دانشگاه تربیت مدرس فصلنامۀ نقد ادبی 2008-0360 19 74 2026 06 22 The Politics of the Pen in Jalal Al-e-Ahmad’s Nun va al-Qalam سیاستِ قلم در رمان نون و القلم آل‌احمد 1 52 28439 10.48311/lcq.2026.108617.0 FA عنایت اله دارائی دانش آموختۀ دکتری زبان و ادبیات فارسی از دانشگاه علامه طباطبائی تهران 0000-0002-2433-2654 Journal Article 2025 08 24 This study aims to examine the ways in which political issues, identities, and discourses are represented in Nūn va al-Qalam by Jalal Al-e-Ahmad. The central question concerns the types of identities and discourses that the novel foregrounds, marginalizes, or negates, as well as the linguistic and narrative mechanisms through which these representations are produced. To this end, the research employs critical discourse analysis, drawing on the theoretical frameworks of Norman Fairclough and James Paul Gee. The findings indicate that the novel, by highlighting the rise and decline of leftist movements within the socio-political context of the author’s era, structurally links all forms of governance to violence, oppression, repression, corruption, exploitation and relations of domination. Within this framework, negative and dysfunctional identities, including state agents, Qalandars or leftists, and clerics aligned with power, appear more frequently than positive and constructive ones and are predominantly depicted as reproducers of hegemonic structures. The new educated middle class, as well as sages and scholars, are also severely criticized for their role in sustaining power relations. The discourse analysis demonstrates that Nun va al-Qalam, through its simultaneous critique of monarchic-modernist discourse and Marxist leftist discourse, articulates a narrative that opposes the status quo and all forms of established authority. The novel’s dominant discourse is grounded in a notion of “return to the self” and a form of cultural nativism intertwined with Shi’i elements such as resistance, uprising, martyrdom, and the messianic figure of the Twelfth Imam. Within this discourse, writing and the pen acquire a sacred and mission-oriented status, functioning as instruments of truth-telling and exposing structures of injustice. The final analysis reveals that Al-e-Ahmad’s political experiences and intellectual transformations, from early leftist inclinations to an emphasis on Islamic nativism, play a decisive role in shaping the narrative world of the novel, rendering it an active text in the production and reinforcement of the author’s preferred ideology. Extended Abstract Introduction The novel Nun va al-Qalam occupies a distinctive position in modern Persian fiction as a politically charged narrative that interrogates power, ideology, and the role of intellectuals in times of socio-political crisis. Written in the early 1960s, the novel reflects a critical moment in Iranian history marked by the failure of leftist movements, the consolidation of authoritarian power, and the intellectual reorientation of Iranian writers. This study explores how political realities, identities, and discourses are linguistically and narratively constructed in Nun va al-Qalam. The central concern is to identify which political identities and ideologies are legitimized, marginalized, or delegitimized, and how these processes contribute to the novel’s oppositional stance toward dominant structures of power. By focusing on the symbolic function of writing and the pen, the article situates the novel within Jalal Al-e-Ahmad’s broader intellectual project of resistance to domination and his evolving critique of both Western modernity and Marxist ideology. Methodology The study adopts Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as its primary methodological framework, drawing specifically on the complementary approaches of Norman Fairclough and James Paul Gee. Gee’s model is employed to examine the micro-level construction of meaning through his seven “building tasks” of language, including the production of significance, identities, relationships, politics, practices, connections, and systems of knowledge. These analytical questions enable a detailed examination of how linguistic choices foreground certain political realities while suppressing others. Fairclough’s three-dimensional model—description, interpretation, and explanation—is then used to contextualize these textual features within broader socio-historical and ideological structures. This combined approach allows for an integrated analysis of both textual mechanisms and their ideological implications, without presupposing a fixed hypothesis. The research is exploratory in nature and relies on close textual analysis of narrative structure, characterization, metaphor, and interdiscursive references. Discussion The analysis demonstrates that Nun va al-Qalam constructs politics as an inherently violent and oppressive domain, regardless of ideological orientation. Both the ruling authority and its revolutionary opponents are depicted as participants in cycles of domination, repression, and exploitation. The narrative systematically undermines the legitimacy of state power, clerical authority aligned with governance, and revolutionary movements that replicate the same structures of coercion they claim to oppose. Through irony, symbolism, and historical allegory, the novel exposes the fragility of political idealism when it becomes institutionalized. The figure of the intellectual, particularly the scribe and the writer, emerges as a morally burdened subject caught between ethical responsibility and political compromise. The pen functions as a central metaphor, representing both the possibility of resistance and the risk of complicity in hegemonic systems. Findings The findings reveal that negative and dysfunctional political identities, such as authoritarian rulers, opportunistic intellectuals, power-aligned clerics, and radicalized revolutionaries, outnumber positive and constructive ones. These figures are repeatedly portrayed as reproducers of hegemonic order rather than agents of genuine transformation. Even the modern educated middle class and learned elites are subjected to severe critique for their passivity or collaboration with power. The novel articulates a dual rejection of monarchic-modernist discourse and Marxist leftist discourse, presenting both as failed paradigms incapable of delivering justice or ethical governance. In contrast, the dominant discourse of the novel is grounded in a notion of “return to the self,” articulated through cultural nativism and Shi’i symbolic structures such as resistance, uprising, martyrdom, and messianic expectation. Within this framework, writing acquires a sacred and mission-oriented status, functioning as an instrument for unveiling injustice rather than legitimizing authority. Conclusion This study concludes that Nun va al-Qalam is an active ideological text that participates in the production of Al-e-Ahmad’s preferred worldview rather than merely reflecting historical realities. The novel transforms political experience into a discursive critique of all established forms of power, emphasizing ethical resistance over ideological allegiance. Al-e Ahmad’s personal intellectual trajectory, from early leftist engagement to a critical embrace of Islamic cultural nativism, plays a decisive role in shaping the narrative’s oppositional logic. By sanctifying the act of writing and redefining the responsibility of the intellectual, the novel proposes a form of resistance rooted in cultural authenticity and moral accountability. As such, Nun va al-Qalam stands as a key literary articulation of dissent in modern Persian literature and a significant case study for discourse-oriented approaches to political fiction. این پژوهش با هدف تحلیل چگونگی بازنمایی مسائل، هویت‌ها و گفتمان‌های سیاسی در رمان نون و القلم اثر جلال آل‌احمد انجام شده است. پرسش اصلی مقاله آن است که این رمان چه نوع هویت‌ها و گفتمان‌هایی را برجسته، حاشیه‌ای یا نفی می‌کند و سازوکارهای زبانی و رواییِ تولید این بازنمایی‌ها چیست؟ بدین منظور، از رویکرد تحلیل گفتمان انتقادی با تمرکز بر الگوهای نظری نورمن فرکلاف و جیمز پل جی بهره گرفته شده است. یافته‌ها نشان می‌دهد که رمان با برجسته‌سازی فرایند ظهور و افول جنبش‌های چپ در بستر اجتماعی ـ سیاسی عصر نویسنده، تمامی اشکال حکمرانی را به‌طور ساختاری با خشونت، بیداد، سرکوب، فساد، استثمار و مناسبات سلطه گره می‌زند. در این چارچوب، هویت‌های منفی و ناکارآمد ـ اعم از عوامل حکومتی، قلندران یا چپ‌گرایان و روحانیان وابسته به قدرت ـ در مقایسه با هویت‌های مثبت و سازنده، بسامد بالاتری دارند و عمدتاً در مقام بازتولیدکنندگان نظم سلطه معرفی می‌شوند. همچنین، طبقۀ متوسط جدید و تحصیل‌کرده و حتی حکیمان و دانشمندان، به‌سبب ایفای نقش در تداوم ساختار قدرت، مورد نقد شدید قرار گرفته‌اند. تحلیل گفتمانی نشان می‌دهد که نون و القلم با نقد هم‌زمان گفتمان سلطنت‌طلبِ مدرنیسم و گفتمان چپ مارکسیستی، روایتی معارض با وضع موجود و هر شکل از قدرت مستقر ارائه می‌کند. گفتمان مرکزی رمان، بر مبنای «بازگشت به خویشتن» و نوعی اصالت‌گرایی بومی است که با مؤلفه‌های تشیع، نظیر مقاومت، قیام، شهادت و امام زمان (عج) درهم‌آمیخته است. قلم در این گفتمان، شأنی قدسی و رسالتی می‌یابد و کارکرد آن، افشاگری در برابر سازوکارهای ستم و دفاع از حقیقت تعریف می‌شود. بررسی نهایی نشان می‌دهد که تجربیات سیاسی و زیستۀ آل‌احمد در تحولات فکری او، از گرایش‌های چپ‌گرایانه تا تکیه بر بومی‌گرایی اسلامی، نقش تعیین‌کننده‌ای در شکل‌گیری جهان داستانی رمان دارد و این اثر را به متنی فعال در تولید و تقویت ایدئولوژی مطلوب نویسنده تبدیل کرده است.

https://lcq.modares.ac.ir/article_28439_20a79e1ab3a172d48f5f78498616ec4d.pdf

دانشگاه تربیت مدرس فصلنامۀ نقد ادبی 2008-0360 19 74 2026 06 22 Classification and Pathology of Articles Written on Kashf al-Mahjub by Hujwiri طبقه‌بندی و آسیب‌شناسی مقاله‌های نوشته شده دربارۀ کشف‌المحجوب هجویری 53 109 28442 10.48311/lcq.2026.118003.82720 FA سلمان ساکت گروه آموزشی زبان و ادبیات فارسی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی دکتر علی شریعتی، دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد. محمد غلامی گروه آموزشی زبان و ادبیات فارسی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی دکتر علی شریعتی، دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد. Journal Article 2025 11 28 This essay aims to answer the following questions by examining all publications in Persian-language journals concerning Hujwiri and his work Kashf al-Mahjub: 1. What approaches exist in articles related to Kashf al-Mahjub? 2. Which approach has the highest frequency, and what are the reasons for it? 3. What are the most important achievements of key articles in each approach? 4. What are the primary shortcomings and flaws in these studies? Up to the fall of 1404 solar (approximately October 2025), there are 114 articles in this field, ranked by frequency as follows: 1. Research on specific topics in Kashf al-Mahjub, 2. Literary criticism and theory, 3. On Kashf al-Mahjub and Hujwiri, 4. Influences received and exerted by Kashf al-Mahjub, 5. Textual criticism, 6. Examination of narrative elements, and 7. Stylistics. The publication of Mahmoud Abedi's edition of Kashf al-Mahjub in 1383 solar (2004 CE) appears to be a key factor in drawing researchers' attention to the book.The method employed in this study is descriptive-analytical and critical. The examination and analysis of the articles are based on components such as main theme, approach, critique of strengths and weaknesses, influence from prior sources, and the presence of new and original insights.The final section of this essay is devoted to the pathology of the published articles. The most significant weaknesses include repetition of content, failure to uphold scholarly integrity, publishing the same article with identical structure and content in two journals, lack of sufficient coherence, absence of clear conclusions, and mere descriptive presentation. این جستار بر آن است تا با بررسی هر آنچه دربارۀ هجویری و کشف‌المحجوب او، در مجلّات فارسی‌زبان منتشر شده است، به این پرسش‌ها پاسخ دهد: 1. چه رویکردهایی در مقاله‌های مرتبط با کشف‌المحجوب وجود دارد؟ 2. بسامد کدام رویکرد بیشتر بوده و علت آن چیست؟ 3. مهم‌ترین دستاوردهای مقالات مهم هر رویکرد چه بوده است؟ 4. مهم‌ترین آسیب‌ها و ایرادهایی که در این پژوهش‌ها وجود دارد، کدام است؟ مجموع مقاله‌ها در این حوزه تا پایان پاییز 1404ش، ۱۱۴ عنوان است که به ترتیب بسامد، دربرگیرندة این رویکردها بوده است: 1. تحقیق دربارۀ موضوعی خاص در کشف‌المحجوب، 2. نقد و نظریة ادبی، 3. دربارة کشف‌المحجوب و هجویری، 4. تأثیرپذیری و تأثیر‌گذاری کشف‌المحجوب، 5. متن‌‌شناسی، 6. بررسی عناصر داستانی و 7. سبک‌شناسی. به‌نظر می‌رسد انتشار تصحیح محمود عابدی از کشف‌المحجوب در سال 1383ش، از جمله عوامل مهمِ توجه پژوهشگران به این کتاب به شمار می‌رود. روش ما در این پژوهش، توصیفی-تحلیلی و انتقادی است. همچنین بررسی و تحلیل مقاله‌ها، بر اساس مؤلفه‌هایی مانند: مضمون اصلی،‌ رویکرد، نقد و بررسی نقاط قوت و ضعف، تأثیرپذیری از منابع پیشین و داشتن نکته یا نکته‌های جدید و بکر صورت گرفته است. بخش پایانی این جستار به آسیب‌شناسی مقاله‌های نوشته شده اختصاص یافته است. مهم‌ترین ضعف و کاستی آنها عبارت‌اند از: تکرار مطالب، رعایت نکردن اصل امانت‌داری در پژوهش، چاپ یک مقاله با ساختار و محتوای یکسان در دو مجله، نداشتن انسجام کافی و نداشتن نتیجه‌گیری مشخص و ارائة توصیف صرف.

https://lcq.modares.ac.ir/article_28442_7f620f5c618aab07b864cbf7ab69974e.pdf

دانشگاه تربیت مدرس فصلنامۀ نقد ادبی 2008-0360 19 74 2026 06 22 Analysis of the Novel ‘Elephant in the Darkness’ from the Perspective of Genre Conventions تحلیل رمان تریلر جنایی فیل در تاریکی از منظر قواعد ژانر 110 142 28440 10.48311/lcq.2026.116766.82700 FA سیدرسول سعادت راد دانشجوی دکتری دانشگاه خوارزمی محمد پارسانسب استاد زبان و ادبیات فارسی، دانشگاه خوارزمی، تهران، ایران. 0000-0002-3161-8706 تقی پورنامداریان استاد زبان و ادبیات فارسی، پژوهشکده ادبیات، پژوهشگاه علوم انسانی و مطالعات فرهنگی، تهران، ایران. Journal Article 2025 10 02 Genre studies question the structural function of literary forms in reproducing dominant discourses. This analytical framework reveals the author’s fidelity to or deviation from conventional traditions at a fundamental level; neglecting it diminishes the understanding of a work’s relationship with literary tradition. This is especially significant in the detective novel, a genre bound by strict conventions, where exploring structural and generic patterns enables differentiation between the mere repetition of clichés and the author’s structural innovations. Through such an approach, one can assess how the author employs form as a foundation for a deeper comprehension of the work. The Crime Thriller Elephant in the Darkness by Ghasem Hasheminejad is among those detective novels that meticulously observe the conventions of the genre and, therefore, merits precise scholarly analysis. In this article, adopting a genre‑analytical approach, we seek to demonstrate the harmony between the novel’s components and its overall form in conveying meaning and concept. In this work, the coordination between generic features and thematic content is handled with mastery, as the explicit and implicit elements of the text interact in a coherent system. Moreover, Hasheminejad meticulously adheres to the conventions of the crime‑thriller genre, such as the creation of archetypal characters, arrangement of clues, characterization of the detective, depiction of violence and fatalism, and sequences of pursuit, so as to transmit a unified theme and message to the reader. The author also employs genre‑specific elements, atmosphere, descriptive details, and confirming objects to emphasize particular themes and guide the reader through the progression of the narrative. Extended Abstract Introduction Genre studies serve as a structural mechanism for questioning the role of literary forms in reproducing or critiquing dominant discourses. In the realm of crime fiction, which is governed by rigorous conventions, exploring generic patterns allows researchers to distinguish between the repetition of clichés and the author’s structural innovations. Ghasem Hasheminejad’s Elephant in the Darkness stands as a seminal work in Persian literature that meticulously adheres to the rules of the crime thriller while weaving in local cultural nuances. This study aims to analyze how the harmony between genre-specific components and narrative form in this novel facilitates the conveyance of its underlying themes. The central problem is to determine how the work functions within the boundaries of the “crime thriller” and to what extent it incorporates elements of “Noir” to depict the socio-political anxieties of 1970s Iran. Methodology This research adopts a descriptive-analytical and qualitative approach within the framework of genre theory. The corpus is the novel Elephant in the Darkness, which is examined line-by-line to identify specific genre markers. The theoretical foundation draws upon the works of Tzvetan Todorov, John Scaggs, and Raymond Chandler to evaluate the text’s adherence to the “Crime Thriller” sub-genre. The analysis focuses on five key dimensions: 1) Character archetypes (The Hero, Femme Fatale, Detective, and Victim); 2) The representation of violence and fatalism; 3) The arrangement of hermeneutic clues; 4) The semiotics of time and space (urban vs. rural); and 5) The metaphorical function of objects (specifically the automobile). Statement and Findings The findings indicate that Elephant in the Darkness is a sophisticated manifestation of the crime thriller, characterized by a seamless integration of genre conventions and thematic depth. The analysis reveals several critical findings: Protagonist Archetype: Jalal Amin represents a hybrid hero—a “Luti” (traditional man of honor) who embodies the traits of a Noir protagonist. His pragmatism, physical prowess, and fundamental distrust of the police force reflect a shift from institutional justice to individual action. Character Dynamics: The novel effectively employs the “Femme Fatale” archetype through the character of Mahasti, whose linguistic and physical allure serves as a catalyst for the protagonist’s descent into the criminal underworld. Conversely, the official detective (Shirazi) is relegated to a secondary, marginal role, emphasizing the “thriller” aspect where the layman must solve the mystery. Narrative Structure and Clues: Hasheminejad utilizes a precise arrangement of clues, classified into “promising,” “deceptive,” and “ambiguous”, to maintain suspense and drive the causal logic of the plot. The death of the victim (Hussein) acts as the primary motivation for revenge, aligning the text with the “revenge tragedy” tradition within modern thrillers. Spatial and Object Semiotics: The urban setting of Tehran is depicted as a masculine, violent, and corrupt space, contrasted with the idealized rural memory of Taleghan. Furthermore, the automobile is treated not merely as a prop but as a “beast-like” metaphor for social status, moral decay, and the hidden evil (smuggled drugs) that disrupts the protagonist’s world. Conclusion The results demonstrate that Elephant in the Darkness is a rare and successful example of a Persian crime thriller that transcends mere entertainment. By aligning the “Elephant in the Dark” allegory with the fragmented nature of truth in a criminal investigation, Hasheminejad creates a multi-layered narrative. The novel’s fast-paced rhythm, achieved through daily episodic chaptering and sharp dialogue, reinforces its genre identity. In conclusion, the work does not merely follow Western templates; it domesticates the crime thriller by merging its global conventions (violence, pursuit, and fatalism) with Iranian social realities and traditional ethics. This study confirms that the novel’s structural unity and its innovative use of genre conventions provide a profound lens through which the chaos and corruption of its historical era can be understood. مطالعات ژانری، کارکرد ساختاری قالب‌های ادبی را در بازتولید یا نقد گفتمان مسلط مورد پرسش قرار می‌دهد. این چارچوب تحلیلی، وفاداری یا گسست نویسنده از سنت‌های معمول را در سطح بنیادین آشکار می‌سازد و بی‌توجهی به آن، فهم رابطۀ اثر با سنت ادبی را تقلیل می‌دهد. به‌ویژه در رمان جنایی، که مبتنی بر قراردادهای سخت‌گیرانه است، کاوش در ساختارهای گونه‌شناسانه امکان تفکیک میان تکرار کلیشه‌ها و ابداعات ساختاری نویسنده را فراهم می‌آورد، تا از این رهگذر، بهره‌گیری او از فرم به‌منزلۀ زیربنایی برای فهم عمیق‌تر اثر سنجیده شود. رمان تریلر جنایی فیل در تاریکی نوشتۀ قاسم ‌هاشمی‌نژاد ازجمله رمان‌های پلیسی مطرحی است که قواعد ژانر را به‏درستی رعایت کرده، و از این حیث، شایستگی مطالعه و تحلیل‎ علمی دقیق را داراست. در این مقاله کوشیده‌ایم با رویکرد تحلیلِ ژانری این اثر، هماهنگی میان اجزا و فرم را در راستایِ القای مفهوم و معنا نشان دهیم. در این رمان، هماهنگی میان مشخصه‎های ژانری و درون‌مایۀ داستان به شکلی چیره‌دستانه و با مهارت صورت گرفته ‎است و اجزا و عناصر آشکار و پنهان متن با یکدیگر در تعامل و تفاهم قرار دارند. به‎علاوه، هاشمی‎نژاد، قواعدِ ژانر تریلر جنایی مانند خلق شخصیت‌های ژانری، چینش سرنخ‌ها، شخصیت‌پردازی کارآگاه، نمایشِ خشونت و تقدیرگرایی و تعقیب‌وگریز را به‎خوبی رعایت کرده ‏است تا درون‌مایه و پیامی واحد را به خواننده القا کند. هم‎چنین نویسنده برای تأکید بر درون‌مایه‌ای خاص، عناصر ژانری، فضاسازی، توصیفات و اشیای تأییدکننده را در داستان جا می‌دهد تا خواننده را در پیشبرد داستان با خود همراه کند.

https://lcq.modares.ac.ir/article_28440_d79af587a459b1a0ae549a11190e0853.pdf

دانشگاه تربیت مدرس فصلنامۀ نقد ادبی 2008-0360 19 74 2026 06 22 Decentralization of Postmodern Discourse from Grand Narratives in the Works of Mohammad Hassan Shahsavari مرکزیت‌زدایی گفتمان پسامدرن از کلان‌روایت‌ها در آثار محمدحسن شهسواری 143 179 28441 10.48311/lcq.2026.116943.82705 FA نگین علی نقیان جوزدانی زبان و ادبیات فارسی/دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی/دانشگاه شهیدبهشتی/تهران/ایران/ 0009-0009-1527-4796 قدرت اله طاهری زبان و ادبیات فارسی/دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی/دانشگاه شهیدبهشتی/تهران/ایران/ 0000-0003-0928-5148 شهریار منصوری زبان و ادبیات انگلیسی/ دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی/دانشگاه شهیدبهشتی/تهران/ایران/ 0000-0002-9497-8311 Journal Article 2025 10 10 The postmodern decentralization of metanarratives is not limited to the text but has expanded into a discursive space with a hybrid approach ranging from text to social practice. Therefore, postmodern fictions can be studied as a complex of discursive practices at various levels concerning different types of metanarratives. This research attempts, by moving away from case studies and drawing inspiration from Moretti’s “distant reading” method and Fairclough's three-dimensional model of discourse, to critique the "discursive space" of Mohammad Hassan Shahsavari's works and to delineate its relationship with various metanarratives at the three levels of text, discursive practice, and social practice. The results indicate that the manifestation of decentralization is more prominent in the text than in the other levels. On the other hand, the balance of the communicative network has somewhat distanced itself from the absolute centrality of one of the three elements: author-text-reader. However, attention to the active role of the reader remains less pronounced. Furthermore, at the social level, although confrontational actions against the metanarratives of the literary and political establishments are observed, overall, not only Shahsavari and his works but also his readers, due to their social position, are still in the captivity of believing in many types of metanarratives and are unable to transcend them. مرکزیت‌زدایی پسامدرنیسم از کلان‌روایت‌ها، تنها منحصر به متن نیست، بلکه در فضایی گفتمانی با رویکردی ترکیبی از متن تا عمل اجتماعی گسترده شده ‌است. بنابراین، داستان‌های پسامدرن می‌توانند به‌عنوان مجموعه‌ای از کنش‌های گفتمانی در سطوح مختلف نسبت به انواع کلان‌روایت‌ها مطالعه شوند. در این پژوهش کوشش شده ‌است با فاصله گرفتن از مطالعات موردی و با الهام گرفتن شیوۀ دورخوانی مورتی و الگوی سه بعدی گفتمان فرکلاف، «فضای گفتمانی» آثار محمد حسن شهسواری نقد و نسبت آن در سه سطح متن عمل گفتمانی و عمل اجتماعی با انواع کلان‌روایت‌ها، ترسیم شود. نتایج به‌دست آمده نشان می‌دهد بروز مرکزیت‌زدایی از متن نسبت به سطوح دیگر پررنگ‌تر است. از طرفی تعادل شبکۀ ارتباطی تا حدودی میان عناصر سه‌گانۀ نویسنده ـ متن ـ خواننده از مرکزیت مطلق یکی از آن‌ها فاصله گرفته ‌است، اما همچنان توجه به کنش فعالانۀ خواننده ضعیف‌تر است. همچنین در سطح اجتماعی اگرچه نسبت به کلان‌روایت‌های نهاد ادبی و سیاسی کنش‌های تقابلی مشاهده می‌شود، اما درمجموع نه‌تنها شهسواری و آثارش، بلکه خوانندگان او نیز با توجه به موقعیت اجتماعی‌شان هنوز در اسارت باور به بسیاری از انواع کلان‌روایت‌ها نمی‌توانند از آن‌ها عبور کنند و همچنان مواردی چون مردسالاری، ارزش‌های دینی و خانوادگی و سنت را تقویت می‌کنند، البته با درنظر گرفتن این تفاوت که درمجموع کنش نسبت به این نوع کلان‌روایت‌ها در میان خوانندگان دانشگاهی به‌دلیل اتکای نظری آنان بر «متن» کم‌رنگ‌تر است؛ در حالی که در میان اهالی مطبوعات این مسئله تا حدودی متعادل‌تر است.

https://lcq.modares.ac.ir/article_28441_0a27b0193970757955db1cae7efb9c3a.pdf

دانشگاه تربیت مدرس فصلنامۀ نقد ادبی 2008-0360 19 74 2026 06 22 From Imitation to Plagiarism: Rethinking the Problem of Expressive Ownership in the Greco-Roman Tradition از تقلید تا سرقتِ ادبی؛ بازاندیشیِ مسئلۀ مالکیتِ سخن در سنتِ یونان و روم باستان 180 209 28444 10.48311/lcq.2026.118320.82726 FA حمزه کفاش دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد 0000-0003-1585-8563 Journal Article 2025 12 14 The modern concept of plagiarism is grounded in assumptions such as the ownership of ideas, authors’ rights, and individual originality, assumptions that cannot be readily projected onto the literary and rhetorical traditions of ancient Greece and Rome. Adopting a historical–conceptual approach, this article seeks to demonstrate that what was discussed in antiquity under the rubric of theft or appropriation did not concern the seizure of ideas or themes, but rather the improper use of another’s expression, style, and mode of discourse. Within this framework, imitation (mīmēsis / imitatio) was not regarded as a reprehensible practice; on the contrary, it constituted the core of educational, rhetorical, and literary systems and was considered a necessary condition for the formation of the orator and the poet. By examining Greek writings on inventions, pseudepigraphy, literary criticism, and educational treatises, and subsequently analyzing the views of Roman theorists, the article shows that the boundary between legitimate imitation and literary theft in the classical tradition is aesthetic and ethical rather than juridical. Finally, by focusing on style, authorial intention, and creative reworking, the article argues that “plagiarism” in antiquity was understood less as a violation of intellectual property than as a failure of creative imitation and an inability to achieve expressive individuality. Extended Abstract This article investigates the concept commonly referred to as “plagiarism” within the literary and rhetorical traditions of ancient Greece and Rome, arguing that the modern understanding of plagiarism cannot be straightforwardly applied to premodern texts. Modern notions of plagiarism presuppose legal frameworks of intellectual property, individual authorship, and the ownership of ideas—concepts that were largely absent from classical antiquity. Instead, ancient discussions of literary borrowing and appropriation operated within a different conceptual horizon, one shaped by educational practice, rhetorical theory, and aesthetic evaluation. The study first examines the Greek background of the problem by analyzing early uses of terms associated with theft (klopē) and by situating accusations of literary appropriation within broader cultural and ethical discourses. Special attention is given to writings peri heurematōn (on inventions), the phenomenon of pseudepigraphy, and the role of literary criticism in establishing questions of precedence and attribution. These materials reveal a gradual shift from moral condemnation of “theft” to a more refined concern with attribution, stylistic distinction, and creative transformation. The article then turns to Roman rhetorical theory, where imitation (imitatio) is systematically theorized as a central pedagogical and artistic principle. Through close readings of Cicero, Quintilian, and Dionysius of Halicarnassus, it is shown that imitation was understood as an active, selective, and transformative engagement with exemplary models rather than as mechanical copying. Within this framework, the decisive criterion distinguishing legitimate imitation from illegitimate appropriation was not the reuse of content, but the presence or absence of stylistic individuality, creative reworking, and transparent intent. The article concludes that accusations of plagiarism in antiquity functioned primarily as critical judgments about artistic failure or ethical misconduct rather than as claims about violated intellectual property. Plagiarism, insofar as the concept can be applied to the classical world, signified the inability to achieve creative imitation and to develop a distinctive expressive voice. By reconstructing this conceptual framework, the study contributes to contemporary debates in literary criticism by highlighting historically alternative models of authorship, originality, and creativity. Methodology This study adopts a historical–conceptual methodology grounded in close textual analysis and contextual interpretation. Rather than approaching plagiarism as a fixed or transhistorical category, the article reconstructs the concept within its original Greek and Roman intellectual contexts. Primary sources are analyzed in their linguistic, rhetorical, and pedagogical settings, with particular attention to terminology, genre, and intended audience. The research proceeds in three stages. First, Greek literary and critical texts are examined to identify early discourses surrounding theft, invention, attribution, and imitation. This includes an analysis of technical treatises, scholia, and critical testimonies that illuminate ancient attitudes toward literary borrowing. Second, Roman rhetorical theory is analyzed as a more systematic articulation of imitation, focusing on normative discussions of style, education, and authorial practice. Third, the findings from both traditions are brought into dialogue in order to clarify the aesthetic and ethical criteria by which imitation and literary appropriation were evaluated. Throughout the study, emphasis is placed on distinguishing ancient conceptual frameworks from modern legal and moral assumptions. By combining philological analysis with conceptual history (Begriffsgeschichte), the article seeks to offer an interpretation that is both historically precise and theoretically relevant to contemporary literary criticism. Conclusion An examination of the concept of literary appropriation in the Greek and Roman traditions demonstrates that modern judgments concerning “plagiarism,” when directly applied to ancient texts, inevitably result in misunderstanding. In antiquity, themes, narratives, and literary material were regarded as common cultural property, whereas what properly belonged to the author or speaker was the manner in which such material was processed, arranged, and expressed. Consequently, imitation of predecessors was not only legitimate but was considered an essential prerequisite for education and literary creativity. What was censured within this tradition was imitation that failed to result in creative transformation: imitation that remained confined to verbal reproduction or was undertaken with the intention of concealing sources and deceiving the audience. From this perspective, accusations of plagiarism in Greek and Roman texts are most often connected to artistic weakness, the absence of a personal style, or deceptive authorial intent, rather than to the violation of an autonomous right such as the ownership of ideas. Within this framework, theories of mīmēsis from classical Greece through Roman formulations, particularly in the works of Isocrates, Cicero, Quintilian, and Dionysius of Halicarnassus, conceive imitation as an active and creative process whose ultimate aim is the attainment of a new mode of expression. Accordingly, “plagiarism” in antiquity should be understood not as the opposite of imitation, but as the result of a failure to realize creative imitation. This rereading suggests that the issue of literary theft in the classical tradition is fundamentally a problem of literary criticism and stylistic theory rather than a merely legal or moral concern, and that its proper understanding may open new perspectives for reconsidering the relationship between imitation, originality, and creativity in literary theory. مفهومِ «سرقتِ ادبی» در معنایِ مدرن آن، بر پیش‌فرض‌هایی چون مالکیتِ ایده، حقوقِ مؤلف و اصالت فردی استوار است؛ پیش‌فرض‌هایی که به سادگی نمی‌توان آن‌ها را به سنت‌های ادبی و بلاغیِ یونان و رومِ باستان تعمیم داد. این مقاله با رویکردِ تاریخِ مفهومی می‌کوشد نشان دهد که آن‌چه در جهانِ باستان ذیلِ عنوانِ سرقات مورد بحث قرار می‌گرفت، نه ربایشِ ایده یا مضمون، بلکه بهره‌گیریِ ناروا از بیان، سبک و صورتِ گفتارِ دیگران بود. در این چارچوب، تقلید/میمِسیس (μίμησις/imitation) نه‌تنها امری نکوهیده تلقی نمی‌شد، بلکه هستۀ نظامِ آموزشی، رتوریکی و ادبیِ را تشکیل می‌داد و شرطِ لازمِ پرورش سخنور و شاعر به‌شمار می‌رفت. مقاله با بررسیِ ادبیاتِ یونانی مانند رساله‌های آموزشی، خطابه‌ها و سپس با تحلیلِ دیدگاه‌های نظریه‌پردازانِ رومی، نشان می‌دهد که مرزِ میانِ تقلیدِ مشروع و سرقتِ ادبی در سنتِ کلاسیک، مرزی زیبایی‌شناختی و اخلاقی است، نه حقوقی. سرانجام، با تمرکز بر مفهومِ سبک، نیت مؤلف و بازآفرینیِ خلاق، مقاله استدلال می‌کند که «سرقتِ ادبی» در جهانِ باستان بیش از آن‌که نقضِ مالکیتِ فکری باشد، نشانۀ شکست در تقلیدِ خلاق و ناتوانی در تحققِ فردیتِ سبکی است.

https://lcq.modares.ac.ir/article_28444_ab1513164c86afa5d30f46b482c3030a.pdf

دانشگاه تربیت مدرس فصلنامۀ نقد ادبی 2008-0360 19 74 2026 06 22 Manifestations of Iconic Syntax in Persian Free Verse Poetry: A Study Based on Richard Cureton’s Theoretical Framework جلوه‌های نحو تصویری در شعر آزاد فارسی: مطالعه‌ای براساس چارچوب نظری ریچارد کرتن 210 250 28443 10.48311/lcq.2026.118017.82721 FA محمد جواد برقعی زبانشناسی، دانشکده علوم انسانی، دانشگاه تربیت مدرس، تهران، ایران 0000-0002-8886-7690 ارسلان گلفام زبانشناسی، دانشکده علوم انسانی، دانشگاه تربیت مدرس، تهران، ایران حیات عامری زبانشناسی، دانشکده علوم انسانی، دانشگاه تربیت مدرس، تهران، ایران Journal Article 2025 12 02 Iconic syntax provides a functional framework for exploring how different kinds of iconicity are realized in the syntactic structures of poetry. First introduced by Cureton (1980) to explain how the conceptual content of a clause can align with its syntactic form, this model can serve as a productive basis for studies of Persian poetics. Using this framework, the present study examines manifestations of iconic syntax in 104 poems of modern Persian free verse through a descriptive–analytical approach. The corpus include three collections: Hofreha (Holes) by Garous Abdolmalekian, Fifty-Three Love Lyrics by Shams Langeroudi, and Laughing in a Burning House by Shahram Sheidaei. Each poem was analyzed clause by clause in two stages: first by identifying the conceptual content, and then by describing its syntactic configuration. The spatial and temporal relations between these two levels were evaluated in the light of Cureton’s typology of iconicity. The findings reveal that spatial and structural relations between syntax and content often take the form of icons of existence, complexity, spatial contiguity, and disorder. Likewise, the temporal icons identified can be grouped into the categories of occurrence, temporal contiguity, movement, and intrusion. The boundaries between these types of icons and their modes of representation are often fluid; analyzing iconicity in poetry, therefore, involves tracing how intertwined formal and semantic layers interact to create converging perceptual effects on the reader Extended Abstract 1. introduction Iconicity in language refers to a motivated, image-based correspondence between linguistic form and meaning. This phenomenon challenges the traditional assumption that the relation between signifier and signified is entirely arbitrary, and instead suggests that language regularly incorporates layers of motivation and resemblance. Such dynamics between form and meaning are particularly significant in poetic and figurative language, where poets attempt to express their lived experience of perceptual engagement with the external world through the medium of verse. This process often creates the conditions for a distinctive interplay or harmony between form and meaning. Since the 1960s, various theoretical linguistic frameworks have been proposed to examine different types of iconicity in literary texts. One such framework is the “Iconic Syntax” introduced by Cureton (1980). Although this model has so far been applied primarily to the analysis of English poetry, in the authors’ view it holds significant potential as a tool for identifying forms of iconicity in Persian poetry, particularly in contemporary free verse. It also highlights the capacities of Persian poetic syntax in constructing iconic meanings. For this reason, the present study aims to explore manifestations of iconic syntax in selected volumes of Persian free verse poetry. It is expected that the findings of this study will enhance our understanding of the capacities of Persian poetic syntax and serve as a useful basis for subsequent research in literary criticism and poetics on contemporary Persian free verse. 2. Theoretical Framework Cureton (1980) is one of the functional linguists who have specifically examined the concept of iconic syntax within a theoretical and practical framework. He regards iconic syntax as one of the primary channels for representing perceptual experience in poetry. In iconic syntax, instead of merely referring to concepts, the poet shapes the formal or spatio-temporal structure of words and phrases to create an image of the described situation. This technique is the syntactic equivalent of sound symbolism at the phonological level, where, for example, continuous sounds can symbolically represent smooth and fluid movement. Iconic syntax is divided into two general groups, including “spatial icons” and “temporal icons.” Spatial icons represent static properties and relations such as “existence” or “symmetry,” while temporal icons are used to represent dynamic qualities and relationships such as “movement” or “interruption”. Spatial and temporal icons are each classified into three categories of quantity, quality, and relation, according to how they are instantiated in syntax. Quantitative examples are created by manipulating the number of tokens in the syntactic structure through operations such as deletion and repetition. Conversely, qualitative examples, by manipulating the overall syntactic structure, lead to the representation of features such as “movement” and “complexity”. Relational patterns are also manifested in syntax through the manipulation of formal or spatio-temporal relations between words and can therefore be constructed by means of syntactic tools such as inversion and scrambling. 3. Methodology This research was conducted qualitatively and within the framework of a descriptive-analytical method. The corpus of the study comprises the poems in three works, Hofreha (Holes) by Garous Abdolmalekian, Fifty-Three Love Lyrics by Shams Langeroudi, and Laughing in a Burning House by Shahram Sheidaei. All of these works, which comprise 104 poems, were collected through library research and were evaluated based on Cureton’s (1980) framework of iconic syntax. Each poem was analyzed separately at the syntactic level of the clause in two stages: first from the perspective of conceptual content, and then from the perspective of syntactic structure. Finally, the spatio-temporal relationship of these two levels (the conceptual content of the clause and the syntactic structure) was investigated in accordance with the types of icons in Cureton’s system. In addition, the method of representation and syntactic tools used by the poet to reflect the icons were identified. 4. Findings and Discussion Among the spatial icon types identified by Cureton (1980), only the icons of existence, complexity, spatial contiguity, and disorder were found in the three poetry collections examined. Likewise, the temporal icon types in these works are classified into the categories of event, temporal contiguity, movement, and interruption. Findings of this study show that the boundaries between different types of icons and the ways they are represented are not always clear-cut. In many cases, the alignment of syntactic form with conceptual content in poetic clauses can, at the same time, give rise to both spatial and temporal icons. Moreover, the representation of icons across several consecutive lines may be achieved through quantitative, qualitative, and relational means. Thus, the analysis of iconicity in poetry involves tracing intertwined layers that come to overlap at the formal and semantic levels and influence the reader through different perceptual dimensions. 5. Conclusion This study concludes that Cureton’s (1980) system of iconic syntax can be applied to the analysis of Persian poetry and is not limited to English. The devices used to represent different types of icons may vary depending on the typological properties of each language. Another point that should be noted is that, in the classification proposed within this theoretical framework, no separate section is explicitly defined under the title of syntactic tools. However, it is possible to identify a set of such tools in relation to each category of icons and their modes of representation. Such an approach can be regarded as a step toward the formulation and further development of a functional framework for identifying different types of iconicity. نحو تصویری چارچوبی نقش‌گرایانه برای مطالعۀ اقسام تصویرگونگی در ساختارهای نحوی شعر است. این چارچوب توسط کرتن (Cureton, 1980) به هدف شناسایی سازوکارهای هماهنگ‌سازی محتوای بند با ساختارهای نحوی معرفی شده است و می‌تواند دستمایۀ مطالعات شعرشناسی در زبان فارسی قرار گیرد. در همین راستا، پژوهش حاضر کوشیده است با تکیه بر این چارچوب، جلوه‌های نحو تصویری را به روش توصیفی ـ تحلیلی در 104 شعر معاصر فارسی در قالب آزاد بررسی کند. این آثار مجموعاً شامل سه دفتر «حفره‌ها» نوشتۀ گروس عبدالملکیان، «53 ترانۀ عاشقانه» به قلم شمس لنگرودی، و «خندیدن در خانه‌ای که می‌سوخت» اثر شهرام شیدایی می‌شود. بدین منظور تحلیل هر یک از اشعار به تفکیک واحد نحوی «بند» در دو مرحله، ابتدا از منظر محتوای مفهومی، و سپس از بٌعد ساختار نحوی انجام شد. همچنین نسبت‌ فضایی ـ زمانی این دو سطح (محتوای مفهومی بند و ساختار نحوی) در تطابق با اقسام تصویرگونگی در نظام‌وارۀ کرتن ارزیابی شد. یافته‌های این پژوهش نشان داد که در آثار مزبور روابط فضایی و حجمی میان صورت نحوی و محتوا در قالب تصاویر وجود، پیچیدگی، همجواری فضایی و آشفتگی قرار می‌گیرد. به‌علاوه، تصاویر زمانی را می‌توان ذیل دسته‌های رخداد، همجواری زمانی، حرکت و مداخله‌ طبقه‌بندی کرد. مرز میان اقسام تصویر و شیوه‌های بازنمایی آن همواره روشن و قطعی نیست و تحلیل آن‌ در شعر معطوف به تبیین لایه‌های درهم‌تنیده‌ای است که در سطح صوری و معنایی بر یکدیگر انطباق می‌یابد و از جنبه‌های ادراکی متفاوتی بر مخاطب اثر می‌گذارند.

https://lcq.modares.ac.ir/article_28443_c2db5ca3f8789c124affa4023764635d.pdf