Motaleat-e-zaban-e-farsi

Motaleat-e-zaban-e-farsi

Figurative Language as a Tool for the Poeticity of the Historical Novel Shams and Toghra

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
sahar najafipar 1
Asgar Salahi 2
Fatemeh Modarresi 3
Ebrahim Danesh 4
1 PhD student in Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.
2 Associate Professor of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran (Corresponding author).
3 Professor of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
4 Associate Professor of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.
10.22034/jmzf.2026.244618
Abstract

1. Introduction
This study aims to analyze the role of figurative language in the poeticity of the historical novel Shams and Toghra, written by Mohammad-Baqer Mirza Khosravi. The main problem addressed in the study is the insufficient attention paid to the potentialities of allegory in narrative prose and to the ways in which it functions in creating semantic layers and enriching the aesthetic dimensions of this novel. Although allegory and its rhetorical capacities have been extensively explored in Persian poetry, its position and function in narrative prose, particularly in the historical novel, have largely been overlooked. The novel Shams and Toghra, written by Mohammad-Baqer Mirza Khosravi, is among the works in which the author appears to have consciously employed the potentialities of figurative language in an effort to enrich his historical narrative with diverse semantic layers. This study seeks to answer the question of whether this rhetorical structure can also occur in narrative prose and perform a function similar to that which it performs in poetry. Accordingly, the present study has been formulated around three main questions:
1- What types of allegory occur in the novel Shams and Toghra, and what formal and semantic characteristics does each possess?
2- Second, how, and through what mechanisms, has figurative language contributed to increasing the poeticity and aesthetic richness of this novel?
3- How has the oslub-e mo‘adeleh (equational style), as one of the forms of allegory, been realized within the prose of this novel, and what functions has it performed in characterization and in the creation of semantic networks?

2. Methodology
In this study, a descriptive-analytical research method has been employed. The data were collected through library-based sources, and subsequently, examples of allegory in the novel Shams and Toghra were extracted and analyzed on the basis of two principal categories, namely “proverb” and “equational style.” The analysis of the evidence was conducted drawing upon rhetorical approaches and literary criticism, and the role of figurative language in increasing the poeticity of the text was examined.

3. Discussion
It can be argued that proverbs, by creating a form of “defamiliarization” within the texture of discourse, cause the reader to move beyond the mere surface of events and gain access to deeper layers of meaning. This is precisely the principal function of figurative language in poetry and literature: transforming ordinary propositions into multilayered signs that invite the reader to reflection and interpretation. Until now, no one has discussed the presence of the equational style in prose; however, the fact is that the equational style can also be found in prose in such a manner that its aesthetic matrices are observed. One of the principal conditions of the equational style is that one side of the discourse is rational and the other side is sensory; another condition is that an equal sign can be placed between the rational and sensory dimensions, meaning that, in terms of meaning, an illustrative or explanatory example is provided for the rational proposition. All of these characteristics are factors that none of them constitutes an obstacle to the presence of the equational style in prose.

4. Conclusion
In the use of proverbs, the first and most prominent characteristic is brevity and semantic compression. These proverbs convey the greatest amount of meaning through the fewest words and compel the reader to reflect upon the underlying layers of discourse. This characteristic elevates the text beyond the level of ordinary propositions and endows it with an interpretive depth that invites the reader to participate actively in the process of meaning-making.
Another prominent function of proverbs is their connection with oral tradition and popular culture. These proverbs are rooted in lived experiences, collective beliefs, and the practical wisdom of generations, and upon entering the novelistic text, they connect it to a layer of collective wisdom and cultural memory.
Another important function of proverbs is their role in indirect characterization. The selection of each proverb by each character reveals dimensions of that character’s worldview, lived experience, and disposition. This indirect characterization encourages the reader to discover the hidden dimensions of the characters and prevents a superficial reading of characterization.
کتاب‌شناسی
الف:کتاب­‌ها
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ب: مقاله­‌ها
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ج: منبع لاتین
1)     Baker, Paul and Ellece, Sibonile (2011) Key Terms in Discourse Analysis. London: Continuum.

  • Receive Date 09 March 2026
  • Revise Date 11 April 2026
  • Accept Date 02 May 2026