Iran's History |
Study Guide |
|
CHARACTERS
Burke J, 'Rediscovering Morality Through Ashghar Farhadi's 'A Separation', 2015, Issue 61
Nader is progressive but still motivated by an underlying sense of duty. He wants his daughter to be an independent and strong woman, as illustrated at the car fuel pump when he insists she takes her change and in teaching her vocabulary at home (“What’s wrong is wrong, no matter who says what,” he tells her). Yet Nader also believes in a traditional respect for the older generation that makes certain demands on him. Duty justifies the means towards the end. The nature of his father’s illness requires him to stay in Iran, regardless of his wife and daughter’s wishes. Lying to his daughter and to the judge is permissible to him as a pragmatic consequence of the responsibility he has for his father’s well-being. This subjective morality puts the protection of his father over the welfare of others. He is aware that Razieh is pregnant but he is guided first and foremost by his father’s needs. Duty is linked to respect for Nader, which limits his behaviour. For instance, he is unable to unbutton his father’s shirt at the doctor’s surgery despite his need to clear his own name. A sense of resentment is perceptible in his arguments with Simin who he sees as unaware of these duties or as undervaluing them. For Nader, then, one has an obligation to deal with one’s traditional responsibilities with courage
|
Simin too is progressive but for her it is underlined by a sense of optimism and a faith in the ideal of truth. Her longing to leave Iran represents a belief in the abstract, the other place. She believes in the possibility of a better world and in a better future. She thinks that one should move on from traditional duties, which are cyclical and repressive. In the film this manifests itself in the desire to give a better opportunity to her daughter, notably when she refers to the “circumstances” in Iran. Simin desires change and improvement; while respectful of the past, she is persuaded by the need to reform their lives. She wears the head scarf but has dyed her hair a magnificent, deep red. She believes that truth is a value to be honoured irrespective of the context. This is illustrated when she is asked by the teacher, Ms Ghahraii (Merila Zare’i), what she should say in the court if asked questions by the judge. Simin’s reply is “Tell the truth.” Simin embodies the need to resolve problems through compromise. Progress is possible with effort and negotiation. Markedly, she tries to mediate between her own family and that of Razieh’s.
|
Razieh is a woman of faith. She holds a superstitious rather than a critical belief in God. This system of thought guides her actions both in private and in public. One must put oneself in God’s hands; otherwise, one risks harming oneself or one’s family. Respect for God and the Quran are paramount. Humility and obedience are core values. Razieh requests guidance from a religious advisor over the phone when Nader’s father has soiled himself. She refuses to swear on the Quran that Nader has caused her miscarriage because she cannot be certain. She says she is more hurt by being considered a thief than to have lost her baby.
|
Hodjat is a man who views the world in terms of social justice. He is guided by the fact that an inegalitarian society has prohibited him and his family to progress in life. The Iranian society he is a part of views him as a monster because he is poor; he is thought to be abusive of his wife and a danger to others. He has lost his job without compensation due to economic forces he has no control over. Debt and imprisonment have caused him psychological illness requiring medication. He considers his inability to defend himself in court a result of inarticulacy. Wealthier Iranian society owes him and his family reparation for the unfair treatment they have experienced. He is particularly outraged when the loss of his unborn baby appears to be taken less seriously than the mistreatment of Nader’s elderly father. Justice overrides religion and he sees it as acceptable to swear falsely on the Quran in order to receive the money justly due from Nader and Simin.
These typologies are neither fully consistent nor complete; A Separation’s characters are more than these sketches. However, through these characters we see that moral stances can clash and demand evaluation. Duty, truth, faith and justice come into conflict with one another. Our intuitions and judgements go through a process of critical refection. With the slow release of information Farhadi plays on our own biases, ones we may not even have been aware of prior. |
THE SOCIAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT: CONTEMPORARY IRAN
|
A brief overview of Iranian history.
|
|
Everyone is paying attention to the conflict between Iran and the West, particularly over the nuclear negotiations. But what you're probably missing is the ongoing debate within the Iranian leadership as they face a number of potentially existential problems.
|
|
Although not prohibited, divorce is strongly discouraged in Islam and disapproved by Iranian culture. A religious saying (hadith) attributed to the Prophet Mohammad says: "Of all things permissible, divorce is the most reprehensible" (Haeri 1989). Because of the low economic activity and social status of Iranian women and their dependence on the men for sustenance and social protection, divorce carries particularly heavy costs and consequences for women. Their situation is made worse because Islamic laws give men the right to custody of their children after age three (in the case of sons) or seven (in the case of daughters).
Read more: Iran - Divorce - Family, Women, and Marital - JRank Articles http://family.jrank.org/pages/957/Iran-Divorce.html#ixzz3ePJEClBC |
|
Team Stout, as its members call themselves, has an image problem. Their chosen sport, parkour, is considered dangerous by some in authority here in Iran, even inappropriate when it involves women. This team has two female members. And Nilofer Moghadam looks fearless, in hijab, as she jumps headlong into one of the group's practiced somersaults, nailing the landing with a grin.
"I like the excitement and the energy it unleashes," says the 25-year old management student. Parkour — the urban sport of running and vaulting through an obstacle course — isn't a passing fad in Tehran, and if you visited, you would understand its appeal. You would also understand why Iranians — especially young adults — are so fed up with how they're portrayed abroad. |
ADDITIONAL READING: HYPERLINKS
STUDY GUIDES AND INTERPRETATIONS OF THE FILM
1. Film Analysis Paper 1
2. Film Analysis Paper 2
3. Film Analysis Paper 3
4. Film Review
IRAN AND CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION/POSSIBLE CONTEXT FILE DOCUMENTS
1. Iran's Nuclear Crisis and US Sanctions
2. Iran's "An eye for an eye" laws
3. Women and Sharia Law in Iran
4. A guide to the legal system in Iran
5. The Green Movement in Iran
1. Film Analysis Paper 1
2. Film Analysis Paper 2
3. Film Analysis Paper 3
4. Film Review
IRAN AND CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION/POSSIBLE CONTEXT FILE DOCUMENTS
1. Iran's Nuclear Crisis and US Sanctions
2. Iran's "An eye for an eye" laws
3. Women and Sharia Law in Iran
4. A guide to the legal system in Iran
5. The Green Movement in Iran