The Evolution of Mourning Rituals and Ta'ziyeh in Shiite Iran

Ta'ziyeh is the product of the stagy evolution of Shiite mourning rituals in Iran. Ta'ziyeh, as the first form of religious theatre in Iran, derives from Shiite religion and nationality and find its final from influenced by a number of social factors. Therefore, the sociological recognition of Ta'ziyah has always been necessary. According to reflection theory, all cultural and artistic works are products of societies and reflect their social conditions. So, if we consider Taziyeh as the final product of the evolution of mourning rituals in Iran, the course of events that lead the mourning rituals to Taziey is in part a reflection of the social conditions prevailing in Iranian history. A look at Iran's social and political history reflects the fact that the structures in Iranian society have been influenced by the authoritarian political system of rule; on the other hand, rituals are the most social aspect of religion and have always been linked to the institution of power by concepts such as social discipline, ritual place and time, and media and advertising application. The present article therefore seeks to answer this question: “What role political structure has played in the development of Iran's mourning rituals and what are the characteristics of these rituals?” The method used in this study is descriptive-analytical and historical and the research concludes that the orientation and the will of power have been involved in reinforcing, weakening, and transforming some features of mourning rituals until the emergence of Ta'ziyeh.