Traditional Elements in the Iranian Realistic Drama

Abstract

Modern Iranian drama developed in line with a liberal school of thought, both
before and after the Constitutional Revolution in 1906. It came during the
transition from a traditional to a new type of society that was able to tolerate
and accept the revolution. The arrival of European theatre in 1878, with its
dependence on a written text rather than improvisatory acting, was part of the
modernization process in Iran that enjoyed its height in the early years of the
twentieth century. At the same time, traditional theatre was being rediscovered,
and playwrights started using some of its forms to develop indigenous modern
Iranian theatre to meet the standards of the genuine past and dynamic present.
Although there was an assimilation of certain secular tendencies, the newly
appearing type of drama satisfied the need for modernity through defending
political and social liberties. The road to transition began in the 1850’s and
gained momentum during the 1940’s through the 1970’s, leaving its effects on
Iranian drama in such a way that its legacy persists to date.
Keywords: realistic drama; Iranian drama; Iran Constitutional Revolution