The Stoning of Soraya M Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Stoning of Soraya M - Essay Example As of 2010, the film had averaged over one million dollars in Box Office and received several awards and nomination to awards.The movie depicts a woman’s life in Sharia governed Iran. The film is directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh and distributed by Roadside Attraction; the book La Femme Lapidà ©e has since been banned in Iran. According to the book, La Femme Lapidà ©e, Ghorban Ali Soraya’s husband wanted to marry a fourteen-year-old girl though he does not want to return Soraya’s dowry nor take the burden of living with two wives. Ali a treacherous prison guard comes up with a scheme to get rid of his wife Soraya M. As the story unfolds, Ali coheres with corrupt village authorities and a widower who Soraya is working for at the time. Soon Ali starts spreading rumors about his wife’s unfaithfulness claiming that she has participated in zinah (adultery). Shortly, Ali drags Soraya out of the house and starts beating her up claiming that she has participated in zi nah. The village authorities soon convene a kangaroo court and Soraya is quickly convicted after the widower corroborates Ali’s story. Eventually Soraya is stoned to death pursuant to Sharia Law that does not condone adultery. Though Ali is now free to marry the fourteen year old girl, he is unable due to his failure to secure the release of the girl’s father from prison.... Freidoune Sahebjam tapes the story with the hope that he can tell it to the whole world. According to Zahra’s tale, Soraya was innocent and was a victim of treachery and inflexible religious ideals. Ali, a prison guard is a man full of perfidy and is abusive to his wife Soraya. He tries to convince the village Mullah to talk to his wife so that Soraya can grant him divorce. All along, Ali’s aim is to have Soraya divorce him so that he can marry a younger wife. Ali has gone ahead and made a deal with the girl’s father who has assured him that if he is able to save him from execution, he will have his young daughter’s hand in marriage (Iran on death penalty, 2013). The village Mullah equally as treacherous and corrupt as Ali tries to seek sexual favors from Soraya under the pretence that he will take care of her and her children. Soon Ali, the village Mullah and the mayor convince Zahra to talk to Soraya so that she can work for a particular widower. Soraya agrees to work but for a fee. Using threats and duplicity, Ali and the village Mullah eventually, manage to manipulate the widower into backing their story that Soraya has committed zinah. According to Sharia, the burden of proof that a person has committed zinah is usually hard and only the widower could have secured it in the case of Soraya (The Koran and adultery, 2006). Soon a rumor is rife that Soraya is unfaithful to Ali and has committed zinah. As the story unfolds, Ali beats up Soraya drugging her through the streets claiming that she is an adulterous woman. Zahra intervenes and asks Ali, the village Mullah, and the town’s mayor to convene at her house to discuss this issue in length. The town’s mayor and the Mullah eventually convene at