The Literary Renewal in the Constitutional Era and the Problem of Classical Literary Heritage: An Analysis from the Perspective of the Short-term Society Theory

With the occurrence of the Constitutional Revolution, the discussion on the necessity of cultural transformation and the revitalization of literary renovation flourished. One of the important aspects of this discussion was determining the relationship between ancient Iranian literature and the new situation. The modernists of this era viewed literary tradition as sterile and stagnant, seeking to destroy it instead of attempting to reinterpret it. On the other hand, traditionalists took a worshipful approach to tradition, condemning any critique of classical tradition. In this article, after providing a historical overview, the critical aspects of the modernist approach to classical tradition are listed. These aspects include the outdated language, elitism, narrow and regional perspectives, inability to address the requirements and needs of the new world, justifying authoritarian power, neglecting the social function of literature, and non-revolutionary and accommodative nature. Subsequently, this destructive perspective is analyzed from the perspective of short-term society theory. This analysis reveals that the merciless critique of the modernists is an expression of their disregard for the necessity of capital accumulation, while also highlighting the absence of the concept of critique and its vital role in cultural development and progress. Furthermore, these critics paid no attention to the nature of the authoritarian government, for which no alternative was conceivable, and they were oblivious to the key role of power institutions in the cultural life of society.