Women Without Men (Zanan-e bedun-e mardan) is a novella by Shahrnoush Parsipur, first published in 1989. Through interwoven narratives and a layer of Magical Realism, the work candidly portrays the condition of Iranian women and their desire to break free from the societal bonds which constrain them.
The tale follows five women from disparate walks of life: Mahdokht, a former schoolteacher overwhelmed by an uncomfortable experience; Faizeh, who seeks independence and a husband; Munis, an old maid whose world is upended by revelations about virginity; Farrokhlaqa, a middle-class housewife disenchanted by marriage; and Zarrinkolah, a cheerful prostitute working in one of Tehran's brothels. These figures converge in a mystical garden in the outskirts of Karaj, where free from the pressures of society, they can reflect on their lives, dreams, and desires.
The book was adapted into a film by Shirin Neshat in 2009.
The novella provides examples of:
- Advice Backfire: Faizeh tells Amir it's time he should get married, with the implicit suggestion that she be his bride. He gets engaged, but chooses another girl instead.
- Arcadia: The women congregate at the garden in Karaj, which becomes a symbolic Eden.
- Awful Wedded Life: Farrokhlaqa is married to a man who belittles her for her interests and dreams. Their sour relationship prompts her to leave Tehran and purchase the garden in Karaj.
- Celebrity Resemblance: Farrokhlaqa reminds Fakhredin of Vivien Leigh, particularly in Gone with the Wind. It's a comparison she embraces and fondly remembers years later.
- Honor-Related Abuse: Munis is stabbed to death by her brother after disappearing for a month. It's the second time she's died (and fortunately, the second time she'll get better).
- Hooker with a Heart of Gold: The cheerful Zarrinkolah has a "heart as big as the sea" and is well-loved by the other women at the brothel.
- Old Maid: Munis is thirty-eight, never married, and still a virgin. Her younger friend Faizeh ribs her for it.
- Plant Person: Mahdokht plants her roots in the earth and transforms into a sentient tree.
- Telepathy: Munis gains the power of telepathy after her "resurrection".
- Walking the Earth: On the Gardener's advice, Munis travels the world for seven years, in which she becomes filled with experience and understanding.
