Journal of Poetry Studies (Boostan Adab)
Year:2013 | Volume:5 | Issue:1 (15)|Papers Count:9

This article explores different modernist aspects of Nima’s The Phoenixby examining its content and form. Since The Phoenix is considered as the "beginning of the modernist Persian poetry” by some literary critics, the main goal of this paper is to show the modernist aspects of The Phoenix. In order to achieve this goal, first, some of the characteristics of pre-modernism and modernism are studied from the relevant sources. Then, the points of view of various literary critics on this work, The Phoenix, are compared with the aforementioned modernist characteristics. If we find any similarities between them (the main and the minimum required characteristics making a piece of poetry or a literary text a modernist work and the most crucial aspects of The Phoenix), we try to reinvestigate the modernist aspects of The Phoenix. The results of our study indicate that the form of The Phoenix shows a movement towards modernism and the changes of the poetic forms and the polysemy of the lines play an important role in this movement. In addition, the very same characteristic is seen in the content of the poem. Expressing various instances of solitude is one of the main characteristics of modernism which is seen in this poem. The typology of solitude in The Phoenix shows that the main type of solitude mentioned in the poem is a nonunderstandable, existential and spiritual solitude, which is perfectly in harmony with the modernist poet, Nima, and his prophetic views, and is completely different from the kind of solitude described in Nima’s previous works, specificallyAfsanah, which is much more similar to isolation or alienation.

Since the introductory sections of the Arabic odes have had a significant role in the traditional criticisms and because scholars such as Ibn Rashiq Qiravani, Abu-Halal Askari, Ibn Asir and Sa’alebi have put a significant emphasis on scrutinizing these parts, examining the introductory parts of Persian odes seems to be highly essential, likewise. In this essay, using a descriptive and analytical research methodology the introductory sections of Khaqani and Motanabbi’s odes are analyzed. The texts analyzed are the whole parts of Khaqani and Motanabbi’sDivan of odes. By analyzing these two introductions‚ the main points of these two odes have been compared with each other. And based on this comparison the following points are concluded: 1. Motanabbi attempts more than Khaqani to improve the introductions of his odes. 2. The introductory sections of the odes of these two poets are mostly imitative; though they have a special beauty. 3. Introductions containing the concepts such as simile, a description of the separations and consequently the complaints have the greatest repetition in Motanabbi’s odes. 4. In Khaqani’s introductions, the concepts such as description‚ wisdom‚ monotheism‚ complaints and grievance have seen more than other subjects.

The differences seen in different edited copies of the works of art created centuries ago are not inevitable; and also this issue is something usual for the literary scholars. These differences happen mainly because of the illegibility of the old manuscripts or because some parts have been erased during the course of time. Some differences are also the result of the changes the editors and the compilers have applied to these texts based on their own interests.Hafiz’s Divan is no exception. This article tries to study the following lines by Hafez: Life-givers are the lovely Persian-speakers, O Saki.Give this good news to the old pious masters. These two lines have been interpreted differently. In some editions "pious masters" is used instead of “pious rends”; so different interpretations have been done based on different words used in these two lines. This article compares different editions of these two lines in different sources and tries to justify the preference of “pious masters” over “pious rend”. Studying these two words in relation to the whole Divan and also to the other parts and pieces of these two lines shows the priority of employing “pious masters” over “pious rends”.

The Constitution Revolution (Mashrute) is considered as one of the most crucial reasons of change in the entire political, social, cultural and literary domains of our time. One of the outcomes of this move is the division of the Iranian society into two traditional and modern epochs. This classification has been clearly represented in Mashrute and contemporary literature. And the interaction between the traditional poetry and modernist poetry lead to the appearance of the so called “Nimaee poem” keeping step with classical poetry till present. This article studies and compares the ideas of two contemporary poets, Bahar, the last representative of the classical poetry, and Nima, the first outstanding figure of modernist poetry, to show the conflict between traditional and modernist poetry originated from the context of that time. This article tries to show how much Bahar and Nima have been affected by classical and modernist poetry.As the study shows, Bahar has a conventional and conservative look at poetry and his novelty is seen solely in the content of his poems. But Nima who is acquainted with Western Literature and Western literary schools and who knows the necessity of being fresh and novel in Persian poetry gradually gets far from traditional poetry and turns completely towards modernist poetry.

Though Shiraz has always been famous and its name has been mentioned in different historical and literary texts, before the appearance of Sa’di, Shiraz had had no prevalence over other cities of Iran and had been very much like other cities such as Tabriz, Toos, Yazd, Isfahan, and Bukhara.But since the 7th century, when Sa’di came to the poetic world as a Shirazi poet, every poet and lover of poetry have known Shiraz more than before. Sa’di left Shiraz for the purpose of traveling and then he enthusiastically came back to his homeland, Shiraz. He could never forget his homeland, the river of Rokn abad, the pleasures and joys of Nowruz; he always mentioned them in his poems. From his appearance as a Shirazi poet, Sa’di and Shiraz has always been well known to the world, from Indus River to the Mediterranean and Black Seas and has been the center of attention for the Islamic world. Therefore, because of Shiraz and Sa’di’s fame, you can hardly find a poet, in these geographical realms, who has not mentioned Shiraz and Sa’di in his poems. So the name of Shiraz has been entered thorough poetry as a literary expression.Shiraz has widely been recognized as the city of literature and poetry and whatever belonging to Shiraz, like Sa’di’s poems, has been considered beautiful, appealing and eye-catching. Shiraz gets more beautiful, its people get more hospitable, its soil gets more fertile, and its weather gets very much like Heaven’s, ... and other poets born in other cities wish to be a Shirazi poet. So, in this article, the role of Shiraz in Persian poetry or generally speaking in Persian literature is divided into two periods, the era before Sa’di and the era after his appearance and these two eras are studied with the help of different sources and documents.

As he himself says, Khaqani has an eccentric style of writing. He is one of the pioneering Persian poets for employing a particular artistic and systematic style forming certain poetics. The most prominent demonstrator of his intellectually eccentric style is his wide use of cultural background. Employing such a background as a raw material, Khaqani creates some new concepts, images, and creative interpretations to make his words flee from the trap of banality and repetition. Part of this background deals with the poet's awareness of different places and lands and their belongings. Jerusalem, one of these lands, is a land considered holy in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity and is an appealing and inspiring land for Khaqani to theextent that he is very much interested in visiting this place. This study analyzes and investigates Khaqani’s knowledge of this land.

The Stories of Siyavash, Hyppolytus and Joseph are well-known throughout the world. The plot of these stories is almost about the wife of a king or a dignitary falling in love with her stepson or adopted son. Because of the chastity and the loyalty to the father, the stepson does not respond to and is not trapped in his stepmother’s lust.Therefore, accusing the stepson of rape the woman tries to avenge him. She also deceives her husband to severely punish his son. (In some stories, the son falls in love with the stepmother or trapped in her fraud.) The present article tries to relate the various instances of this kind of love between stepmother and stepson in different mythological, literary, and historical texts of different nations and to compare these examples to find why such a plot is widespread throughout the world, and among various nations.

Shahnameh is the Iranian national epic rooted in the national and collective unconscious of the Iranians.Shahnameh can be studied from different points of view, such as Jungian perspective. Archetypes are the crucial parts constructing Jungian analysis and the Old Wise Man is one of the most prevalent ones. This archetype, the Old Wise Man, appears in stories and dreams and helps the hero succeed. The Old Wise Man is seen in many stories of Shahnameh. Kumars is the first old wise man in Shahnameh whose guidance helps Hooshang to become the king of Iran. Zaal is another well-known example; Zaal’s teachings help Rostam, the national hero of Shahname, and the kings such as Keykavoos to succeed; Zaal is the savior of Iran and the Iranians.