In Orphanage: Drying of the Spider’s Saliva

In the depths of Paris, in a small hidden house, Hedayat lives in silence and solitude. He, who has never been happy with himself, now leaves behind a world of everything and everyone, and in this small house, wants to escape even from himself. A week and nine days ago, Hedayat rented a house and paid three months rent in advance, yet does not give the address to anyone, wanting to be alone and flee the outside world. Meanwhile, Hedayat tears up three short and long stories he intended to finish writing in Paris and throws them into the trash basket before his eyes. One of these stories is unfinished, parts of which he once read to Mostafa Farzaneh. It is a story of a spider whose curse has dried its saliva and can no longer weave webs. But In Orphanage is another story, the story of a shadow that has always been behind Hedayat’s life curtain, a shadow that now, after years of silence, is gradually starting to speak. These talks seem like a dialogue from a distant era, and this time, Dowlatabadi in this work creates a conversation between the shadow that has always been beside Hedayat and the writer who has always watched from afar, which may hold answers to Hedayat’s unanswered questions. “In Orphanage: Drying of the Spider’s Saliva” by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi reflects the environment in which Sadegh Hedayat, the prominent Iranian writer, lives in Paris and the challenges he faces. This work, as a philosophical and social narrative, explores elements of human isolation, especially when a person faces life’s difficulties including the death of loved ones and experiences failure. The work offers a portrayal of human relationships and the effects of urban life, while also offering a deep examination of storytelling and artistic creativity. Overall, “In Orphanage: Drying of the Spider’s Saliva” is a distinct literary work that, with expressive language and a reflection of the writer’s life, invites the reader to contemplation and consideration of various themes.