Comparison of Story Models in War Theatre and Sacred Defense Theater

Introductory:
During the history, man has witnessed a large number of wars. These wars were consisted of traditional old wars and the very modern wars of today. Studying the wars that have happened during the history and studying different aspects and dramatic appearances of them open a different kind of window to us through which we can focus on the issue of war and theatre from a different point of view.
Dramatic arts have how ever considered “War”? as one of the main subjects for working since past till now. Since the dramas in the ancient Greece to the modern theatre of today, the art of theatre has always included signs of war, the meaning of war and the good and bad side effects of war. Wars such as the war between Athens and Trojan, the war between Iran and Greece, the Dartage War, the war between Rome and Greece as well as tribal wars between the European tribes, the Crusades and finally the World War I and World War II have been all important events in the history which should be undeniably used for creating dramatic works about them.
To speak basically, the challenges between people in the extra ordinary situations and especially war paved grounds for the play writers to focus on the concept and meaning of man and the humanitarian life and also criticizes it in different battle fields.
Meanwhile, concepts such as honesty and dishonesty as well as plot and deceive, love and duty, greed for power and sufficing to little and generally speaking balance and chaos rooted in lack of balance have appeared in the most important great dramatic works of the world.
Therefore, drama benefits from war from both sides. First, drama pictures war because it is a rich and strong situation for creating different dramatic situations in which man appears his hidden angles of his character and special behaviors. And secondly, drama criticizes and analyzes war in order to know motives of human as well as human’s nature and behavior in the situation of war while it speaks about problems and miseries of war.
From this point of view, both good and bad characteristics of human are pictured in dramatic works.
But in a general view, we may not consider that the war theatre is different with other types of dramatic art; but certainly, war theatre is different from other types of theatre when considering its subject or at least when we consider the dramatic situation and presenting narrative models for telling the story.
The war situation is consisted of military aggression, revolution, social rebellion and or defending against the enemy. Since the situation of clash and fighting generally involves two or few groups of fighting forces with different targets and intentions, this situation has been always the raw material for creating dramatic works. This war situation usually provides attractive and unique narrative models in the field of theatre.
From the other side, what caused the eight - year war of our country to be always considered as “Sacred Defense”? is the belief to the fact that our war has been different with other wars of the world; because it was a war on belief. It was a war for defending valuable ideals and holy ideas. And it has naturally affected on the type of look and thought of artists in the field of theatre. It has also caused the play writers of our country to bring up different narrative models while having tendency to particular subjects and concepts. Our play writers have paid more attention to these different narrative models.
In this short article, I have made efforts to identify the common points and points of difference that exist among different dramatic ideas regarding the phenomenon of “War”?. In this article, I have made efforts to study narrative models of some of the important war plays of the world and then compare them with the written dramatic works in the field of sacred defense theatre of our country.

Developing Story and War Situation:
Developing story in the dramatic literature is some how a process by which situation is created in which the characters of the work act against each other. And in line with the ideas of the play writer, these characters continue their dramatic life by the end of the play.
The story of a play is actually the ground that the play writer paves in order to narrate his / her thought and idea in the most attractive way. And it is natural that an influential story has influential situations, moments, actions and reactions.
Dr Nazer zadeh Kermani has defined story development and creation of plot of a dramatic work as the story plot as the following: “The story plot appears the other structures of the play. And it is the play too. Plot of the story reflects and shows “Character”?, “Atmosphere”?, “Time”? and “Place”? of the play.
The story plot includes the events that join each other on the ground of aesthetic bases or a special artistic logic. These aesthetic bases and or artistic logic are considered as the aspects which give life to the play and form the style of the play. This event is called structure of story plot too.”?
As for the role of “War”? and “War Situation”? in building the structure of stories; he has said: “These elements and raw materials are frequently observed in myths and stories; especially in the myths in which war and clash and battle play the basic role in the plot of the story.”?
From the other side, we can say that clash is the result of two elements. In the Zoroastrian creation story, there were two elements of “Ahourmazd”? [God] and “Ahriman”? [Devil]. In other words, there were two elements of good and bad; but in the creation story of Mani, there were two elements of darkness and light.
“The Trojan War”? is a story adapted from “Iliad, the Eternal Poems of Humer”?. This story is one of these myths. “War”? has strong dramatic aspects in this story. Later, we have observed examples of such wars in the old and contemporary history. The smaller example of that can be observed in the behavior of Iranian combatants during the eight years of the imposed war. The peak point of the story may be the entrance of a great and wooden horse into Trojan City; the horse that caused the fall of Trojan City. Creation myths and stories are considerable examples that make us close to the symbolic meaning of play that is referred as “Fight”?; the stories and myths that have been created based on the plot of opposition of good and bad and also light and darkness. And these powers usually appear in the form of two characters that stand against each other.
In the field of theatre, artists have been able to create considerable works in this field too. “Antigone”? written by “Sophocles”? and “Iphigenia”? written by “Euripides”? are good examples of these plays. The Play “the Persian”? written by “Achilles”? is another play written with the subject of “War”?.
This play has been written in 427 B.C. This play has pictured “Salamis”? War in which the army of Athens fought with Khashayar Shah [The Persian king who ruled on Iran more than 2000 years ago] and the Persian army. “Ischilus”? (Achilles), the writer of this play had participated in that war. He wrote that tragedy eight years after that war. We can find out at least two points out of this play. First, we can find out that war and dramatic symbols can be rich source for the dramatic literature that can not be developed and performed on the stage without making changes in them.
In a general view, any big war and even small and local war has been an excuse for theatre artists to express their opinions and judgments about that particular war or war in general as well as world wide war.
Tangible and detailed look at human in the situations of war and post war time is the most important characteristic of this type of theatre.
As an example, play writers such as “Bell”?, “Deitrich”? and “Semon”? in Germany criticized the phenomenon of Nazism such that they had studied the ugly and global face of greed for power at any time and at any place. The behavior of people and the critical situation of war were preciserly focused and studied in other countries such as France, Britain, Ireland and other countries of the world.
In a general categorization, we can classify these plays into two groups: The first group consists of the plays that speak about positive characteristics of war which are namely resistance, bravery, self sacrifice and rebuilding the country. And the second group consists of the plays which speak about negative points of war such as destruction, aggression, corruption and mass killing of generations. We can also categorize these plays considering the fact if they have written about war directly or they have noticed to the marginal issues of war and the side effects of war. And finally, I should mention the last point. And it is the fact that theatre has showed tendency to showing the idea and the hidden truth of war instead of picturing fighting scenes and physical clashes. And it has been due to existence of technical limitations in theatre compared to cinema.
But if we want to take a look at war plays from the point of view of story development and narrative situations, I should mention the fact that the story of fight between two or few opposing and fighting groups with different intentions and targets has different characteristics. As for these characteristics; I can refer to the situations simultaneous with war and the situations before and after war.
“The Trojan War”? is a story adapted from “Iliad, the Eternal Poems of Humer”?. This story is one of these myths. “War”? has strong dramatic aspects in this story. Later, we have observed examples of such wars in the old and contemporary history. The smaller example of that can be observed in the behavior of Iranian combatants during the eight years of the imposed war. The peak point of the story may be the entrance of a great and wooden horse into Trojan City; the horse that caused the fall of Trojan City. Creation myths and stories are considerable examples that make us close to the symbolic meaning of play that is referred as “Fight”?; the stories and myths that have been created based on the plot of opposition of good and bad and also light and darkness. And these powers usually appear in the form of two characters that stand against each other.
In the field of theatre, artists have been able to create considerable works in this field too. “Antigone”? written by “Sophocles”? and “Iphigenia”? written by “Euripides”? are good examples of these plays. The Play “the Persian”? written by “Achilles”? is another play written with the subject of “War”?.
This play has been written in 427 B.C. This play has pictured “Salamis”? War in which the army of Athens fought with Khashayar Shah [The Persian king who ruled on Iran more than 2000 years ago] and the Persian army. “Ischilus”? (Achilles), the writer of this play had participated in that war. He wrote that tragedy eight years after that war. We can find out at least two points out of this play. First, we can find out that war and dramatic symbols can be rich source for the dramatic literature that can not be developed and performed on the stage without making changes in them.
In a general view, any big war and even small and local war has been an excuse for theatre artists to express their opinions and judgments about that particular war or war in general as well as world wide war.
Tangible and detailed look at human in the situations of war and post war time is the most important characteristic of this type of theatre.
As an example, play writers such as “Bell”?, “Deitrich”? and “Semon”? in Germany criticized the phenomenon of Nazism such that they had studied the ugly and global face of greed for power at any time and at any place. The behavior of people and the critical situation of war were preciserly focused and studied in other countries such as France, Britain, Ireland and other countries of the world.
In a general categorization, we can classify these plays into two groups: The first group consists of the plays that speak about positive characteristics of war which are namely resistance, bravery, self sacrifice and rebuilding the country. And the second group consists of the plays which speak about negative points of war such as destruction, aggression, corruption and mass killing of generations. We can also categorize these plays considering the fact if they have written about war directly or they have noticed to the marginal issues of war and the side effects of war. And finally, I should mention the last point. And it is the fact that theatre has showed tendency to showing the idea and the hidden truth of war instead of picturing fighting scenes and physical clashes. And it has been due to existence of technical limitations in theatre compared to cinema.
But if we want to take a look at war plays from the point of view of story development and narrative situations, I should mention the fact that the story of fight between two or few opposing and fighting groups with different intentions and targets has different characteristics. As for these characteristics; I can refer to the situations simultaneous with war and the situations before and after war.

Story Situations Simultaneous with War

The situations of story that are simultaneous with war can be categorized into two main groups. Some of the events in these situations occur at the heart of war it means the battle field. As for these plays; I can refer to the following plays: “Arminus Battle”? (1809) written by “Heinrich Von Klaist”?, “Birth”? (1986) written by “Arman Gati”? (1986) and or “Mother Courage and Her Children”? (1938) written by “Bertolt Brecht”?. Although the Play “mother Courage and Her Children”? has few events that happen at the heart of war but it narrates a major part of war events as story and narration. Considering this aspect of this play, it is similar to the second group of plays which their events happen in back of battle fields.
In parts of his valuable book under the title of “Art of Play Writing about War”?; “David Lesco”? has written as the following: “War play writing appears in two forms today.”?
He has separated any of these two types and named them as “Play Writing about War Action”? and “Play Writing about War Situation and Mood”?.
According to him; nowadays, the second form of the mentioned play writing is performed on the stage more frequently. He also believes that the second form of play writing about war - it means play writing about situation and mood of war - does not show the war on the stage; but it shows the social, economic and political processes that cause the war situation.
By taking a general look at the written dramatic works about war and even sacred defense, we can find out the fact that there have been few plays that their writers have chosen their story situation at the heart of the event and inside the war and battle fields. And that is due to the fact that the stage of theatre does not have capabilities and capacities for recreating situations inside the war. Theatre stage has limitations in this regard. Basically speaking, showing war on the stage is problematic because of the required raw materials for showing war on the stage. The dramatic form requires gathering of a limited number of actors and actresses in a limited place. And it is apparent development of historical events such as war.
Considering the quality, the theatre of war is not obliged to picture the appearance and physical actions and events of the battle fields. It is important to show spirit of people, their behavior and also elaborate the elements of victory or defeat of a force against the other force.
By the way, war is not limited in shooting bullets, fighting, martyrdom and death; but the elements that form the above mentioned phenomena are important. It is more important than any thing to know about how and why war happened. The most important problem of the plays which are written and made with the subject of sacred defense is usually inappropriate understanding about the war scenes and looking at them superficially not deeply.
The play writer and the team of performance should look at events and concepts very deeply. And then, they should reflect these realities and concepts. It is actually the reflection of ignored parts of the war. These are the points that are not observed by an ordinary person who is not an artist. In other case, our plays will be merely explanation of obvious things and events. As a matter of fact, our action is called against logic. This way, the form will not be coordinated with the concept and subject that we have chosen.
In contrary to the first group, there are a large number of plays which happen in the story situation simultaneous with war but out of the battle field. In these plays - which are naturally about the events of war - events of the story are related to side issues regarding war such as the headquarters, camps of captives, bases which are settled in back of the battle fields and also the life in the cities in the surrounding of battle fields and etc.
In some other cases, the story situation is considered in the side of war because the writer of the play is able to give information about the heart of events by using narrative tools and means.
How ever, the story situations out of the battle fields makes it possible for the play writer to elaborate on the paradox and conflict of characters who are involved in war while being far from the physical conflicts of war. The Play “all My Sons”? written by Arthur Miller is an outstanding example of such type of plays.

Story Situations during the Post - War Time
By mentioning story situations during the post war time, we mean the works that elaborate on the issues and problems that appear after war. These problems usually consist of social, psychological and family related side effects and results of war. Since these works have diverse subjects to write about, there are a large number of such works and they form a larger number of war plays.
In the mentioned works, there are diverse forms of writing about war in indirect and direct ways. Some times the story plot essentially takes the war into the margin and completely focuses on the results and side effects of war in a completely indirect way. In many plays and movies which have been made about the World War II, we do not observe the signs of war even for one moment; but the whole events of war have been formed on the axis that characters have been damaged and harmed by a subject under the name of “War”?.
As an example, I can refer to the subjects and stories which have been written about the gap between the generations, disasters and tragedies of families, doubts and resurrection as well as feeling injury rooted in losing some one’s dear persons in war and etc. these cases are not the cases that are limited merely to the war years.
We may courageously say that many of the strong plays which have been written in the field of war and the sacred defense are the plays which have been written about the years after war. These plays picture the relationships between the members of a society which has suffered and harmed from war; the society that has been changed culturally, socially and economically.
We can how ever courageously claim that most of play writers of our country who write works in the field of war do not appropriately know the different dimensions of war either during war or during the post - war time. That is the reason of why their plays lack different layers due to looking at this phenomenon from just one dimension of it. We may say that the works of these play writers have merely focused on the surface layer of the war. These works lack required and necessary depth.
Therefore, we can say that paying attention to this issue it means knowing different aspects and dimensions of the war time and the period of time after war and looking at war as a social phenomenon not merely an ideological, political and idealistic phenomenon and establishing dialectic relationship between war and history will give a real and not unreal form to the play or drama of war. And if the play writer does not merely suffice to expressing and picturing days and events of war, his / her works will communicate with the body of the society. This issue is clearly observable in some of the works written by “Bertolt Brecht”? and “Edward Bound”? which have been written in the field of war and related to war.

Story Models in the Theatre of War:
If we accept that story and a literary work including play are series of events that - according to the style and method of the literary work - are organized in the way that leads the audience towards the concept and subject that is considered by the writer, we should say that these stories or series of events can be categorized in groups under the title of story models due to structural or subject similarities and suitability.
But it is obvious that not all of these groups and story models are suitable for forming a play. It is just like the fact that “Life has many models and continuous events; but not all of them can be considered as the basis of a play. They should be of a special kind in order to form the basis of a play.”?
By mentioning being of special kind, we doubtlessly mean having dramatic capacities.
Apart from the main theme and subject which are doubtlessly around the subject of war and its positive and negative side effects the story models that have been formed in the theatre of war can be categorized in different groups.
But it is obvious that in order to achieve a comprehensive consequence about the story models of the war theater in the world, we require to study all the existing works in this field. And that is while the number of outstanding works which are in access is very few. Therefore, we focus on few story models based on the creditable and outstanding works out of the war plays of the world in this short article.

A – Following a documentary approach, the story of the play explains the battle and narrates the victory or defeat and the reasons of occurrence of that victory or defeat:
In this story model that is included in the group of works simultaneous with war and story situations inside the battle fields, the ordinary aspects of story are less observed. In this type of works and more than any other thing, the continuity of events is based on the axis of narrating the events based on documents. The oldest example included in this group is doubtlessly the Play “The Persians”? written by Achilles. We may name it as the first play with the main subject of war.
Ignoring the historical rightness or wrongness of the events that are narrated in the Play “The Persians”?, this play has narrated how the Persian Army commanded by Khashayar Shah attacked Greece and was defeated by the Greek Army.
But it is obvious that not all of these groups and story models are suitable for forming a play. It is just like the fact that “Life has many models and continuous events; but not all of them can be considered as the basis of a play. They should be of a special kind in order to form the basis of a play.”?
By mentioning being of special kind, we doubtlessly mean having dramatic capacities.
Apart from the main theme and subject which are doubtlessly around the subject of war and its positive and negative side effects the story models that have been formed in the theatre of war can be categorized in different groups.
As for other play which is suitable with this story model; I can name the Play “Napoleon or One Hundred Days”? (1830) which has been written by “Christian Ditrich Grab”?. In this play, he has called people for thinking about war as an identifying and important historical moment.
But it is obvious that not all of these groups and story models are suitable for forming a play. It is just like the fact that “Life has many models and continuous events; but not all of them can be considered as the basis of a play. They should be of a special kind in order to form the basis of a play.”?
By mentioning being of special kind, we doubtlessly mean having dramatic capacities.
Apart from the main theme and subject which are doubtlessly around the subject of war and its positive and negative side effects the story models that have been formed in the theatre of war can be categorized in different groups.
On the Play “The Kings”?, “Thomas Hardy”? intended to picture and follow events during a particular period of time in the history. It was between the years 1805 to 1815 in Europe. He has used formulas for limiting the subject of his plays. These formulas are namely “Great Historical Misery”? or “The Conflict between the Nations”?. He has less frequently spoken about the place where war is formed in.
By studying approximately two hundred written or performed plays in the field of sacred defense theatre, there has been no play created based on such story model yet.
Of course, I believe that we should conduct more researches in this field. but in a general look at this issue, we may mention the following reasons for this problems:
1 - Observing technical and economical considerations and or weakness in performances
2 - Weakness in conducting studies and researches regarding different dimensions and aspects of the sacred defense and also lack of comprehensive understanding about the different events of the sacred defense
3 - Self - sensor and tendency to limited and cliché approaches regarding the different events of the sacred defense

B - Story of the play is about how war influenced on the people who were involved in it.

This story model - that can be related to the situations inside and outside of war - is about the destructive effects of war in many cases. In this story model mentions this social phenomenon as an element which is influential in causing social harms, psychological problems and disorders, mass killing of generations and even the gap between sectors of the society.
In few of such plays, war is pictured with an optimistic view and as the element of unifying nations which paves ground for appearance of talents and also a ground in which the real face of people and the hidden truth inside human appear.
And in some other cases, the play writer has written his / her play with a neutral point of view and pictures the positive and negative aspects of war without taking a particular position in this regard. In these cases, the play writer has pictured the positive and negative aspects of war for his / her audiences.
The story of the Play “Birth”? (1968) written by “Arman Gatti”? happens in a farm in Guatemala. This play is the story of guerrilla forces who have been imprisoned by a governmental group in cooperation with an American consultant. The opposition between the governmental forces and the revolutionary forces or forces of a domestic war damages the characters. This way, “Joelin”? a woman of high class is beloved by one of the guerrilla officers. And “Boch”?, the black American consultant has troubled conscience. It is because of his childhood in “Harlem”? Area and his duty as the suppressor of his race brothers [Black people].
From the other side, in the Play “Man Is Man”? written by “Bertolt Brecht”?, war enters the process of form change of “Gali Gi”?. And finally, this character changes into a dangerous war weapon. He shows that war can change a human on its benefit. Then “War”? is referred as the practical justification of metamorphose of “Gali Gi”?.

C - A War has happened and the people involved in it seek for their own benefit.

In this story model that is very cliché among story models of war plays, this social phenomenon that has happened due to any reason is against the benefit of the people who are involved in it. And that is because of its destructive nature. And consequently, the people who are involved in war try to protect their benefits. And finally, these works end with a tragic form. And it has been due to the powerfulness of the battle field. These works usually end to the profit of war and defeat of determination of human; but the play writer has intended to create ground on which positive and negative moral and psychological aspects and characteristics and capacities of human are pictured in the terrible situation of war. In this line, I can refer to the fact that war created situations in our country in which people’s humanitarian characteristics and moralities were tested again. War created a situation in our country in which we find out our contradictions and find our cultural, moral, national and religious beliefs and values.
The Play “mother Courage and Her Children”? written by “Bertolt Brecht”? is the most famous example that wants to picture this tragic story. In order to show the mechanism of that, “Bertolt Brecht”? emphasizes on a contradictory structure.
In a common place view, “Bertolt Brecht”? makes efforts to picture war as harm for the body of the society; the harm that destroys all the political bases. “Bertolt Brecht”? has chosen a character t6hat benefits from war. The 30 - year war was an economic heaven for “Mother Courage”? who was a sales woman.
As for other examples in this type of story model; I can refer to “all My Sons”? written by “Arthur Miller”?. In this play, war paves grounds for great benefit of the “Father”? who owns a factory. In this war, the “father”? makes the engines of the war planes. But causing technical problem in making these engines in order to make more profit finally takes the life of the son of the family.

Story Models in the Sacred Defense Theatre

Sacred Defense Theater is a type of theatre in our country in which humanitarian values of Iranian combatants or the Iranian families are pictured on the stage of theatre in a dramatic way.
In these types of play, the front line of battle fields and the strong holds in the battle fields are story situation and place of occurrence of events. And some times, the people related to war are focused in the back of battle fields. In the second type, events happen kilometers far from the battle fields.
Some times, the attack and aggression of the enemy form the main line of story of the play such that all the war is limited in the physical face of war. And some times, the men of war are described in such abstract and spiritual way that it seems that our battle fields were merely the place of praying at night and speaking with God in loneliness and bullets, tanks and bombardment air planes were only imaginations and fictions. All of these types of plays are included in the category of “Resistance Theatre”?. And we can not limit the definition of sacred defense without any reasons. Therefore, we can present definitions about Sacred Defense Theatre as many as play writers and theatre directors who have experienced and understood war and the battle fields.
The nostalgia remained from the imposed war is rooted in a dual feeling and understanding that the Iranian people had about that critical historical event that had a big role in their destiny. The feeling of enthusiasm, sympathy and self sacrifice for saving the home land and consequently inspiring the spirit of spirituality and beyond religion in the body of the Iranian society were the blessings of our war; but no one can hide his / her hatred about the violence of war and hatred about the fact that war was bloody and destructive in nature. And this dual destiny has been able to be the suitable subject and raw material for sacred defense theatre of Iran.
The story of a person who has lost his hand and leg during the sacred defense and has faced with problems for earning money and making a living after war or the fact that his wife can not tolerate him any more and problems like this are the issues that can be studied apart from the blessing of war and sacred defense.
During the sacred defense, the Iranian combatants dealt with God. They guaranteed receiving good award in the next world. But did every one agree with these combatants in their ways?
Confrontation between beliefs is the basis of drama. And theatre is formed when paradox, contradiction and challenges are created. And the contradiction between the characters of the play can form one of these methods in the theatre o0f sacred defense.
In continuation of this article and due to relative diverse among the existing dramatic works in the field of sacred defense, we have studied the story models of these works in a wider categorization. I will bring examples of the outstanding plays in any of the mentioned groups. I should how ever mention the fact that more than one story model have been used in some of the dramatic works; because it is also possible to use more than one story model in one single play; but one story model should be distinguished more than other story models in one play.

1 - War begins and it brings many tragic events

This story model - which was explained in the dramatic works of the world in other section of this article - has been used in diverse way in the plays of sacred defense. In this line and as examples, I can refer to the following stories:
- “War immigrants stay in camps and wait for returning to their cities”? in the Play “Shekast Bekhan”?
- “The war immigrant teenager has problems in communicating with other teenagers”? in the Play “Gol e Sheypouri”?
- “Children are described as the most innocent victims of war”? in the Play “The Doll of Childhood”?
- “A combatant has lost his memory due to war”? in the Play “Parts of Innocent Life of a Beautiful and Noble Teenage”?
- “A family who are attacked by the enemy are making efforts to remain alive”? in the Play “The Fall of Shadows”?
- “A person has lost the members of his family due to occurrence of war”? in the Play “Rouy - e Ney Bandi”? and the Play “The Endless Conversation of Setareh with Her Mother”?
- “The life of a family is destroyed during the war”? in the Play “They Took Dayeh Shirin”?
- “The relationships in a family faces with crisis”? in the play “Winter of 1366”?

2 - Memories of war are remembered and cause the survivors of war to become relieved
At the first look, it seems that remembering the memories about war naturally causes sadness for the people who had been involved in it; but in many of the dramatic works in the field of sacred defense, reviewing and remembering the memories of war not only does not cause sadness for the people but also it brings a kind of calmness and tranquility for the survivors of war. This is one of the difference points of sacred defense theatre with the other dramatic works of the world about war. And it doubtlessly goes back to the religious and cultural point of view of the Iranian people about honoring defense and guarding the territory of the home land, Iran:
- “The theatre artist recreates and pictures the memories of war in order to honor the Iranian combatants”? in the Play “survivor”?
- “Recreating the memories of past by a combatant remained after war”? in the Play “You Are Our Dear”? and “The Rainy Nights”?
- “Two brothers review their memories about war”? in the Play “With a Mouth full of Crows”?

3 - Captivity time cause changes in the life of people:

- “Return of a combatant from captivity causes the family of his martyred friend to stop waiting”? in the Play “The mirror of Sun Shine Time”?
- “A little girl daydreams when she is waiting for his father who is in captivity”? in the Play “Memories of Narges”?
- “A child searches on his mind in order to find his father who is in captivity”? in the Play “Red Fish, Apple, Flower”?
- “A combatant has returned from captivity; but he still lives in the past”? in the Play “Suddenly the Cold Window”?
- “A combatant has returned from captivity and tells untold stories about the past”? in the Play “The Eighth wheel”?

4 - There are some people who take advantage of the war situation:

As it was mentioned in the article, taking advantage of the situation of war is considered as one of the commonly used story models in this type of theatre; but such story usually ends to the failure or troubled conscience of the person at the end of the play in Sacred Defense Theatre.
- “The coward people who have run away from war pretend to be real combatants by using tricks”? in the Play “Two Story of Few Stories of Rahman”?
- “An author writes different things in order to benefit from war”? in the Play “A Play for the 11th Festival”?

5 - Wives of martyrs and janbazan [The war wounded people] suffer a lot because of war:

Despite picturing and showing the difficulties and suffering of the people who have been harmed by war, tolerance and patience against the difficulties are honored and appreciated in this story model:

- “Mother and wife of a martyr continue their life by seeing their martyred son and husband”? in the Play “Fall of Leaves”? and “The Train of the South”?
- “The wife of a war wounded person tolerates a lot of difficulties in order to continue life with her husband”? in the Play “Moharram Is Alive”?, “Shrapnel”?, “Coming from Acacia Flower”? and “with me like the Sea”?

6 - Different people participate in the war and are changed:

Change in the character of people during the war situation - which is usually a positive change - is special for the dramatic works produced in the field of sacred defense. Like the mentioned cases, it was according to our belief - based view about the belief of the combatants and the special situation of the battle fields. As examples, I can refer to the following plays:
- “A doctor’s characteristic is changed in the battle field and feels that he owes to his injured friend in the battle field”? in the Play “Hengameh:
- “A soldier’s characteristic is changed in the battle field. It is while the people of his home town are against thi9s change”? in the Play “Yahya”?
“A person imprisons him in a sanatorium of the war wounded people because of being changed in the war time”? in the Play “Esmaeel, Esmaeel”?
7 - War begins and the two opposing forces communicate with each other unwillingly:
This story model has been used in the war theatre of other countries too. In this regard, I already mentioned the Play “Birth”? written by “Arman Gatti”?. But in the theatre of sacred defense, such relationships usually end with the change in the view of the opposite force:
- “The soldier of the enemy who has come to the battle field on force leaves and runs away from the battle field”? in the Play “I Am Zareh Azr Taha”?
- “A war wounded person falls in love with an Iraqi girl and is finally martyred”? in the Play “The Pleasant Smell of War”?

8 - There are some people who devoted and sacrificed their lives and properties in the war:

- “The epic of self sacrifice of different people in battle fields are narrated and pictured”? in the Play “The Fifth Oppressed Person”?
- “A combatant sacrifices his life by hiding his real identity”? in the Play “Lunar Eclipse”?

8 - People with different motives start searching in war regions for finding bodies of the martyrs and signs of them after the finishing of war

Searching for finding the bodies of the martyrs and the people who have been killed in the war and holding funeral procession ceremony and burying them may not be an acceptable action in some of the cultures. As a matter of fact, the philosophy of searching for the body of a person who had been killed in war many years ago and there may not be much effect remained from his body is not very understandable for them.
Such difficult and dangerous in some cases and also expensive action may not conform to the logical and materialistic criteria. But in our Shiite culture, the sacredness of “Martyr”? even when only few pieces of bones and little soil are remained from him is so important that we still search for the bodies of martyrs after passing of years after the end of war. We search for the bodies of martyrs with a lot of difficulties and expenses. And people still rush to streets to participate in the funeral procession ceremony that is held for these martyrs and even the unknown martyrs.
That is the reason of why the story model of searching for the bodies of martyrs of the sacred defense is observed in the plays in the field of sacred defense more than other story models. Although in this story model, some times searching for the bodies of martyrs is an excuse for the former combatants to go back to the regions of battle fields and even martyrs descend to the place and time where he has fought and been martyred:
- “A young person who has lost his friend in the war joins the groups of searching for bodies of martyrs in memorial of his martyred friend”? in the Play “Aflak Hill”?
- “A combatant who was in battle fields many years ago is searching for a sign of his commander in the group of searching for bodies of martyrs”? in the Play “Negin”?
- “After years after finishing war, a combatant is searching for his companions in war who were with him in one strong hold”? in the Play “The Green Land”? and “Komeyl Canal”?

9 - Martyrs are present in the lives of their friends and families and give them guidance:
Due to the mentioned reasons, this story model is also observed in the plays in the field of sacred defense more than other story models. The Word “Martyr”? is suitable for the person who is killed in the way of his belief and religion. And we call the people who were killed in the sacred defense as “Martyrs”? of belief and religion. In the Islamic belief, these people are not dead and witness the actions of other people. Therefore, they can affect on the world around them by their spiritual presence:
- “A son does not believe his father’s martyrdom. The father appears on him and makes him believe that he is martyred”? in the Play “Like Father”?

10 - The survivors of war feel disappointed due to lack of attention paid by the other people

This story model which is usually described as anti - war theatre in Iran has been used in some of the war plays of the world too. In this field; I can refer to the Play “Baal”? one of the plays written by “Bertolt Brecht”?. This story model has been used in sacred defense theatre in order to warn the audiences not to forget the champions of war.

- “A survivor of war feels disappointed and upset due to receiving no attention from the other people and goes to the mine fields”? in the Play “The Lost Ring”?
- “A commander of war goes to the sanatorium of the war wounded people”? in the Play “Ataa, the Defeated Commander”?

In addition to what was mentioned, special story models have been used in some of the dramatic works in the field of sacred defense. These story models are not included in the mentioned story models and they can not be described as story models due to being unique.
- “The souls of four unknown martyrs are present in one cemetery on a Thursday. They witness events on their graves”? in the Play “Which Thursday Is This Thursday?”?
Similarities in Story Models of War Theatre and Sacred Defense Theatre

Although writing about war has been always one of the main concerns of the artists including play writers but the World War II created the bases of the modern war theatre that was based on nihilism, disappointment, anxiety and etc.
This type of theatre is obviously the logical result of such war. The human who was caught in Vatican neutralism after the 18th century would naturally face with war in the way that happened. And the literary and artistic production of that type of human is doubtlessly along with nihilism and attaching no value to the world and also the behavior and actions of human.
Therefore, the great play writers of that period of time wrote about war with nihilistic point of view. They did not look at the phenomenon of war from the point of view of political categorizations; but it was mostly a kind of cultural scream against the hell of war of evil powers.
The nature of war in the point of view of sacred defense artists is not much different from what was mentioned; but since we believe that our eight - year war has been defense against aggression; therefore we define war theatre based on defending the honor of a country not encouraging and honoring war or the combatants who seek war.
Therefore, studying the plays and theatres which have been produced in west with the subject of war and comparing them with the plays and theaters in the field of sacred defense in Iran we come to the result that we can not consider these two types of theatre in absolute contrast with each other. There are many elements in the war theatre and sacred defense theatre that indicate the similarity between these two types of theatre. These elements are namely battle between truth and untruth, emphasizing on the destructive role of war in the society, existence of idealist champions, supporting peace and condemning the powers that find their existence in chaotic atmosphere of war. These elements are some how observable in any theater that is about the subject of war.
From the other side, although the structure of sacred defense theatre is based on paradox and war but it can take position against the instinct of seeking war, lust and selfishness that can lead the human towards elimination. Then this type of theatre can change them into bravery, honor and beauty and create a great enthusiasm inside the heart of its audience that causes many inspirations and roots of knowledge and mysticism.
Therefore, we can say that the objective of war theatre and sacred defense theatre is the same. These two types of theatre how ever use different and some times similar story situations considering the cultural and social situations that are effective in forming it.

Different Story Models in Sacred Defense Theatre

In order to find out the difference between the story models in sacred defense theatre and war theatre we should doubtlessly find out the difference between these two types of theatre. And in order to achieve to this objective, we should understand the difference between the epic of eight years of sacred defense of the Iranian people against the aggression of the enemy with the other wars of the world. By appropriate understanding these differences and the characteristics of sacred defense that makes our sacred defense different from other tribal, regional and international clashes we will be able to present an appropriate definition about sacred defense theatre and its difference with the theatre of war in other countries.
For the people of our country, sacred defense was not merely an ordinary defense against an ordinary aggression; but it was a complete resistance that gave meaning to the concepts rooted in years of oppression of Islam and Shiite against the multi lateral aggression of anti religion thought and idea. In such point of view “Killing and “Being Killed”? are not different. Both of them are duties that have one single meaning in the rule of fulfilling duty. The Iranian combatant seeks peace just like the soldier who is fighting against the Nazi forces; but the concept of “Peace”? has a special color and meaning among the Iranian combatant.
As a matter of fact, in the battle field of sacred defense, combatants consider war as the field of divine test. And that is the reason of why the sweetness of being in the field of being examined by God - that the victory in it can bring greatest happiness and moral improvement of human - is superior on the ugliness of war.
In this battle field, fighting for defending the home land is in the second priority of importance and the result of war loses its importance among these Iranian combatants; because “Victory”? and “Defeat”? have the same single meaning in “Sacred Defense”?. And it is fulfilling the duty which its meaning is achieving victory in the examination of God.
In drama - with its western definition - the champion starts a long journey during the story. During this journey, the champion should fulfill heavy duties during a difficult process. And in the second phase, the champion should experience death and birth again in order to reach to the phase of championship. To achieve this objective, the champion should pass though series of duties and torturing processes. And in this third phase, the champion should lose his life in the form of a self sacrificed person in order to achieve to salvation or cause his people to achieve to salvation. All the famous dramatic conflicts which include defeating the enemy, killing brother, killing father or killing son (Sohrab, Siavash, Zigfrid and etc) obey the same rule; but in the sacred defense plays, characters are not examined and forgiven due to being champions. The meaning of champion is influenced by other social and cultural concepts that leave no sign from the champion except a piece of news, plaque or a piece of hand writing.
Character is present in the champion - oriented drama; but character is really present in the drama of sacred defense. It means that drama is not a place for appearance of braveries and searches of him; but it is willingly or unwillingly an atmosphere for moving beyond the person and achieving to spiritual great concepts. That is the reason of why we do not call the martyr of sacred defense as champion. He is the live witness of history. Martyr is even more alive than us. Martyr has live and eternal presence in the depth of our historical beliefs society. Martyr does not have any of the apparent characteristics of a champion. Martyr might have achieved to the spiritual position of discovering truth only during few days. He might have been only an ordinary person with ordinary concerns before the beginning of the war. He might not ever have the desire of becoming a champion. And he might not have probably passed through the processes of being examined and learning new things.
But suddenly, he achieved a special spiritual insight and understanding that can not be expressed by the ordinary language of ordinary life. Ten minutes of his life is as worthy as ten years of life of other people. Therefore, we can not find psychological reasons and motives for many of his behaviors. For instance, what happened for “Martyr Hossein Fahmideh”? during the last ten minutes of his life might have made him old as long as sixty years [Martyr Hossein Fahmideh was a thirteen year old combatant who ran under a tank with a dynamite and exploded it and became martyr].
Therefore, characters and consequently story models in the plays in the field of sacred defense do not obey the ordinary story rules. Sacred defense plays have time, place and story situation. That is why we observe story situations in many of these plays that are different from the war theatre. We some times face with different and some times virgin and not experienced story models in these plays.

Consequence:

At this end of this article, I can say that war theatre and sacred defense theatre both seek the same objective. These two types of plays how ever use different and some times similar story situations considering the cultural and social situation of their own society. As for similar story models in war theatre and sacred defense theatre; we can refer to the following story models:

- War begins and brings many problems and tragic events.
- Captivity time causes changes in the lives of people.
- There are some people who take advantage of the situation of war.
- War begins and the two forces - that are enemies of each other - unwillingly communicate with each other.
- The survivors of war get disappointed due to receiving no attention by the other people.
From the other side and due to what was mentioned in the article; we observe story situations in sacred defense plays different from story situations in the war plays. And it is due to the difference that is between the epic of eight years of sacred defense of the Iranian people against the aggression of the enemy and other wars of the world. By appropriate understanding about the difference between the characteristics of sacred defense and other wars of the world, we observe different story situations in many of the sacred defense plays compared to the story situations in war theatre. We observe different and come times virgin and not experiences story models in sacred defense theatre. As for these story models of sacred defense theatre; I can refer to the following story models:
- Memories of war are narrated again and cause the survivors of war to become relieved.
- Wives of martyrs and the war wounded people tolerate a lot of difficulties due to war.
- Different people participate in war and are changed.
- There are some people who devote and sacrifice their lives and wealth in war.
- There are some people who join the teams of searching for bodies of martyrs in the war regions after finishing of war. These people have different motives.
- Martyrs are present in the lives of their friends and families and give guidance to them.

References:

1 - Assadi, S - 1383 [2004 - 2005] - Sacred Defense Theatre and the Crisis of Strategy - “Sahneh”? Publication - Issue No 12
2 - Eskandar zadeh, M - 1385 [2006 - 2007] - Characteristic of Sacred Defense Plays - MA University Thesis - Islamic Azad University - Central Branch of Tehran
3 - Boroujerdi, A - 1383 [2004 - 2005] - Religious Play or Sacred Defense Theatre - Iran Theatre Website - Section of Resistance Theatre and Ashourayee Theatre
4 - Tavakkoli, M - 1383 [2004 - 2005] - War and the Gem of Play - Iran Theatre Website - Section of Resistance Theatre and Ashourayee Theatre
5 – Daryanavard, Gh, H - 1383 - [2004 - 2005] - War and the Gem of Play - Iran Theatre Website - Section of Resistance Theatre and Ashourayee Theatre
6 - Rayani Makhsous, M - 1384 [2005 - 2006] - Sacred Defense Theatre Requires Continuous and Professional Movement - Shargh News Paper
7 - Sarsangi, M - 1383 [2004 - 2005] - The Role of Theatre Art in Recording and Propagating the Values of Sacred Defense - Mehr News Agency - Culture and Art
8 - Sedighi, B - 1383 [2004 - 2005] - Reasons of Weakness of Play Writing in Resistance Theatre - Iran Theatre Website - Section of Resistance Theatre and Ashourayee Theatre
9 - Ghaderi, N - 1379 [2000 - 2001] - Anatomy of Structure of Drama – Tehran - Published by “Soureh Mehr Publication”?
10 - Lesco, D - Art of Play Writing in the Field of War - Translated by N, Hamedani - Tehran - Published by “Ghatreh Publication”?
11 - Nazer - zadeh Kermani, F - 1384 [2005 - 2006] - A Review on Play Writing - Tehran - Published by “Samt Publication”?
12 - Heyhavand, H - 1383 [2004 - 2005] - Art, Theatre, War - “Sahneh”? Publication, - Issue No 12
13 - Yasrebi, Ch - 1386 [2007 - 2008] - A Review on Structure of Sacred Defense Plays - Website of Association of Resistance Theatre
14 - Yung, K, G - 1352 [1973 - 1974] - Human and Symbols - Translated by A, Saremi - Tehran - Published by “Paya Ketab Publication”?

Written by Sayed Hossein Fadaee Hossein