Narrative and semiotic analysis of divorcee's portrayal in Iranian Cinema

Abstract

This article is an attempt to explore the subject of divorcee in narrative and visual content of Iranian cinema. Therefore, by applying constructionist approach in Representation theory of Stuart Hall as the main theoretical framework and using Roland Barthes’ structural analysis of narrative and John Fiske’s semiotic analysis in three levels of reality codes, representation and ideology, Esterahate Motlagh and Nahid movies have been analyzed and evaluated. The results showed that: 1. Both films have the three- part narrative structure, 2. The story take places in an urban space, 3. the crises that divorced woman face 4. Tactful woman is the most important type in both movies 5. Showing patriarchy, wise woman versus irrational man and the predominance of evil over goodness, are the most important ideological issues which have been mentioned and portrayed in the movies.

Keywords

• cinema
• narrative
• representation
• semiotics
• woman