Rhetorical Analysis of Narrative in Akhavan's Poems (Based on the Story of Shahre Sangestan)

The article is a typical study of the narrative style of Akhavan Sales's poetry (1307-1369), which, according to his critics, is one of the outstanding features and rhetorical-literary methods of his poetic style. The analysis and interpretation of the narrative and its types in the Story of Shahre Sangestan can also represent other narrative poems of Akhavan. In this work of art, the poet artistically creates types of narrative such as folkloric, mythical, political and historical, and in parts of the story, he skillfully combines several different narratives with vernacular and literary language. These narratives, as an interwoven network, have a special effect and are similar to folk tales in various ways; Including: having common characters with the four folk tales selected in the article, linguistic and tonal similarities with those tales, and the use of terms such as: enchantment, destiny, talisman, devil, and turning to stone. This article shows that Akhavan, by using the rhetorical technique of narrative, has been able to place the folk language alongside the literary language and combine the two without harming the overall structure of the narrative; and has also been able to create a semantic transformation in the character of the pigeons in the folk tales so that, given the space in his poem, a symbolic meaning can be considered for them.
Introduction
Narrative as a rhetorical-artistic device occupies a central place in both classical and modern Persian poetry. Understanding the narrative structure of a poem illuminates its linguistic beauty, layered meanings, and symbolic depth. Among modern poets, Mehdi Akhavān Sāles made an exceptional and consistent use of narrative techniques throughout his works, with the exception of a few shorter poems. According to Akhavān himself and a number of prominent commentators—most notably Reżā Barāhenī—narrativity constitutes one of the defining stylistic pillars of his poetic identity.
The most celebrated narrative poems of Akhavān belong to his mature period, especially between 1954 and 1964, following the political upheaval of the 1953 coup. During this time, he published his influential collections Zemestān (Winter), Ākhar-e Shāhnāmeh (The Last Shāhnāmeh), and Az In Owestā. Shafi‘i Kadkani describes Az In Owestā as the culmination of Akhavān’s narrative craft, representing the point where his earlier experiments matured into a fully developed narrative poetics.
 
Materials & Methods
This study follows an analytical-descriptive methodology based on close reading, rhetorical analysis, and comparative folkloristic study. The primary corpus consists of Akhavān’s narrative poems, with a special focus on The City of Stone. To contextualize the folkloric components, four representative Iranian folk narratives were selected for comparison.
The research process involved:

Identifying the narrative features distinctive to Akhavān’s poetry.
Analyzing his integration of mythological, historical, political, and folkloric narrative modes.
Comparing recurring motifs, characters, and linguistic patterns between The City of Stone and selected folk tales.
Examining Akhavān’s transformation of traditional symbols—particularly the dove motif—into modern poetic and political symbolism.

Primary and secondary sources included Akhavān’s poetic collections, commentaries such as those by Shafi‘i Kadkani, and scholarly discussions of narrative poetics in Persian literature.
Research findings
The analysis reveals several key findings:
1.Multiplicity of narrative modes:
Akhavān blends diverse narrative styles—folkloric, mythic, historical, and political—into a cohesive structure. This multiplex narrative texture is especially evident in The City of Stone, where mythopoetic elements coexist with political allegory.

Integration of colloquial and elevated language:

Akhavān juxtaposes popular vernacular with classical diction, creating a hybrid linguistic field. This technique enhances accessibility while preserving rhetorical depth. Notably, colloquial idioms and folkloric expressions such as afsūn, tāqdir, telesm, shaytān, and the motif of turning to stone are strategically deployed.

Narrative interweaving:

Several narrative threads run simultaneously in the poem, forming a network of interconnected stories reminiscent of oral storytelling traditions. This interlacing structure mirrors the layered temporalities of myth and history.

Symbolic reconfiguration of folkloric characters:

Akhavān reinterprets folkloric characters—especially the doves—transforming them from passive figures in folk narratives into symbolic agents reflecting sociopolitical tensions, despair, and aspiration in post-coup Iran.

Function of narrative as political and emotional expression:

Storytelling becomes a medium for articulating collective grief, suppressed political aspirations, and existential disillusionment, particularly in the aftermath of the 1953 coup.
Discussion of Results & Conclusion
The study concludes that narrative technique is not merely one stylistic option in Akhavān’s poetry but rather a structural and ideological foundation of his poetic expression. Through narrative, Akhavān mediates between tradition and modernity, synthesizes folkloric memory with contemporary experience, and gives form to political trauma.
The City of Stone, as a representative narrative poem, demonstrates his ability to merge colloquial and literary language, reshape folkloric motifs into modern allegories, and construct multilayered narrative networks. This poem provides a blueprint for understanding the narratological foundations of Akhavān’s other works.
The findings underscore the significance of studying narrative poetics within modern Persian poetry and highlight Akhavān’s central role in transforming traditional storytelling into a modern, politically charged, and symbolically rich mode of poetic discourse.