Recherches en langue et Traduction Francaises

Recherches en langue et Traduction Francaises

Imagology of Qajar Court Women in Carla Serena’s Travelogue

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Mashhad, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Faculty of Humanities Sciences, Department of Persian Language and Literature
2 Language and Persian Literature Department, FUM
Abstract
Imagology, a field of French comparative literature, analyzes the reflection of the "Other" in national literature or vice versa. Due to their blend of objective observations and cultural preconceptions, travelogues are ideal for imagological analysis. Carla Serena’s Qajar-era travelogue, People and Rituals in iran, offers valuable insights into Iranian society and court women. Features such as the author's gender and personal travel motives facilitated direct access to the Andaruni and the narration of an informal perspective, leading to the recording of unique images of these women, which can be useful in identifying Qajar women and the culture of that era. This study examines four court women using an imagological approach: those Serena encountered directly (Anis al-Dawla, Mahtaban Khanum, Esmat al-Dawla) and one noted for her turbulent marriage (Ezzat al-Dawla). Images of these women—Anis al-Dawla (the Shah’s favorite wife), Ezzat al-Dawla (the Shah’s sister), Mahtaban Khanum (the Shah’s aunt), and Esmat al-Dawla (the Shah’s daughter)—are systematically analyzed regarding evaluative stance (positive, negative, neutral), narration type (direct, indirect), and underlying reasons. Results indicate 70% of images are positive. This stems from their high socio-political status, literacy, and proximity to European standards, which prevented the derogatory and superior gaze common in other travelogues.
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Volume 8, Issue 2
March 2026
Pages 26-51

  • Receive Date 07 March 2026
  • Revise Date 20 May 2026
  • Accept Date 26 May 2026