Linguistic Analysis of the Holy Defense Poems

• Published in: Funūn-i adabī Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 63 - 84
• Main Authors: yousef karamicheme, Morteza Hashemi, Meisam Ahmadi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Persian
• Published: University of Isfahan 01-09-2023
• Subjects: composition; holy defense poetry; language; religious words; war-related words
• ISSN: 2008-8027; 2322-3448
• DOI: 10.22108/liar.2023.138234.2286

Poetry is a form of artistic expression that utilizes language to convey thoughts and imagination. The Holy Defense poetry, in addition to its unique content, exhibits novel manifestations of the Persian language. This article aimed to explore and analyze the language characteristics of the Holy Defense poetry through a descriptive-analytical approach by utilizing library sources. The findings revealed that the language employed in these poems was typically simple, direct, and uncomplicated with composition being a prominent linguistic feature. The Holy Defense poets drew upon a rich repertoire of religious-revolutionary words, as well as war-related terminology that resonated with the audience. Furthermore, there was a noticeable inclination towards ancient forms and epic expressions, resulting in the incorporation of numerous words and terms from the Persian poetry tradition. Additionally, the natural use of colloquial words and expressions served as another linguistic characteristic in some Holy Defense poems. Keywords: Holy Defense Poetry, Language, War-Related Words, Religious Words, Composition.IntroductionPersian poetry and literature have showcased the remarkable qualities of the Persian language, including its strength, antiquity, beauty, and power. One genre of Persian poetry, in which these qualities have been particularly evident, has been employed in the Holy Defense poems. Holy Defense literature has encompassed writings and poems that revolve around the eight years of war between Iraq and Iran and its aftermath, drawing on the concept of holiness to evoke the divine and religious realm within these works. Whether this collection emerged during or after the war is a matter of discussion (Sangari, 2001, p. 15). The Holy Defense poems possess a language, form, and concepts that have not been seen before in the tradition of Persian poetry, making it a subject worthy of investigation. Furthermore, analyzing the Holy Defense poems is crucial to understanding its coordinates as this type of poetry represents a significant portion of contemporary poetry and a new experience in Persian literature that is vibrant and dynamic.Some relevant studies pertaining to the research topic include the following works:- Today's poetry book by Bagheri and Niko Mohammadi (1993) - The hand on fire written by Gholamreza Kafi (2002) - The article "Examining the verbal and structural features of the Holy Defense poems of Kerman Province" written by Basiri, Kafi, and Raitnejad (2014) - The article "Machine-learning methods for investigating the characteristics of poetic language in the Holy Defense poems (Case study: Qaiser Aminpour and Mohammad Reza Abdul Malikian’s Holy Defense poems)" written by Javanmardi and Akbari (2017) - The article "The study of lexical innovation and ancientism in the Holy Defense works of some narratives" written by Darmiani and Aghahosseini (2017) - The article "Analysis of linguistic and content features in the poetry of the Holy Defense poets" written by Khalighi and Alavi-Moghadam (2018)- The article "Analysis of the poems of the Islamic Revolution and Holy Defense based on Lich’s rule" written by Mohseni, Shirin Kam, Ghanipour Malekshah, and Pirouz (2019)  Materials and MethodsThis article employed a descriptive-analytical approach by utilizing library sources to explore and analyze the linguistic characteristics of the Holy Defense poems. To achieve this goal, a comprehensive examination of poems by several renowned poets was conducted. Research Findings* The Role of Content in Vocabulary SelectionThe poet's affiliation with various ideologies shapes his/her mentality and brings forth specific words that become his/her linguistic treasure. The collection of Holy Defense poems exhibited a wide range of words. The war itself had introduced certain words and terms, while the connection of this event with revolution and religion had led to the proliferation of revolutionary and religious words in the Holy Defense poems, resulting in linguistic diversity (Kafi, 2013, p. 33).* Religious Words and PhrasesThe language of sacred defense literature is inseparably linked to religion. The culture of Ashura, the early history of Islam, the names of the innocents, religious and jurisprudential terms, and the like served as gateways for the inclusion of religious terms in poetry.* Mystical Words and PhrasesWords and terms associated with mystical states and authorities, such as annihilation, survival, attraction, manifestation, connection, and Sufi interpretations like Kharqa, tambourine and harp, Pir, Murid and Murad, etc., along with codes related to Meykadeh, such as Mey, Sāgar, Sāqi, Jām, Sharāb, and various symbols like Zulf, were present in the Holy Defense poems.* Revolutionary Words and PhrasesWords and expressions like brother, guardian, blood, red, martyr, conquest, jihad, dawn, hypocrite, etc., had a high frequency in the Holy Defense poems.* Special Words and Expressions Related to WarThe Holy Defense poems contained numerous names of people, areas, and war tools.* Epic ToneMentioning characters from Shāhnāmeh demonstrated the presence of an epic tone.* ArchaismArchaism was the most prominent linguistic feature of Moalem's poetry. It involved incorporating elements of the old language to bring the past into the present. Archaism was the result of combining ancient lexical elements and syntactic structures with contemporary ones (Darmyani & Aghahosseini, 2017, p. 117-118).* CompositionSynthesis is one of the tools poets use to achieve expressive and linguistic diversity. In the Holy Defense poems, epic words were juxtaposed with elements of mystical language, a phenomenon not commonly seen in the history of Persian epic poetry.* SlangThe use of colloquial language is highly effective in creating intimacy in the poem and influencing the audience. This type of language was primarily employed in the form of couplets in the Holy Defense poems.* Prefix VerbsAncient texts often feature prefixed verbs, while prefixes and suffixes carry meaning. In some poems related to the Holy Defense, particularly those by Isrāfili and Moalem, which had an archaic tone, the frequency of prefixed verbs was noteworthy.* Imperative and Persuasive VerbsThe Holy Defense poems served a functional purpose, aiming to excite, persuade, and encourage people and warriors. Therefore, the use of an imperative tone and imperative verbs had a significant impact.* Plural Forms of Verbs and PronounsThe Holy Defense poems embodied empathy, unity, and solidarity. Consequently, considering the religious spirit of the poets, plural forms of verbs and pronouns were frequently employed.* Influence of Language and Tone of Other PoetsThroughout the history of Persian literature, the works of certain poets and writers have possessed exceptional beauty, value, and significance, capturing the attention of contemporary or subsequent poets and writers. This has resulted in a strong intertextual relationship between the works of followers and their predecessors. The Holy Defense poets had been influenced by the expressions, themes, and language of renowned poets, such as Sa'di, Hafez, Ferdowsi, Baba Tāher, and Fayez. Many modernist poets have also been influenced by the style, expression, and language of prominent figures in this field, including Nimā, Shāmlou, Akhawān, Forough, Sepehri, and others. The trend of imitating the way these poets combine words, the influence of poets with a particular worldview and historical vision like the teacher, and the inclination towards quatrains influenced by Qaisar Aminpour and Seyyed Hasan Hosseini, as well as the impact of Qazwa's protest and critical expression, should be mentioned in this context.Discussion of Results and ConclusionAn analysis of the linguistic characteristics of the poems related to the Holy Defense revealed that the language used in these poems was influenced by the demands of the time. In other words, the emergence of revolution and war in Iran's political and social environment had a profound impact on the language employed by the poets of the Holy Defense, leading to the incorporation of religious, revolutionary, and war-related words and expressions. It is worth noting that most of the war-related terms were associated with traditional and classical battles. The prevalence of composition was also noteworthy. The inclination towards ancient forms and epic expressions had resulted in a language that aligned closely with the tradition of Persian poetry. In fact, many words and expressions from classical poets, particularly Biddle, were utilized in the Holy Defense poems. Additionally, the natural use of slang words and expressions was another linguistic characteristic found in some of the poems. The syntax of the language was generally simple and natural. The poets viewed language as a tool to promote the concepts of revolution and the Holy Defense and effectively convey their messages to the audience. Consequently, they had avoided complex linguistic structures. This might explain why, at times, the language of the poems closely resembled slogans.