استعاره‌های بدن در عاشقانه‌های شاملو

This study systematically analyzes the deployment of corporeal metaphors across Ahmad Shamloo’s poetic trajectory to investigate the evolution of his romantic discourse. Employing a historical-analytical methodology, the research maps a discernible four-period progression in how the physical body—that of the beloved and the lover—is utilized to convey ontological and emotional states. The primary conclusion affirms that Shamloo’s romantic mindset transitioned from an initial political allegory characterized by corporeal absence, through a phase of fraught synthesis, to a final, fully embodied commitment where love acts as the definitive affirmation against existential decay.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Ahmad Shamloo stands as an indispensable figure in the canon of twentieth-century Persian literature, recognized for spearheading the movement of She’r-e No [New Persian Poetry] and radically reshaping its metric and thematic conventions. His work synthesizes socio-political critique with profound lyrical introspection, often pivoting on the complex axis of romantic love. While extensive scholarship addresses his political engagement or his innovative use of free verse, the specific trajectory of his romantic mindset—as articulated through the physical, tangible deployment of the human body (corporeal imagery)—remains an area ripe for focused analytical dissection. The physical body, in Shamloo’s lexicon, is never merely descriptive; it functions as a primary hermeneutic key to unlocking his deeper philosophical positions regarding freedom, social justice, and ultimately, mortality. The necessity of this study arises from the recognition that Shamloo’s love poetry, particularly after the politically charged early phases, becomes increasingly embodied, moving away from abstract ideological constructions toward tangible intimacy. The corporeal metaphor thus serves as a critical barometer for measuring the poet’s shifting relationship with reality, political engagement, and personal fulfillment. This investigation hypothesizes that Shamloo’s engagement with romance, tracked through the consistency and function of bodily metaphors, undergoes a distinct, traceable evolution across four recognizable chronological and thematic phases, reflecting his broader intellectual journey.
 
Methodology
The research design employs a rigorous historical-analytical content analysis. The corpus under examination comprises Shamloo’s major collections spanning from the 1950s to his later years, focusing specifically on poems explicitly addressing themes of love, intimacy, and the female figure. The analytical framework involves close reading to identify recurring, significant corporeal metaphors. These metaphors are then cataloged and chronologically mapped against the known periods of the poet’s socio-political and personal development. By isolating instances where the body (the lover’s or the beloved’s) is the dominant vehicle for thematic expression, the study establishes a chronological demarcation of four distinct interpretive periods. This method allows for the qualitative interpretation of shifts in symbolic meaning within the quantitative framework of metaphor frequency and context.
 
Discussion
Shamloo’s romantic vision demonstrates a fascinating metamorphosis, moving dialectically between external socio-political concerns and internal existential imperatives. In its nascent stages, the romantic impulse often served as a coded allegory for the suppressed desire for political liberty. The corporeal, when present, was frequently alienated or negated, mirroring the societal constraints that stifled both political and personal expression. As the poet matures, particularly following moments of intense personal relationship (e.g., with Aida), the focus shifts. The discourse moves away from political allegory toward an intense, embodied existential commitment. Here, the corporeal metaphors become the primary means through which Shamloo attempts to unify the fragmented realities of physical existence and spiritual longing. The beloved’s body is the site where abstract concepts—like freedom, truth, and permanence—are physically instantiated. A significant interpretive thread lies in the transformation of the female figure. Initially, she functions as an abstract symbol, often inaccessible or threatening. By the middle period, she stabilizes into the ‘Social Beloved’ (the jailer), demanding reciprocal engagement. The zenith of this transformation occurs when the beloved becomes a fully embodied, egalitarian partner, where the physical union reflects a perfect ontological harmony. In the final period, while the body remains central, the romantic commitment assumes a defensive ontological posture. Love is no longer just synthesis; it is the active struggle against the decay inherent in the physical form itself, positioning the maternal and nurturing aspects of the beloved as the final anchor against annihilation. This movement signifies the ultimate triumph of the embodied experience over abstract idealism in defining Shamloo’s mature romanticism.
 
Findings
The rigorous analysis of the corpus reveals a systematic evolution of corporeal metaphor corresponding precisely to four identifiable periods:
Period I: The Absence of Corporeality and Political Alienation. In Shamloo’s early output, corresponding to his most direct involvement with overt political engagement, the romantic sphere is often defined by negation or symbolization that actively avoids physical presence. The body, both the lover’s and the beloved’s, is either implied through absence or rendered symbolically monstrous, reflecting the suffocating atmosphere of external repression. The beloved might manifest metaphorically as a ‘Wall’ or a ‘Tombstone,’ signifying the deadening effect of societal inertia on genuine connection. Conversely, the beloved can appear as the ‘Jailer,’ whose physical presence is a source of constraint rather than liberation. The lover’s body is rarely celebrated; if mentioned, it is often depicted as ‘brittle,’ ‘fading,’ or ‘imprisoned,’ emphasizing political impotence. Corporeality is presented as the site of threat, not fulfillment.
Period II: Strive for Balance and Contradictory Manifestation. This transitional phase witnesses a marked increase in the explicit depiction of physical desire and bodily interaction; however, these depictions are frequently contradictory, betraying the poet’s internal struggle to reconcile abstract ideals with tangible reality. The introduction of specific, named beloved figures marks a shift toward personalized romance. Body parts begin to emerge, but they are often dualistic: the ‘eyes’ are both windows to the soul and sources of political betrayal. We see the first attempts to bridge the gap between the ‘Social Beloved’ (representing collective aspiration) and the ‘Ethereal Beloved’ (the unattainable ideal). Metaphors of ‘touch’ begin to surface, but they are tentative, often dissolving into air or light, indicating that complete corporeal acceptance is still pending. The body remains a battleground between purity and sensuality.
Period III: Aida Collections. This period represents the zenith of corporeal acceptance and integration, driven profoundly by the poet’s relationship with Aida. Here, the beloved’s body becomes the definitive locus of meaning, where the physical is elevated to the spiritual without loss of materiality. Specific, tangible imagery dominates: the beloved’s presence signifies accessible, life-giving sweetness and sustenance (e.g., a ‘Honeycomb’), serving as a direct counterpoint to the abstract ‘Thirst’ of earlier periods. The ultimate synthesis is achieved in metaphors that equate the entirety of the embodied experience: “the beloved’s body is music, and the lover’s body is the word,” establishing a perfect, reciprocal resonance where physical expression equates to existential expression.
Period IV: Existential Struggle and the Weary Body. Following the intensity of the Aida phase, Shamloo’s focus broadens again, turning inward toward ontological anxieties—mortality, the passage of time, and the inevitability of individual dissolution. While love remains central, its function shifts from synthesis to defense. The metaphors celebrate shared endurance against inevitable physical decline rather than ecstatic union. The body is now the shared site of confrontation with the void, sanctified by the longevity of the shared embodied experience.
 
Conclusion
The comprehensive analysis confirms the study’s central hypothesis: Ahmad Shamloo’s romantic mindset, as meticulously tracked through the deployment of corporeal metaphors, undergoes a significant four-stage evolution. This journey charts a path from political symbolism rooted in corporeal negation (Period I) to a fully realized, embodied affirmation of presence (Period III). The trajectory demonstrates that for Shamloo, romantic fulfillment was inextricably linked to the physical experience—the breath, the touch, the shared anatomy. Ultimately, the findings reveal that in his mature poetic consciousness, love ceased to be merely a political demand or an abstract ideal; it crystallized into the most potent, tangible defense mechanism available to the individual consciousness against the ultimate silence of annihilation.