Journal of the stylistic of Persian poem and prose
volume Number 19، number In Volume 4، July 2026 ، issue Number 122

The Role of Narrative Dialogues in Representing Female Power A Study Based on Four Novels by Women Writers

Fatemeh Mirzaei , Homeyra Zomorrodi (Author in Charge)

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dialogue is not merely an instrument for the exchange of information; rather, it constitutes a foundational site for the construction of power, identity, and meaning within human relationships. Discourse theories, by focusing on the modes of production, reproduction, and contestation of power within language and social interaction, enable the analysis of structures latent in everyday communication. Consequently, examining the position of women within discursive power structures is an undeniable necessity, as women have historically and contemporarily faced various forms of exclusion, marginalization, and stereotypical representation, while playing a pivotal role in redefining—or subverting—dominant discourses.

The objective of this research is to investigate the representation of women’s power in fictional dialogues, with a focus on the thematic content of four novels by contemporary Iranian female authors: The House of the Adrishis (1991) by Ghazaleh Alizadeh, Bamdad-e Khomar (1995) by Fattaneh Haj Seyyed Javadi, Gypsy by the Fire (1999) by Moniru Ravanipour, and Autumn is the Last Season of the Year (2014) by Nasim Marashi.

METHODOLOGY: Adopting a critical approach, this study employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and Michel Foucault’s theory of power to analyze the selected texts. Data were extracted through close reading of the novels and analyzed using thematic and discourse analysis methodologies.

FINDINGS: The findings indicate that the authors, through a critical lens on gender stereotypes, have challenged established roles such as the ‘homemaker,’ the ‘self-sacrificing mother,’ and the ‘submissive wife,’ thereby placing women on a trajectory toward the pursuit of identity, autonomy, and meaning. Furthermore, by exercising decision-making power and employing critical inquiry, female characters have transformed language into a tool for resistance and the reconfiguration of feminine roles.

CONCLUSION: By representing the nuances of daily life alongside the tensions of coercion and resistance, these authors aim to depict the lived experiences of women navigating the struggle between tradition and modernity. Beyond these aspects, the aforementioned novels, by transcending submissive language and stereotypical narratives, have fostered a novel discourse in which women transition from silence and isolation toward agency and self-awareness.

Keyword
Power , Foucault , Dialogue , Women , Power relations.