Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Mohammad Hossein Tofighzadeh ¹
• Mohammadreza Amini ²

¹ Department Of Persian Language and Literature - School of Literature & Humanities- Shiraz University- Iran

² professor in Persian language and literature Shiraz university Iran

Abstract

Saadi’s Bustan stands as a remarkable example of Persian poetic rhetoric. Particularly in the openings of his didactic tales, Saadi displays his artistic ingenuity in employing rhetorical techniques. Nevertheless, little research has been devoted to uncovering and analyzing the intricate rhetorical secrets embedded in the beginnings of these narratives. Although classical literary criticism has long recognized the rhetoric of a poem’s openings under terms such as husn al-matla’ (graceful opening) and bara’at al-istehlal (exemplary introduction), these largely pedagogical concepts prove insufficient for a precise analysis and full appreciation of the rhetorical value within the Bustan’s narrative openings. Focusing on the concept of “artistic intent”, the present study seeks to discover and analyze a portion of these rhetorical secrets. To this end, by integrating the knowledge of traditional rhetoric with the modern achievements of rhetorical criticism, formalism and structuralism, the study relies on repeated and close reading of the text to identify the presence or absence of artistic techniques and devices at the beginning of each tale. Subsequently, the structure and function of each technique are elucidated, ultimately providing an analytical explosion of their rhetorical value. The findings indicate that the rhetorical telos and value of these openings lie in Saadi’s ability to captivate the audience’s attention from the very beginning. He mitigates the gap between the audience’s mindset and the didactic message through literary devices, thereby amplifying the beauty, appeal, and impact of his discourse. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of theses opening rhetorical strategies highlights the practical function of the “artistic intent” concept in rhetorical analysis and its role in enhancing the reception and influence of a literary work.

Keywords

• Situational exigency
• rhetoric of the opening
• rhetoric of narrative
• rhetoric of Saadi’s Bustan
• rhetorical criticism
• artistic intent in poetry

Main Subjects

• متون نظم