فصلنامه نقد ادبی (Jul 2022)
Micro and Structural Symbols in New Ghazal with Emphasis on Simin Behbahani\'s Structural Symbols
Abstract
Simin Behbahani, Hossein Manzavi, and Mohammad Ali Bahmani, together forming the new Persian Ghazal (short lyric poem) triangle, made significant changes in contemporary Persian Ghazal. Iranian poetry and prose quickly incorporated symbolism into their poetry and prose as one of the essential schools of modern literature. In this study, the researchers have analyzed about 400 symbols in the new Ghazal of the mentioned poets, according to Mahmoud Fotouhi's division of symbols into three categories: micro-, macro-, and structural symbols. They include the analysis of statistics and frequency of symbols, the origins, the concepts, the factors of creation, and the analysis of samples. Among the 326 micro-symbols studied, nature with 73% is the most important source, with a frequency of 326 applications. There are about 14% human symbols and about 11% human-made structures. The Ghazals of the period make little use of macrosymbols. Nevertheless, the organic symbols that have developed into a new art form in contemporary literature appear frequently in Ghazals of Simin, appearing 69 times, making her work distinguishably different from others. Extended Abstract Introduction Symbolism is based on axes such as ambiguity and polysemy, and symbols are signifiers that, in addition to explicit concepts, also refer to implicit concepts. The French philosopher and writer Paul Ricoeur, in defining the symbol, says that every signifying structure, has not only the specific and direct primary and literal meaning, but also another meaning which is indirect, secondary and virtual, and this other meaning is obtained only through the primary meaning (Ricoeur, 1974/a, p. 12). In contemporary literature, symbolism is one of the important schools that has quickly opened its place in Persian poetry and prose. New poetry has been a pioneer in this field with the initiation of Nima Yooshij, and as a result, classical poetry, including the form of ghazal and then the new ghazal, has seen such developments. Simin Behbahani, Hossein Monzavi and Mohammad Ali Bahmani, as the three sides of the new ghazal’s triangle, made fundamental changes in contemporary ghazal. Among these changes, these poets approached symbolism by implicit expression of political and social issues in order to avoid the consequences of frankness and clarity of speech. Symbols are generally divided into artistic and non-artistic ones according to the nature of their function. Rhetoricians divide symbols into different categories in terms of their innovation or circulation, the most important of which are conventional or public symbols and individual, personal or innovative symbols. Mahmoud Fotouhi considers the relation of symbol with the texture of poetry to be studied in three parts with a structural and conceptual view. In this article, the authors have analyzed the symbols in the new ghazal, according to its three categories in the book of “rhetoric of image” with the titles of micro-symbols, macro-symbols and organic symbols. Methodology The methodology of the current study is based on the nature of data in accordance with the descriptive and analytical model and the purpose of selecting this model was to identify the symbols and then to analyze the content from statistical, stylistic, structural, aesthetic and categorical perspective. Results By studying the collection of ghazals of the pioneers of new ghazal, Simin Behbahani, Hossein Manzavi and Mohammad Ali Bahmani, the authors have extracted about 400 symbols and analyzed them in three sections of micro-symbols, macro-symbols and organic symbols based on Mahmoud Fotouhi's categorization. And in fact, this article looks at categories that include: statistical and frequency analysis of symbols, their origins, their concepts, innovations, factors of creation, comparison and analysis of samples and data. In the study of micro-symbols, with a frequency of 326 applications, the element of nature with about 73%, has the most important origin. Human symbols with about 14% and human handicrafts with about 11% are in the next stages. Macro-symbols have been used sparingly in the ghazals of this period, but the organic symbols that have formed a new artistic form in contemporary literature, have a significant frequency in the ghazal of Simin Behbahani with a frequency of 69 items. It can be considered as one of the special features and distinct characteristics of her ghazals. Conclusion The result of this article can be divided into four categories: 1. Origin: Organic symbols have more than two origins, human and nature, but micro-symbols of this period are notable in terms of their high frequency. a) Nature: In the study of the micro-symbols of the new ghazal, the element of nature has a more significant frequency, which has appeared respectively in Behbahani, Monzavi and Bahmani’s ghazals. Among the various elements of nature, the element of color and nature in its general meaning, and in the next stage, the element of time, are the most frequent. b) Human: Micro-symbols with human origin of ghazals of this period are not very frequent. In this section, dominator is symbols with mythological origins and the most important reason for its emergence is the political and social content of the ghazal of this period and its goal is motivating the audience. c) Human handicrafts: Micro-symbols of this period with the origin of human handicrafts have been found to be less frequent than other patterns. What seems remarkable in this area is the fifty percent use in Bahmani's ghazals. 2. Innovation: The micro-symbols of this period, although considered new in contemporary literature, are not personal; and symbols that are more personal, sometimes had occasional uses in the poems of others. However, in this section, the organic symbols of Simin, such as Koli, Sara, Ilkhan va Zohre, Khar haye zesht, Neyzar, etc. can be considered as personal and private symbols of the poet. 3. Concept: Symbolism in Persian poetry and literature is fundamentally different from its western version, which is based only on artistic arrangements, emphasizing on the doctrine of "art for art's sake”. In the ghazals of this period, the symbol is considered as one of the dominant artistic functions among the various forms of imagination. But of all these rhetorical techniques, none has found more anti-oppressive function. 4. Factors of creation: The factors of creating the micro-symbols of this period are mostly socio-political issues of the poet's time and artistic requirements, then intellectual, philosophical, spiritual and psychological factors. In organic symbols, domination is with socio-political factors that we sometimes see the combination of various factors in Simin's personal symbols in which both political and social issues, intellectual and philosophical ideas, even issues and psychological sufferings of this group are discussed.
