The Image of Women in the View of Kurdish Society in 'The Proverbial Poems of Piramerd' Based on the Principles of Cultural Criticism

Abstract

Culture, as an influential and prominent force within any society, has held a powerful hegemony and dominance. Especially in early societies, it was a significant and fundamental part of organizing the life and livelihood of the individual and the community. Within this context, the role and status of women among the world's peoples have been subject to change and fluctuation. Kurdish society has been no exception to these varied perspectives, which are predominantly negative and supported by cultural conventions and principles. The aim of this research is to investigate the hidden systems that have permeated literary texts, including proverbs as a product of popular folklore created by all classes of society. It seeks to unmask the cultural facades in the proverbial poems of Piramerd, which, beneath their surface meaning, contain a host of cultural systems filled with insults, degradation, and the diminution of the role and status of the female gender. This research, titled "The Image of Women in the View of Kurdish Society in 'The Proverbial Poems of Piramerd' Based on the Principles of Cultural Criticism," uses a methodology rooted in the principles of cultural criticism. This approach emphasizes exposing hidden meanings, probing underlying systems rather than surface meanings, de-emphasizing the aesthetic aspects of the text, and presenting itself as a form of oppositional criticism that avoids praise or admiration for the text. The study is divided into two parts. The first part discusses the concept of culture and the concept of cultural criticism. The second part is dedicated to the practical application of the principles of cultural criticism within the framework of the proverbial poems. An attempt has been made to reveal, through several key points, certain cultural perspectives that have concealed themselves within literature, proverbs, and wisdom. These include: the denial of authority and leadership to women; the portrayal of women's gatherings and social events by emphasizing their negative aspects; and depriving a woman without a spouse of the chance to start a new life. These very cultural systems have become the formative basis for the creation of some of these proverbial poems.