The Emergence of Romantic Drama and Its First Self-Conscious Manifestation in Iranian Theater: A Study of "The Fate of Parviz" by Ali Mohammad Khan Oveysi and "Shiudosh and Naheed" by Mirza Abu al-Hassan Khan Foroughi

<p>This article aims to elucidate the emergence of romantic drama in the history of Iranian theater and to identify its earliest components. Historically, this phenomenon first manifested in the play "The Fate of Parviz" (1324 AH/1284 SH), but despite elements such as lyricism, the imaginative, the fragmented individual, and themes like patriotism, historicism, love, the Iranian spirit, and the ideals of equality evident in the works of later playwrights like Abdol Rahim Khalkhali, Hussein Kazemzadeh Iran-shahr, and Mohammad Reza Kordestani, known as Mirzadeh-e-Eshghi, the term "romantic" was not commonly used for these works, and there was no self-awareness of this style. It was not until Mirza Abu al-Hasan Khan Foroughi used the term "romantic style" in the preface to his play "Shiudosh and Naheed" (1335 AH/1295 SH) that this work was categorized under romanticism as a manifestation of literary modernity, addressing themes such as peace and its connection to the state and nation. Based on historical data and documents, the authors'''' primary hypothesis is that the presence of these elements in both "The Fate of Parviz" and "Shiudosh and Naheed" allows these two works to be considered the first romantic dramas and the first instances of self-awareness of the "romantic style" in Iranian theater. Their secondary hypothesis is that prior to the plays of Oveysi and Foroughi, there were signs of romantic drama in Iran, but these signs were limited to minor aspects of romanticism in the plays of writers such as Mirza Fath Ali Akhundzadeh, Nariman Narimanov, and Morteza Gholi Khan Fekri, known as Fekri-e-Ershad. To explain and formulate their subject, the authors therefore begin by examining the aspects of romanticism in the works of Mirza Fath Ali Akhundzadeh. Examining these individuals is important to demonstrate that at the beginning of Iranian theater, examples of romantic thought appeared in the works. To explain these points, the authors will utilize the theoretical framework of early romanticisms as formulated by Friedrich Beiser, in order to define the boundaries of romanticism in Iran. Based on this theoretical framework, it becomes clear that romanticism in Iranian theater was not in opposition to rationalism and modernity, but rather contributed to the continuation of modernity. It is worth noting that the necessity of this research lies in gaining an understanding of the intellectual foundations of the formation of Iranian theater. It addresses a phenomenon such as romanticism, which is considered one of the most important literary schools and intellectual movements of the modern era worldwide, and aims to show that this phenomenon manifested differently in Iran and underwent its own transformation, resulting in a romanticism that became the experience and awareness of Iranian playwrights.</p>