Treasury of Persian Language and Literature

Nonverbal communication, or body language, is one of the essential tools that any discourse consciously or unconsciously utilizes to construct its visual messages. In poetry and literary texts, due to the inherent limitations in fully, accurately, and flawlessly conveying the poet’s embedded concepts and emotions—caused by constraints such as meter and rhyme, lexical deficiencies, and the lack of appropriate conceptual equivalents, particularly for expressing emotions such as anger, fear, joy, and sorrow—the poet is compelled to use another language known as body language or nonverbal communication. This form of communication often proves to be more truthful and expressive than verbal language and oral expression. This study, emphasizing the significance of nonverbal communication in literary texts, aims to provide a practical model for analyzing the functions of nonverbal communication in Shamlu’s poetry. Using a descriptive-analytical method, the study examines, extracts, and reports these functions. The findings indicate that although all six functions of nonverbal communication are present in Shamlu’s poetry—sometimes reinforcing and complementing meanings and at other times contradicting verbal communication—the substitutive and conflicting functions are more prominently manifested.

Modern epic poetry is one of the major movements in contemporary Persian poetry, whose epic characteristics have transformed in line with changing historical conditions. Ahmad Shamloo, Ekhtiar Khavan, Siavash Kasrai, and Shafiei Kadkani are among the most prominent figures of this movement, whose epic features stand out more than other contemporary poets. In this study, to describe the transformation of the epic in line with new expressive needs, the epic features of the poetry of the aforementioned poets, along with the most notable poets of the Revolution such as Nasrollah Mardani, Hamid Sabzevari, and Mousavi Garmaroudi, are categorized into three groups: content features, linguistic features (the selection of words and phrases appropriate for the epic theme, the antiquity of phrases and syntactical structures), and literary features (epic atmospheres, exaggeration, and the magnificent rhythm and music of the epic). This research is a theoretical and qualitative study, and the most suitable method based on the subject and objectives of the research is the qualitative-analytical approach. In this method, to gather information, the technique of note-taking from available resources in libraries was used, and to draw conclusions or inferences, the method of concept and text analysis was applied. In most contemporary poets (especially before the Revolution), a deep admiration for Iran leads them to focus on the glorious and majestic era of ancient Iran, causing every element connected to the homeland to manifest in their poems. Epic, mythological, ritualistic elements, and even mythical creatures and epic tools sometimes appear with fanatical anger—particularly in the poetry of Ekhtiar Khavan—sometimes with an optimistic and logical perspective—in Siavash Kasrai’s poetry—sometimes in a peaceful manner alongside Islamic elements—in Shafiei Kadkani’s poetry—and sometimes with a tone of admiration and pride—in the poetry of Tabriz and Nima Youshij. In general, an analysis of the data leads to the conclusion that there are similarities and differences in terms of structure and content between the ancient epic of Ferdowsi and the modern epic. From a linguistic perspective, the use of epic words is evident in both types of epic poetry; similarly, from a literary perspective, the use of common meters, internal and external music, exaggeration, and epic emotion is seen in both types of epic. From a content perspective, patriotism and defense of the homeland are common aspects of both types of epic. The significant difference between ancient and modern epics lies in the content of modern epics’ connection with social and political issues, which is a matter that holds less importance in ancient epic poetry.

This article analyzes the narratives in Sadegh Hedayat's short stories through a psychoanalytic lens based on Freudian theory. In this study, selected works of Hedayat, particularly stories such as "Three Drops of Blood," "Alive to the Grave," and "Dash Akol," are analyzed using key Freudian psychological concepts, including the unconscious, repression, the Oedipus complex, and dreams. The analysis focuses on the impact of the unconscious on character development and the narrative structure. The findings of the study reveal that Hedayat, through the use of symbols and metaphors such as blood, death, shadow, and mirror, indirectly alludes to the hidden layers of the characters' and author's minds. These symbols and images reflect the psychological conflicts, repressions, and inner anxieties of the characters, influenced by the unconscious. Additionally, the article demonstrates how Freudian psychoanalysis can contribute to a deeper understanding of Hedayat's works and enhance the understanding of psychological interactions in Persian literature. Finally, the article offers suggestions for future research, which may lead to further development of psychological analysis in the critique of contemporary Persian literature.

This article analyzes the rhetorical structure and feminine discourse in contemporary Iranian poetry, with a focus on the works of female poets. The primary objective of this research is to examine how feminine identity and social experiences of women are represented in contemporary poetry through the use of rhetorical and discursive techniques. By analyzing the works of prominent poets such as Forugh Farrokhzad, Simin Behbahani, and other contemporary female poets, the study explores rhetorical structures such as metaphors, repetition, and sensory imagery. The findings suggest that female poets effectively address social issues, gender inequalities, and feminine identity using these techniques. Moreover, this paper examines the impact of feminine discourse on the social and cultural structures of contemporary Iran and analyzes its role in the transformation of contemporary Iranian literature. Ultimately, the research concludes that feminine discourse is significantly present in contemporary Iranian poetry, and through the use of distinctive language and rhetoric, it conveys the experiences of women.

Social justice is a fundamental issue in Persian literary texts, effectively expressed in the works of many prominent poets, including Nasir Khusraw. This article analyzes the rhetorical structure of social justice concepts in Nasir Khusraw's works using both classical and contemporary rhetorical approaches. The aim of this study is to examine how rhetorical tools such as metaphor, simile, contrast, and irony are employed to elucidate social justice concepts in Nasir Khusraw's poetry. The findings of this research indicate that Nasir Khusraw, through the use of these linguistic tools, effectively conveys complex social and ethical concepts, particularly justice, oppression, and corruption. Additionally, given the historical and social conditions of Nasir Khusraw's era, these concepts specifically address the critique of social injustices and promote order and justice in society. This study also emphasizes the importance of language and rhetoric in influencing the minds and emotions of the audience, showing that Nasir Khusraw, as a reformist poet, utilized rhetorical tools to establish social justice. The results also reveal that Nasir Khusraw expressed social justice concepts in a tangible and artistic manner using images such as the "tree of justice" and "the path of light."

This article explores the narrative analysis of Iranian folklore stories using modern narratology theories. The primary objective of this study is to examine the narrative structures, time, viewpoint, characters, and other key concepts in these stories to gain a deeper understanding of their structural and semantic characteristics. For this purpose, prominent narratological theories by Gérard Genette, Tzvetan Todorov, Roland Barthes, and Mikhail Bakhtin are employed. The findings show that Iranian folklore stories have complex and non-linear temporal structures that operate differently from linear narratives through techniques like flashbacks and foreshadowing. Additionally, changes in the focalization in these stories highlight the multiplicity of viewpoints and the social and cultural complexities. Characters in these stories typically have fixed and defined roles, often in contrast to antagonists and various obstacles that drive the story forward. Content analysis reveals that these stories, beyond conveying moral and social messages, particularly in areas like loyalty, courage, and justice, serve as tools for education and the transmission of cultural values. Finally, the article suggests that future research should compare Iranian folklore narratives with those of other cultures and place more emphasis on the analysis of negative characters within these stories.

This article critically analyzes the language of power and influence in the poems of Aref Qazvini and Mirzadeh Eshghi, two prominent poets of the Constitutional Era. The study examines how these poets used language and discourse to critique despotism and the rule of the time. Aref Qazvini employed emotional and metaphorical language to highlight themes of freedom and resistance, using metaphors such as "the spell of despotism" and "chains" to critique the authority. On the other hand, Mirzadeh Eshghi utilized humor and satire to challenge the corrupt structures of the government and subtly weaken the power. A comparative analysis of these two poets reveals that each used language in different ways to strengthen the discourse of resistance and critique of power. Ultimately, this research demonstrates that language in the poems of both poets acted as a tool for weakening the power structures and redefining concepts of freedom, justice, and human rights. The article also discusses the alignment of the findings with discourse theories on language, power, and influence and examines the role of language in the social and political transformations of the Constitutional Era.

This article analyzes the discourse of power and language in the historical and literary texts of the 5th century Hijri, examining the role of language in representing power and its influence on the political and social transformations of the era. The research, based on critical discourse analysis theories and drawing on the perspectives of Michel Foucault and Norman Fairclough, explores how language was used to legitimize ruling powers and how social and political changes were reflected through language in these texts. This study analyzes examples from historical works such as Tārīkh-e Bayhaqī and Tārīkh-e Yamīnī, as well as poems from prominent poets such as Farrukhī Sīstānī and Anṣarī. The findings show that language in these texts served not only as a tool for narrating history and events but also as a means for reproducing and consolidating power. These discourses, especially through the selection of specific words and phrases, either legitimize or challenge political powers. Finally, the article provides suggestions for future research, advocating for the examination of more extensive texts to gain a deeper understanding of the role of language in representing power in Islamic history.