ادبیات تطبیقی (Feb 2021)
A Comparative Analysis of the Poems of Sohrab Sepehri and Paul Verlain regarding Impressionism
Abstract
1. Introduction Impressionism, which is a subcategory of Modernism, is not just a school in painting but also a modern approach to the art and to the life, which associates the points of views of the phenomenology philosophers of the late 19th century. The Impressionist artists often reveal their experience as a personal one on a phenomenological- philosophical basis. This personal experience rises not only from the artist’s personality, but also from the traditions and beliefs. Therefore, investigating the artistic works in Impressionist school from different countries could reveal the similarities in and the differences of the emotions and understanding of the countrymen.in his country. From the very beginning of emerging, the school of Impressionism has taken the attention of many artists. Sohrab Sepehri in Persian literature and Paul Verlaine in French literature are counted as modernist poets though they belong to different culture, the deployment of Impressionism elements has made their poems similar. Before applying it in his poems, Sohrab Sepehri had experienced Impressionism in his paintings. Paul Verlain, also, has familiarity with the Impressionism school with the Impressionism school in art circes. The effect of environmental factors such as light, air, color, and poetry has caused the poems of these two poets to move toward the atmosphere of the impressionistic painting. The current article investigates the manifestation of Impressionism in the poems of Sohrab Sepehri and Paul Verlain through the descriptive- analytical method; and tries to reveal the difference between the points of views of the two poets toward the world, the art, and the Impressionism school, as well as toward the characteristics such as defamiliarization, living the moment, playing with colors and light, unfinished pictures, using light colors, relating modernity to the nature, etc. Sepehri has applied Impressionism school as a tool to express the humanistic concepts, whereas, Paul Verlain is bound to the Impressionism just in terms of the structure, The difference is rooted in the amount of the effect of the Impressionistic painting on the poetry. It is also the result of the Eastern nature of the Impressionism school. The abstract and ambiguous expression of Impressionism is, in fact, reminiscent of Eastern mysterious artworks. 2. Methodology The methodology of the current research is analytical-descriptive. From the very outset, Impressionism and its position in art and the world literature are noticed. Then, Sohrab Sepehri and Paul Verlaine′s poems will be analyzed and compared based on the elements of this school of thought. 3. Discussion The school of Impressionism, which is the most important branch of modernism, has a new approach to life. This school was initially dedicated to painting, but gradually encrypted into other branches of art. The beginning of literary Impressionism dates back to the nineteenth century when it has reached its peak in painting. In this article, the poems of Sohrab Sepehri and Paul Verlaine, two new poets of Iran and France, are examined according to the influence of the school of Impressionism. Although these two poets belong to two different lands and different cultures, their familiarity with the school of Impressionism has caused their poetry to have a similar atmosphere. One of the reasons for Sepehri's inclination towards this school is his mystical inclinations. He first experiences this school in his paintings. In Sepehri's poetry, which is a imagery-mystical poem, the components of this school can be vividly seen. However, the French poet and musician, Paul Verlaine, has become acquainted with this school in art meetings. His poetry is more influenced by the modern Western art currents of the Impressionist. That is why most of the structural features of this school can be seen in Paul Verlaine's poetry. In general, structural features such as playing with color and light, concise images and the use of bright and clear colors have a similar place in the poems of both poets. While the content features of this school such as defamiliarization, subjectivity, momentary perception, direct visual perception, movement and flow, and artistic presence are more obvious in Sepehri's poetry. 4. Conclusion Sohrab Sepehri and Paul Verlaine, poets-painters familiar with the school of Impressionism, have subconsciously incorporated some features of this school in their poetry. The poems of both poets have a similar position. But, in other features the views of the two poets are different. Sepehri's unfamiliarity leads him to a more beautiful world than the real world, while Verlaine's unfamiliar world is a bitter, painful and sarcastic one. The momentary perception is clearly emphasized in the poetry of both poets with the difference that in Sepehri's poetry, there is a moment of mystical infrastructure. Sepehri depicts the short moments of life with a deep and accurate view and tries to leave his soul in poetic solitude but Verlaine who has lived a difficult life and does not see brilliant days ahead, is only happy for a moment. This perception arises from a moment of absurdity. He knows every movement. On the other hand, Sepehri's naturalism has caused his poetic world to be far from the modern world, while Verlain, accepting the modern world, connects it with the wild. There are two possible reasons for this: the first reason is that Sepehri experienced Impressionism in his paintings before he became a poet, while Verlain was only acquainted with the theory of this school in artistic meetings. The origin of this school is the west, and the original features of this school are very similar to mysticism and eastern art. rld, while Verlain, accepting the modern world, connects it with the wild. There are two possible reasons for this: the first reason is that Sepehri experienced Impressionism in his paintings before he became a poet, while Verlain was only acquainted with the theory of this school in artistic meetings. The origin of this school is the west, and the original features of this school are very similar to mysticism and eastern art.
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