Analysis of the linguistic and rhetorical layers of the arcane in Kheradnāme-ye Eskandari, Jami

Razeghi, Soraya; Emami, Raziyeh; Majidi, Maryam

doi:10.22091/jls.2026.13710.1740

Analysis of the linguistic and rhetorical layers of the arcane in Kheradnāme-ye Eskandari, Jami

Document Type : Rhetoric

Authors

¹ Department of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities, North Tehran Azad University, Tehran, Iran

² Department of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran

10.22091/jls.2026.13710.1740

Abstract

Persian didactic-mystical literature, particularly within the narrative tradition of Jami, has consistently utilized language as a sophisticated medium for articulating abstract concepts such as the Unity of Being and spiritual wayfaring. Among Jami’s works, Kheradnāme-ye Eskandari stands as a preeminent example of mapping the mystical system of the descending and ascending arcs through embedded didactic anecdotes. Employing layered stylistics as a theoretical framework to examine the dialectical relationship between linguistic structures and mystical ideology, this study investigates how the worldview of the Unity of Being is reproduced across four linguistic strata: lexical, syntactic, rhetorical, and pragmatic. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research analyzes selected verses through qualitative interpretation and quantitative frequency analysis. Findings reveal that at the lexical level, 44% of marked vocabulary pertains to the descending arc (veils of multiplicity), while 36% relates to the ascending arc. Syntactically, imperative and prohibitive verbs constitute 31% of structures, with directional prepositions “az” (from) and “be” (to) accounting for 26%. Rhetorically, metaphor (32%) and simile (24%) function as primary tools for the naturalization of metaphysical concepts. At the pragmatic level, directive speech acts dominate (42%), while the deliberate violation of Gricean maxims of quality and manner generates significant epistemic shock. The study concludes that Jami effectively instills the ideology of the Unity of Being—centered on the archetype of the Perfect Human (al-insān al-kāmil)—by integrating these linguistic layers into a network of binary oppositions and syntactic imperatives, thereby transforming language into a potent instrument for enacting a mystical worldview.

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