associated with a compassionate and pitiful look. He considers one of the main causes of the disorderly situation of the country and the court to be the person of Muzaffaruddin Shah and his inefficiency and stupidity, and he uses humorous language to express it. The author's humorous language and expression in describing the morals of Iranians is also remarkable. In these parts, there are signs that he follows the post-colonial discourse; The repeated use of the term "Oriental", attributing negative traits such as stupidity, laziness, theft, and ... to Iranians, and his surprise at seeing the dominance of patriarchal discourse in Iran are among these signs. By presenting negative images of Iranian society and culture, he emphasizes the contrast and confrontation between himself and the other (us) and with incorrect judgment, he provides the ground for cultural colonization in addition to political and economic colonization.

Conclusion

Sir Spring Rice's letters are among the important sources that contain valuable information about the customs and culture of Iranian society and the social situation of Iran during the reign of Mozafaruddin Shah and Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar, and are a noteworthy source for studying and examining the drawn image. from us in the literature of another nation and from another point of view; Because not only does it play a role in the creation of a dialogue between two cultures in literature, but also the influence of these letters in giving a western man's perspective to non-indigenous societies (here: us) and their influence in strengthening the colonial ideology is undeniable. Is. Although Rice was present in the target society and the perception of him and his images is apparently the result of his direct communication with the people and there is no intermediary between him as the author and the seen culture, previous images or pre-texts, discourses About the East, stereotypes, stereotypes, and prejudices have an effect on his images, and there are strong evidences of this author's post-colonial discourse and his transcendental view of our culture and society in these letters. Humiliating Iranians, attributing negative traits to them, calling people stupid and showing them as passive are among the features of the Orientalist discourse, which is very prominent in this text. With this point of view, the author has put himself in the center and the other / us in the margin. He considers himself to have the power of observation and analysis, and with a critical look at Iran, he has strengthened the colonial discourse and his superiority over us.