An Thought I had Watching the "Women WIthout Men" Film

While watching the film adaptation of “Women Without Men” by Shirin Neshat, a previous lecture of a history of Iran by Professor Rahimieh and previous seminar on a larger history of Iran by Professor Frouzesh remained in my head. I’m unsure whether these connections do not make sense, however at the end of the film, I thought they could be possibilities. These only made sense to me at the end of the film, so these were probably just a random thought that came to mind. These connections pertain to the main characters of the film, although it still is a beginnings of an idea.


For Faezah, I thought it was significant that when leaving the cafe, there were two men. In seminar, Professor Frouzesh went over a long brief breakdown on the history of Iran. In 1953, the CIA sponsor a coup. This coup over the government that had Mossaden in the leadership was supported by the British and America. While that was the extent of my ideas, I think it could maybe extend to when she gets to the garden, and represent the Iranian revolution that overthrows Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Zanan-e bedun-e mardan (2009)

Zarin was the character that initially made me think that the characters could be tied to the history of Iran. Before the scene where she dies, Munis is running from soldiers along with the Communists. One of the Communists stabs and kills a soldier that is chasing them. I believed that Zarin could represent the health of the Iranians relationship with each other and upon the Communist killing the soldier, the relationship becomes strained. I have not thought about the time before she gets to the garden, but it could possibly be something along the lines of the faceless men representing the different people that were in leadership of country.


I propose that Farrokhalagha represents the history of Iran’s culture or the country’s self-autonomy. During the last couple of minutes of the film, she is presented as a cultured woman with connections to many others of the higher class in a party. The party is interrupted by soldiers that intrude on the party, eventually participating in the party. If I were to connect this with the history of Iran’s culture, the soldiers could represent Mohammad Reza Pahlavi since, as Professor Rahimieh told in lecture, he tried to tie his leadership with the Persian Empire. On the other hand, with idea of self-autonomy, the soldiers would represent the outside influences that attempted to control the country for oil. This would be represented in the film since the the soldiers help themselves to the food at the party, while the party attendees could only look upon them helplessly. After the soldiers eat, they allow the party attendees to continue, while also attending the party themselves. The scene would correlate with the Qajar Dynasty providing the British concessions and allowing Iran to have control divided between the Russians and the British with no say. These outside countries take what they desire such as the soldiers at the party and let Iran continue as before, as long as the countries continue to obtain what they wanted.

These ideas are loosely thought through, since I cannot think of how some of these ideas could connect to the history of Iran, like Munis. I believe this came to my mind since I do not have little knowledge about feminism and such complex interactions between people.

Works Cited


Film: Women WIthout Men, Shirin Neshat

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