To do any research about women’s poem and women’s writings , first we have to look at the role of

gender in society and literature.

In under developed societies, gender and consequences of gender identity have direct influences on

literary creations of women.

Limitations , restrictions and obstacles that women are facing because of their gender, also

have direct influences on their writings.

In addition, in under developed societies and dictatorship societies, literary works and evaluation

of literary works are influenced based on gender.

As Helene Cixous has said: “ Women throughout the history, have always been faced by three kinds

of suppressions: suppression of woman herself, suppression of women’s body and suppression of

womanly language. She added: “ Women must break the silence. The womanly language is the

language in which, a woman must write all women’s characteristics including the specifics of

her body. “

In traditionally closed and totalitarian societies, women are suppressed and discriminated by the

society ,the government and the family in forms of father, brother and husband. Some of these

discriminations are:

Existence of laws, based on injustice and discriminations

Lack of equal opportunities in market place

Discriminative punishment laws

Effort in lowering and weakening of women

Denial of women’s abilities and capabilities

Creating obstacles , limitations and restrictions on women’s education and employment opportunities.

In addition, history has shown that an Eastern woman also suffers from the following problems:

Thought of self-guilt

Self limitation and shyness

Lack of individuality

Fear

Feeling of insecurity

Feeling of uselessness except as a role of a mother or a wife

All these limitations, restrictions and discriminations have been imposed on women by the male

dominated society and unjust laws, rules and regulations.

In such a society, any kind of creation and creativity by women - count as disobedience, rebellion and

even a Threat to the structure of the system.

In such a society as it is , a woman suffers from being a woman , let alone being a writer or a poet.

Therefore a female writer faces enormous obstacles and difficulties such as censorship, limitations

and restrictions in writing as well as humiliation and lack of mental and physical security.

These factors cause women to feel threatened and fearful and eventually force them to be

isolated from the society .

Therefore, a female writer or a poet instead of focusing on her own creativity ,has to put her effort

and energy to find a way to free herself of the existing crisis.

Although censorship is the most important issue that we as writers or poets are facing it is not

only a women’s issue,because it applies to female and male writers and poets equally.

This is the only erea with equal opportunity!

It needs to be pointed out that prior to governmental censorship, the trace of gender discrimination

is also evident in women’s literary works and shows itself as:

Self- censoring due to traditional and cultural up bringing

Avoiding to use some of the words and vocabularies that are thought to be not suitable for women to

mention avoiding political and social issues in poetry that are believed to be used by men only

Transformation of poetry to the phenomenon that satisfies male’s wishes.Consiquantly poetry has

become decorative and superficial.

Avoiding the influence of the individuality, because any free expression and independent thought

are interpreted as rudeness and being anti system.

Reviewing women’s poetry , we have reached this conclusion that through out the history

the majority of poems written by women, have been under the influence of all the mentioned factors

except a few.

As a poet and a researcher of women’s poetry in Iran need to point out that the female writers in our

Country, have in the last three decades been making tremendous effort to free themselves of

historical dogmatism , social and political restrictions and limitations in order to express themselves

freely about social, political and erotic issues.

The poetry in the past three decades, is the result of the real living situation of a generation that has

left behind the experiences of revolution and war in Iran.

To read this generation’s poetry , you notice disappointments, hopelessness, frustrations and failures

.One of the specifics of the contemporary poetry is utilizing different expression of love in

various ways. This kind of expression is usually bitter and criticizing.

Prior to the past three decades, women poets traditionally have expressed themselves as mothers, wives,

teachers, passive lovers, waiting lovers and advisers. On the contrary , in current time, women

portray themselves in new and different roles in poetry . I can point out these instances:

1- Woman poet as a social issues critic

2- Woman poet as an active role in society and not passive

3- Woman poet as a poet who transforms her poems from monophony to polyphony

4- Woman poet utilizing feminine and erotic language in her poetry without feeling of guilt.

5- Woman poet writing about issues which previously belonged to men’s literature only

6- Woman poet demonstrating their power in their poetry

7- Woman poet describing issues that throughout the history had not had been mentioned

due to lack of courage.

The following are two examples of poems in two different periods in times: