Patriarchy In The Hemlock

Throughout the Iranian history, Iranian women have been at the core of any social and political changes and challenges. In this historical context, Iranian women’s body, individuality, and sexuality have been enclosed within the charter of religion and tradition. From almost none to limited representation of women in the Iranian cinema, it gives a profound insight into the fact that Iranian cinema is closely tied to social and cultural changes within Iranian society.
Patriarchy has been a major institution in Iran since ancient times and is deeply rooted in religious, cultural and legal practices. It is portrayed extensively in Iranian films as well.
While it is important to understand historical movements and challenges, it is also essential to critically analyze them. Iranian filmmakers have attempted in doing so though making films that raise moral questions surrounding patriarchy. Behrooz Afkhami’s The Hemlock is one of the many films that portrays how patriarchy and misinterpretation of religion are embedded in the Iranian society. Although a number of issues are raised in this film, I will only discuss the key moral issues and critically analyze them. In this paper, I will give a brief introduction of the film, followed by a discussion of the key moral issues raised. First, I will focus on the portrayal of the two …show more content…
Mahmoud is depicted as a religious man who prays five times a day and “has a religious justification for all his actions” (Hosseini, p.678.). He justifies his sexual relationship with contracting a temporary marriage with Sima, however, when she tells him about her pregnancy, he asks her to get an abortion right away, stating that “It’s not murder before four months; there’s just a fine, which I’ll pay” (Hosseini, p.678). Mahmoud’s response shows how all of his actions are “justified” by his religion. When Sima tries to question his morality, he replies, “Don’t teach me all