Persian Language and Literature

Publication Information

An Analysis of Cohesion and Coherence in a Ghazal by Hafez from a Systemic Functional Linguistics Viewpoint

Taqi Pournamdarian

Some literary critics have often engaged in debates on the degree of overall cohesion and coherence across the couplets of the Hafez ghazals: some maintain that the Hafez’s ghazals lack coherence; some others believe that there is cohesion and coherence in the nature of the couplets. This paper presents an analysis of the overall coherence in a ghazal of Hafez- that has a weak cohesion apparently- by using a linguistics framework laid out by Halliday and Hasan (1976 & 1984). Based on this theory, although cohesion is an important property of a text, just finding the cohesive elements does not show that the text is coherent. Rather, after finding these elements, it is necessary to show coherence in a text based on Cohesive Harmony. After doing this analysis, we have found that this ghazal has a very high cohesion and coherence. So, by utilizing this theory - that is a scientific method- we can probe the degree of cohesion and coherence in any ghazal of Hafez or other literary texts quantitatively.

A Structuralist analysis on AmirArsalan story

Alireza Hajiannejad

Structuralism mostly investigates narrative elements in stories. A structural narratologist basically intends to compile a coherent structure among other different aspects of a story. The present study investigates the structure of AmirArsalan story, the last important fragment of Persian folksy long story generation, according to some structuralist theories. According to Grard Genette, we can analyze AmirArsalan story at two levels of recite and narration. At “recite” level, it has been discussed based on narrative perspective. At “narration” level, the narrative structure has been investigated and then the similarities and differences have been mentioned compared to other folksy long stories. In the second part of narration level, its syntactic structure has been pointed out and we have tried to summarize the story characters, their acts, and manners in the most compact way.

An Analysis of the Bilateral Effect of Arab, Arabian Language, and Persian Poetry in Early Hijri Centuries

Shirzad Tayefi

The presence of Arabs in Iran and continuation of this presence for almost 3 centuries in this country has had fundamental effects on Iranian language and literature. Most of researchers have analyzed this fact form the negative view point. In this study we try, by making use of sufficient reasons and from a positive point of view, to show that despite lack of Iranian literature in this era (early Hijri centuries), it can't be construed that we had absolute silence of Iranian literature, yet Iranian language and literature in a dynamic and complex way passed a progressive period in a way that it paved the way for growth of Iranian poetry and literature in the following centuries. Although Iran lost its Pahlavi writing system in this era but with passing of time and along with capabilities of Iranians, Farsi language was born and with widespread use of Arabic writing system as an effective and simple instrument (in comparison with other writing systems) which thanks to acceptance of Islam and wide spread use nationwide , Farsi language became Iranian national language with the support of independent rulers. In fact in this era the relation of Iran and Arabs by passing many ups and downs in a bilateral benefit, in one hand caused the unity of language among Iranians and their use of a modern language and its spread and in the other hand, with presence of Iranian elites in expansion of Arabian poetry, valuable services has been paid to Arabic language and Arabic language has passed a progressive era.

Shia’s kalam in the irfan of Bayazid Thani

Habibullah Abbasi

This article makes a general research in the specific features of Shia’s kalam (speculative theology) in irfan’s (Islamic mysticism) views of Ali ibn Inayatullah Bastami, known by the nick-name Bayazid Thani (the Second), especially in his book Rawzat al-arifin. The author has been an arif (mystic) and muhaddith (erudite in Prophet’s traditions) who has lived in X-XI century from Hijra. His purpose for writing this tractate has been to clarify some aspects of monotheism, faith, irfan and the principles of the mystical Way. The article is an effort to give an answer to the following questions: first, how the author as a sufi, in the perspective of Oneness of Existence, and a Shia’s muhaddith can explore the topics of Twelve Shia’s theology within the paradigm of irfan and deepen in this domain; second, is it convenient and acceptable to the mystical wisdom or not, as a principle, that a sufi can use kalam’s proofs and demonstrations, knowing the negative mystical attitude toward rational discussions and issues of kalam.

After considering the most important features of Shia’s kalam in the book Rawzat al-arifin and comparing them with the kalam’s themes, examined by the greatest Shia’s mutakallimun before the time of our author, we could make the conclusion that he has been Shia’s mutakallim and arif in the same time, dwelling on irfan to make an explanation of kalam’ s subtleties. And it could be said also that as his irfan is demonstrative (kalami), his kalam is mystical (irfani).

National Literature and the Significance of its Revisiting

Ebrahim Mohammadi

In some instances of comparative literature research, it is not precisely possible to accredit a literary work to a specific nation or ethnic group. The reason, it seems, lies in the lack of a precise definitions of national literature which in turn is due to the imprecision of the standards set for national literature. Whereas one camp, mainly the disciples of the French school of comparative literature, view language the sole, or at least the strongest criterion for setting the domain of international and national literature, the other camp, mainly the proponents of the American school of comparative literature, casting doubts upon the validity and the efficacy of the linguistic criterion, go for a political identity criterion. Of course, along these two criteria, sometimes other criteria such as historical continuity, shared cultural identity, religious and theological borders, political ideologies and even geographical (co-territorial) borders are also posed.

To investigate this problem more profoundly, the present authors, criticizing the above-mentioned standards and criteria and displaying their inadequacy and imprecision, have made an attempt to propose cultural components and the cultural discourse dominating the work as a promising standard.

The Reflection of Herbage Mythical Beliefs in Ferdosi's Shahnameh

Seyed Kazem Mousavi

Shahnameh is the whole mirror of ancient beliefs and Iranian's identity in far past years to the end of Sassanid's times. Most of Iranian ancient beliefs are manifested in each three parts of this epical work especially in mythic and epic periods. Herbages are the phenomena that is the subject of contemplation in mythical and also Totemic and anima beliefs which are some of the first forms of religion. The reflection of these beliefs which are sometimes similar to the other folk's myth, can be found in Shahnameh. Worshiping of herbages and the plant ancestry of mankind, which have often been seen among different tribes, are the core beliefs manifested in Shahnameh. Also, some of the characters in Shahnameh are goddess of herbage that their birth and death are the same as that of their mythical sample. In fact, these characters are the transformed models of mythical goddess of herbages.

A Semiotic Study of the First Social Novel of Iran

Effat Neghabi

Scary Tehran by Moshfegh Kashani is considered as a pioneering social novel in Iran.In this article, we have tried to examine this novel from the social science perspective in order to explain its semiotics and answer the question of what signs this novel implies and whether the symptoms are ideological. To this end, following some preliminary introduction of the science of semiotics, we have analyzed the manifestation of signs in this literary work. Our findings indicate that the author has efficiently benefited from using signs in order to portray social problems such as social class differences, bipolar social system, and injustice. Further, the author highlights the ideological concept of the symptoms and signs and how they represent the contrasts between the rich and the poor of late Qajar Tehran.