Literary Arts (May 2013)
Symbol, Mask and Myth in the Poetry of Resistance by Qaisar Aminpoor
Abstract
Abstract Analytical and statistical method of research is used in current study. After discovering and classifying of symbols and myths, they categorized into five areas which derived from nature, positive and negative characters, animals and other items which with regard to their essence cannot be included among natural, characteristic and animal areas. Then functional range of these sections and variety and ingenuity of the poet in the use of these concepts will be examined in this study and we'll try to answer to these questions that how much quantity range of symbol , mask and myth elements are used in Aminpoor's poetry and what kinds of concepts are included in his poetry? Poetry of war in early years, had fallen into a slogan Poets policy was improvement of speech toward imaginary horizons. The use of symbolic speech is one way of emergence, consolidation and spread of the poetic imagination in the war poem (Poorjafi., 1384: p 22). Identity, ambiguity and seeking a path to literary and artistic richness are the major trends of Aminpoor in the use of symbolic elements. Mythic approach and using of historic characters, which became a part of nation's history (Abbas, 1992: p 125), in Aminpoor's poetry are used to create a hero and heroism in his poetry and expressing resistance ideas as well. Hence, poets by recreating historical, national and religious characters, according to the needs of the community, strengthen a sense of strength, durability against foreign domination and flatter their power and steady to their enemies (Lak, 1384: pp. 64, 69). However, in mask poetry, Aminpoor uses historical, religious and Sufi figures and with recreating these characters, impose his own thoughts and perspectives upon them completely (Ahmad Ali El Zobaidi, 2008: pp. 140 & Ashari Zayed, 1978: p 93). "from the countless names of your martyr / Abel was the first name / anymore / do not remember these days / Abel / was my other name" (A. M., 1388: p 264). With using the name of Abel, Aminpoor, gives an objective and intellectual response to the cultural needs of war-torn community. He uses Abel's name as a symbol of the first man who was killed innocently. Using of the masks, in addition to represents the poet's aim, should be include modernization features and if it doesn't able to interpret concerns of modern man, then it can be said that it doesn’t deserve to promote to an artistic element (Azzam, 1995: p 137). Relationship between symbol and mask is the same as relation between parts to whole. When Aminpoor converts his mask into a symbol, his purpose is to relate his own experience to human experience and by this method bestow a depth sense to his poetry (Kenndy, 2003: pp. 65-66) and also provide a report of war against Iraq and its consequences. The results of study show that (77) out of (306) Aminpoor's poetry (with respect to the version of Morwarid publication 1388) enjoys elements of symbol, mask and myth. Some of his poems, among (306) poetry, contains different samples that in determining percentages are considered. The word of 'Mirror', has been used in (18%) of his poems and high frequency of this word can express the poet's mental and spiritual concerns about declining values such as truth, knowledge, and honesty in the community after war. Natural section includes: colors, flowers, gardens, trees, forests, air, water, river, ocean, night, morning, sun, dust and desert. The positive figures include: Adam, Abel, Ishmael, Joseph, Jesus, Imam Hussein and Hallaj and Shaban (shepherd). Negative figures including Nimrod and is Zoulaikha. The animals section includes: pigeon, Phoenix, swallow, bat and ant. Other items include: mirrors, lights, axes, walls, windows, streets, childish, train, station and road. After counting the symbolic aspects of Aminpoor's poems, it can be seen that there is a relative dominance of natural elements in contrast to other sections. Symbols that were selected from nature are about (47%) which in one dimension depend on environment and in other dimension make a relationship with mystical, divine and holy concepts. Generally positive and negative character areas consist of (8%) Aminpoor's poems which include the concepts such as: Martyr, leadership, purity, innocence, kindness, justice, enemies and carnal desires. Eight percents of poems allocated to the animals which suggests a quantity balance between personal and animal realms. Friendship, love, peace, freedom and the enemy are prevailing concepts of animal symbols. Other items and concepts section, consist of a range about (37%) and mostly covers factors like truth, honesty, purity, brightness, slavery, communication, intimacy and implies good old days. As was stated before, most of Aminpoor's symbols, have single semantic and signified, but play a key role in the coloring of imagination, giving depth to the meaning and ambiguity or poly-semantic aspects of Aminpoor's resistance poetry.
