چكيده لاتين :
1. Introduction
One of the important literary figures of speech in Marzbannameh is
equivoque, which, in contemporary literary theories, is related to
semiotics. Semiotics deals with anything that is considered a sign
(Eco, 2020: 97) and many Semiologists explore rhetorical techniques
with implicit implications in the realm of this science. According to
Eco, rhetorical techniques operate beyond figures of speech and are
considered as tools that shape discourse in a general sense (Sojudi,
2003: 116-131). This study mainly aims at explaining and analyzing
Varavini's goals in using equivoque in Marzbannameh and how it is
processed. This reveals the art of Varavini in writing and helps to
better understand the text of Marzbannameh and its semantic
meanings. The sub-purpose of this research is to review the definitions
of Equivoque and to reveal its place in technical proses. Because this
figure of speech has not been given the attention it deserves in
rhetorical texts, this research reveals objectively and tangibly its types,
functions, and aesthetic value.
2. Methodology
A descriptive-analytical method based on library resources has been
adopted to conduct the present research. After studying the rhetorical
resources about Equivoque and critiquing rhetorical opinions in this
area, the author extracted the prominent cases and various shreds of
evidence of this figure of speech from the text of Marzbannameh
followed by classification with analyzing their functionality. This study seeks to answer these questions:
1- How is equivoque processed in Marzbannameh and can this literary
trick be considered as one of the prominent and stylistic features of
Marzbannameh?
2- What are the functions of equivoque in Marzbannameh?
3. Discussion
Equivoque, like some other figures of speech, has been represented in
classical poetic and prose texts, but it has not been addressed by
rhetoricians except for a few ones. One of the shortcomings in the
definition of Equivoque, which has led to disorder in such instances
of this type of ambiguity and numerous naming in this regard, is
ignoring some of the causes of the creation of this literary figure of
speech. Equivoque in Marzbannameh is not limited to words that are
homophones and homographs, and sometimes a word evokes its
synonymous word. The reason for an implication of another word to
the mind does not arise solely from its relevance to other words in the
text, but sometimes a contradiction or conceptual relationship with
other words in the text is effective in this regard. This innovative
figure of speech can also occur beyond a word, at the level of
composition, sentences, and phrases.
Varavini often presents his explicit arguments and signs to the
audience at the beginning of the speech, and then, he chooses the
words and the use of rhetorical techniques in such a way that meaning
is received based on the previous explicit signs. Equivoque in
Marzbannameh as a stylistic feature has important and different
functions that if ignored, many of the purposes and artistic accuracies
contained in this literary work will be hidden from the audience.
Strengthening the semantic load and the induction power of speech,
as well as completing and developing meaning through rhetorical
ornaments, are the two main goals pursued by Varavini in using this
figure of speech to show that he has used an image to induce meaning
and to try to connect word and meaning as much as possible. One of
the important functions of Equivoque in Marzbannameh is the
creation of various verbal and spiritual figures of speech, which
makes this figure appear beyond a figure of speech and at the same
time creates verbal brevity, coherence, appropriateness, and
coordination in forming various literary techniques and implicit meanings. This entanglement and congestion of images add to the
beauty and impact of speech. One of the aesthetic and outstanding
functions of Equivoque, which on the one hand develops the meaning
of a phrase and on the other hand serves as make-up and ornament of
speech, is the simile function. Allusions in the name of people and
books are also one of the novel features of Marzbanehnameh prose
(See: Mohaghegh, 1960: 59) and the author sometimes tries to create
allusions and implicit references to fictional characters through
Equivoque. In Marzbannameh, sometimes a word in combination
with another word brings its opposite meaning to the mind, and thus,
in addition to the Equivoque, it also creates a paradoxical figure in
the text. Also, some of the ambiguities in textual contexts evoke a
metaphorical concept. In Marzbannameh, sometimes one word in a
phrase evokes two or more ambiguous words at the same time; that
is, concerning some words, one word and about other words, another
word comes to mind, and in this case, it causes a kind of syllepsis in
the text. Sometimes an Equivoque creates other Equivoques in a text,
which can be referred to as a chain of Equivoques. That is to say, a
word, as the core and main axis of Equivoque, gives rise to implicit
meanings in some other words of the text, and this process is
interconnected like a chain.
In some Equivoques of Marzbannameh, the choice of word is such
that a concept related to other words, synonymous or appropriate to
the mood of the sentence, is brought to the reader's mind and the
purpose is to emphasize, highlight, and strengthen the meaning. One
of the functions of Equivoque in Marzbannameh is to complete and
develop the meaning of a phrase simultaneous with verbal brevity. In
these cases, the author’s choice of a word not only brings the primary
and obvious meaning of a text to the mind but also an implicit and
secondary meaning can be interpreted from it.
4. Conclusion
Equivoque is one of the important stylistic features in
Marzbannameh, through which, Varavini uses signs that imply their
second meaning.
Scholars in the past always examined Equivoque of origin at the level
of a verse or phrase, but based on the text of Marzbannameh, it was
determined that sometimes the vertical axis of expressions is the bedrock for creating Equivoque. Many of Equivoques in
Marzbannameh occur about the preceding and following clauses, and
sometimes words appropriate to the connotation are used at a
relatively long distance from it in the text, indicating the special
coherence and intertwined relationship of its components. That is
why Varavini draws the audience's attention to the art of writing and
his rhetorical methods from the beginning to the end of this work.
Equivoque appears in Marzbannameh beyond a figure of speech and
one of its most important functions is the creation of various
rhetorical techniques such as simile, allusion, irony, new Equivoques,
syllepsis, paradox, pun, etc. This means that by realizing the -
Equivoque in words and phrases, these figures of speech are
also produced in the text. This entanglement and congestion of
images have had a great impact on the layering of the text, the beauty,
the brevity, and the increase of the influence of speech.
The author has used Equivoque to prepare the audience's mind to be
aware of the content of the speech, to equate the space of the story
with the Quranic context, and to draw the good or bad fate of the
protagonists.
Many of Equivoque of Marzbannameh have been addressed
concerning Quranic verses, and this shows that Marzbanameh not
only uses Quranic words and themes in its surface structure, but also
is deeply connected with the divine word, and Varavini has included
many artistic nuances and rhetorical accuracies in his book.
