Journal of Literary Criticism and Rhetoric
Journal of Literary Criticism and Rhetoric

A Reflection on Several Artistic Structures in the Aesthetics of Persian Literature

Document Type : scientific-research

Authors

Mohammad Sarvar Molaei 1
koreshe ghanbary 2

1 Associate Member of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature and Emeritus Professor at Al-Zahra University.

2 Ph.D. Graduated in Persian Literature at Razi University.

https://doi.org/10.22059/jlcr.2026.409602.2103
Abstract
Russian Formalists regard artistic creation as an autonomous domain and consider only artistic artifacts worthy of scholarly investigation. In the Persian literary tradition, such artifacts have traditionally been examined within the framework of rhetoric (balāghat). Kazazi draws a distinction between aesthetics and rhetoric; although it is undoubtedly impossible to substitute any word in one language with an exact equivalent in another, such a rendering may nonetheless be accepted through conceptual expansion and interpretive flexibility. Persian rhetorical writings, from early periods onward, have engaged in intellectually rigorous discussions, and with the exception of maʿānī—which presents greater analytical complexity—most rhetorical topics, particularly aspects of bayān and badīʿ, continue to appear in modern academic instruction.Over the past century, numerous works have been produced in this field, the core of which is largely grounded in classical and historical rhetorical texts, such as those by Shams-e Qays, Vatvāt, and others. At the same time, some scholars, drawing on Western theoretical and scientific writings, have sought to introduce new perspectives into contemporary rhetorical studies. The central question of this study is whether Iranian poets—most notably Ḥāfeẓ—tended to position instances of taḍmīn (textual incorporation) and literary influence within specific sections of their ghazals. Moreover, can rhetoric still be regarded as an open field of inquiry, receptive to newer and more innovative approaches? Beyond proposing fresh discussions in aesthetics, this research aims to demonstrate that Ḥāfeẓ, in light of the absence of punctuation marks in earlier periods and with a conscious intention to signal his literary borrowings, deliberately placed many of his incorporations and influences in either the opening or the concluding couplets of his ghazals. This claim becomes evident through close reading of Persian literary texts and careful examination of Ḥāfeẓ’s sources of inspiration.

Keywords

Literary Device
Structuralism
Hidden Text
Quotation (Tazmin)
 
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  • Receive Date 07 January 2026
  • Revise Date 17 February 2026
  • Accept Date 21 June 2026

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