Examining the theory of metadrama and its role in the works of Bahram Baizai with an emphasis on the three plays The Death of Yazdgerd, Shab Hazarvikam and Pard Khanah - the practical title of the play Lili and Majed

Academic Thesis in Master's Degree in Dramatic Literature

Abstract:

The knowledge of narratology has provided a significant theory for the analysis of narrative texts. In this research, an attempt is made to show that considering the common structural elements and categories between narrative and drama, it is possible to use the theoretical knowledge of narratology for the analysis of dramatic texts. The theoretical field discussed in this research is metadrama in theater and metanarrative in fiction. Therefore, in this research, an attempt is made to open a new way to analyze the category of metadrama in the theater by using the considerations of narratology in the category of metafiction. On the other hand, the impact of the categories of metadrama and metafiction in relation to the paradigms of modernism and postmodernism has also been discussed in this research.

The research method is initially the study of library sources and articles that help to compile the thesis. This research is the theory of the foundation, firstly, it discussed about metadrama and then, using the method of deductive reasoning, it used the desired theory about oval works as a study example. In order to show the practical application, the approach adopted by this research in the analysis of texts, the issues raised in the theoretical sections have been applied to three works by Bahram Beizai that have metadramatic characteristics (The Death of Yazd Gard, The Thousand and One Night, and Pard Khana).

Key words:

Metadrama, metafiction, narratology, Bahram Beizai, The Death of Yazd Gard, The One Thousand and One Night, Pardhkhaneh

Introduction:

Metadrama is a term in theater that refers to the elements that make up the show that can be identified in some dramatic texts. In such texts, the author expresses the arrangements for the formation of the dramatic and narrative world either directly or in the heart of an interwoven story (story within a story). The result of such an approach is the highlighting of the distance between reality and the world of drama, as well as the relationship between them. A distance that is usually forgotten when immersed in this world, during the performance and also reading the drama. In the construction of metadramatic texts, some narrative arrangements play a major role. Narrative measures that highlight the metadrama approach can be identified in some of the most important categories of narratology. Chapter One: Generalities Among the most important index measures in the metadrama approach is the representation of the expressive pattern in the dramatic text.  This is where dramatic texts are connected with some narratological elements and functions. Dramatic texts in expression have common categories with narrative texts and many metadrama techniques are done by using narrative elements. This is where metadrama connects with the concept of metafiction. Meta-narrative (to a large extent similar to the concept of meta-drama) is a term in literary theory that refers to narrative texts in which the elements and arrangements that make up the narrative world are emphasized and represented in the texts themselves.

Therefore, the narrative structures that make up meta-narrative can be adapted to dramatic texts in many cases (in order to identify the arrangements that create meta-drama in the field of dramatic text). In this way, the achievements of narratology knowledge can be used in the analysis of the dramatic.

Among the most important common categories between the dramatic and narrative elements that have been examined in this thesis, we can mention the communication pattern, the structures of time and space, and the point of view, which have been examined in detail in the theoretical part of each. It has been used to analyze three plays by Bahram Bayzaei. Bahram Bayzaei has paid special attention to the metadramatic and metanarrative approach in writing his texts, as he has clearly stated this strategy in the following interview and in many of his interviews. Therefore, the practical cases among the elizabeth works in which the metadramatic and metanarrative aspects are evident are examined as examples of the above topics. Baidaei is the most prominent figure in the field of contemporary playwriting, who has used the above-mentioned preparations as a guide to create his brilliant plays.

The process of this research is as follows: after the general chapter, the second and third chapters are dedicated to the theoretical discussions of the categories of metadrama and metafiction. In the second chapter, with the title of theoretical literature review, the definitions of metadrama, metafiction, historical metafiction, modernism and postmodernism tendencies in these categories, as well as the relationship between them, are described.In the second chapter, under the title of theoretical literature review, the definitions of metadrama, metafiction, historical metafiction, modernism and postmodernism trends in these categories, as well as the relationship between them, have been discussed. In addition to getting to know the substantive aspects and the conditions of the formation of these concepts, this is an introduction to the formulation of the methodology of this research in the third chapter. The third chapter under the title of methodology introduces and analyzes various narrative categories that have a meta-fictional and metadramatic function. In this chapter, the common elements of drama and narrative have been introduced first, and then its metafictional and metadramatic aspects have been explained. Finally, in the fourth chapter, the analysis of Bahram Beizai's plays based on the theoretical topics presented in the second and third chapters, under the heading of research findings, has been discussed.  The plays chosen for this purpose are Death of Yazd Gard, Night of the Thousand and One and Pardah Khane, in all three of which meta-fictional and metadramatic lines are clearly visible. The order of the analysis is based on the date of publication of the plays, so that it is possible for the interested reader to know how this technique was developed in this selection of elizabeth works.

Finally, the fifth chapter, titled as the conclusion, as its title suggests, has a quick overview of the topics presented and the analysis of the research findings, and also evaluates its specific methodology (the application of narratology in the analysis of dramatic texts).

1-1: Hypothesis and basic questions

The knowledge of narratology has provided a significant theoretical collection for the analysis of narrative texts. In this research, it is tried to show that considering the common structural elements and categories between narrative and drama, it is possible to use the theoretical knowledge of narratology for the analysis of dramatic texts. The theoretical field chosen in this regard is the categories of metadrama in theater and paranarrative in fiction. Therefore, we intend to show that a new way can be opened for the analysis of metadrama in the theater by using the narratological considerations in the category of metafiction.

If we consider the stated content as the agenda or hypothesis of this research, the most important questions that this research tries to answer are as follows:

1. Metadrama with what narrative arrangements in the texts. Does the show stand out and stand out?

2. How are the arrangements of self-referencing in metadramatic works related to the two dominant intellectual paradigms in literature and other arts in the contemporary era, i.e. modernism and postmodernism?

3. What arrangements have been used in the analyzed plays of Bahram Baizai, in which the metadrama approach is evident? Also, in the framework of the definition of literary modernism and postmodernism, to which category do these works tend? But the other goal, which we hope will be implicitly achieved, is to show the possibility of using other theoretical fields in the analysis of the theoretical categories of theater, which can naturally lead to the enrichment of the theoretical field of theater as well as the used fields as well as the knowledge of researchers and practitioners in these fields. This topic is examined in the third chapter.

1-2: Background of the research (works and articles)

As it was said, in general, not many theoretical works related to the category of metadrama, and metafiction, have been compiled or translated. The list of domestic works published in connection with these categories is given in the resources section with comprehensive bibliographic specifications. Among the academic works and articles published in this regard, the following can be mentioned:

Ahmadi Saadi, Razieh. Autumn 80 (Irony and its reflection in a selection of contemporary plays, Tarbiat Modares University) (Faculty of Arts)

This thesis analyzes the role of irony in creating spacing (which plays a major role in the formation of metadrama) in drama. Contrasting the creation in a format, method and literary style in such a way that by changing some factors in that format or method, while benefiting from it, it also causes a critical approach towards that format.

Kake Soltani, Hamid. Fall 1979 (The Role of Narrative in Iranian Plays, Tarbiat Modares University) (Faculty of Arts)

This thesis does not directly deal with the topic of metafiction, but the method of using the knowledge of narratology in theoretical analysis is very close to the present research.