The Function of Satire and Ironical Metaphor in Resistance Literature of the Constitutional Revolution
Subject Areas : Persian Language and Literature Quarterlyمرضیه قاسمي جوجیلی 1 , mohamadreza yousefi 2 * , reza fahimi 3
1 - دانشگاه آزاد واحد ساوه
2 - جامعه قم
3 - university azad save
Keywords: resistance poetry, Constitutional Revolution, satire, sarcastic metaphor, Farrokhi Yazdi, Aref Qazvini.,
Abstract :
The Constitutional Revolution era is one of the most brilliant periods of Persian resistance poetry. Poets of this time effectively employed poetic tools to enlighten the public and articulate fundamental rights that had been denied to them for centuries. Satire was one of the most impactful methods used, mitigating the harshness of criticism against the government and social issues with the sweetness of wit. Sarcastic metaphor has long been a prevalent technique in satire, especially social satire, and in this period, it was further influenced by Western literature with the addition of irony. This paper employs a descriptive-analytical approach to examine the function of satire, particularly the use of sarcastic metaphor, in the resistance poetry of the Constitutional Revolution, with a focus on Farrokhi Yazdi and Aref Qazvini. The findings reveal that these poets satirized five main themes: criticism of government officials, including the Shah, ministers, and representatives; the absence of freedom of speech, individual, and social liberties; the tyranny of rulers over the country and its people; condemnation of foreign interference, especially by Russia and England; and highlighting the ignorance, neglect, and illiteracy of the people. Through the sweet language of satire, these poets ridiculed the self-proclaimed gods among men. Sarcastic metaphor served as a means for poets to evade the consequences of their sharp criticisms of the powerful, as it could be interpreted as a joke or jest. The research indicates that criticism of the ruling class was more frequently expressed through irony, while the reflection of their oppression of the people was conveyed through sarcasm and contrast. Moreover, themes such as criticism of foreign interference were manifested in the form of verbal satire or metaphorical sarcasm.