Document Type : Research Paper

Author

• Hossein Joudavi

Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Languages, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran

Abstract

This study analyzes the representation of death in the poetry of Fereydoon Moshiri, focusing on Julia Kristeva’s theory of “abjection.” The primary aim is to uncover how death is depicted as an “abject object” in Moshiri’s poetry and to examine the defensive and aesthetic mechanisms the poet employs to confront the existential anxiety it evokes. The research method is a qualitative content analysis of selected poems by Moshiri, centered on themes of death within Kristeva’s conceptual framework. The findings demonstrate that death in Moshiri’s poetry distinctly exhibits the characteristics of Kristevan abjection: (1) Death is simultaneously portrayed as a terrifying threat and a means of liberation; (2) Death transgresses the boundaries of the body, identity, life/death, and inside/outside; (3) Death becomes a familiar and inseparable presence within the poet’s psyche. To cope with death anxiety, Moshiri employs symbolic and aesthetic defense mechanisms: beautifying death, creating imaginary rituals, and returning to the semiotic. Ultimately, the study concludes that Kristeva’s theory of abjection provides a powerful tool for uncovering the deep psychological, existential, and aesthetic layers of Moshiri’s engagement with death, revealing how his poetry, by masking the terrifying with the veil of symbol and beauty, enables living with the anxiety of death. This reading marks a novel step in understanding Moshiri’s poetry and demonstrates the potential of Kristeva’s theory in the critique of Persian literature.

Keywords

• Julia Kristeva
• Abject Object
• Death
• Contemporary Literature
• Fereydoon Moshiri

Main Subjects

• نقد