چكيده لاتين :
1. Introduction
In this article, we have examined the function of theatrical elements in
the story of the soul belonging to the body in Mersad-ol-Ebad. Mersad
-ol-ebad Men-al-Mabda-e El-al-Maad by Najm Razi in the seventh
century is one of the valuable texts of Persian mystical prose. This
book has written in five chapters. The most important topics have
been expressed from the second to the fourth chapter; detailed
information are provided about the creation of man, the nature of the
soul and body, the origin and resurrection, the principles of religious
beliefs, love and knowledge, closeness to God, stages of the existing
world and mystical and Sufi wayfaring.
The text of this book is an eloquent example of mursal and
technical rhythmic prose maaking effective use of the poetic elements.
The presentation of concepts in the forms of story and allegory is
another significant dimension of this work; this feature, along with the
visual effects, makes several parts of the work remarkable from the
perspective of research related to narrative and theatrical values. One
of these parts is the story of the soul.
The story of the Soul is once narrated in the second part of the
book, chapter five (the beginning of the soul's belonging to the body), and a second time in the third part (the second chapter in expressing
the wisdom of the soul belonging to the body and its benefits). The
story is about the Soul who wants to be a Human character, and in the
guise of a protagonist (hero), opens his eyes to the world and begins a
journey.
The story begins by describing the origins of the Soul, which is the
world of command (Amr). He has been raised with special care by
Daayegan (Nursemaids). After the divine breathing of the spirit and its
belonging to the body, the fear of darkness and the widespread
invasion of wild animals, insects and quadrupeds begin. Furthermore,
the presence of the ego as the anti-hero adds to the challenges. The
horrors with the feeling of homesickness make the soul's desire to
return to the homeland the primary concern. Demonstrating the
emotions mentioned in the story and the intense confrontation
between Soul and body forms an adventure that accompanies the
audience to the end.
2. Methodology
In this story, which is sometimes more narrative and direct and
sometimes more active and dramatic, the theatrical elements have a
significant contribution in conveying the author's messages and
emotions. Also, understanding these theatrical elements and their
quality has a determinant effect on the relevance between the audience
and the content and rhetorical dimensions.
This issue has been addressed in the present study using an
analytical-descriptive method. Due to the dispersion of the subject
throughout the book, it was necessary to aggregate and classify the
scattered evidence after studying all the sections for the article to be
written with these goals: 1-Determining and analyzing the types and
frequency of theatrical elements and identifying the components that
have more theatrical value. 2-Examining the thematic-semantic
function of dramatic elements.
3. Discussion
Motivations raised in creating story events of the Spirit of Mersad-ol-
Ebad are presented either in the form of direct descriptions or through
allegories and allegorical narrations.Najm Razi gives us ten various
allegories: an embodiment of the cause of the inner contradictions of the soul, his abilities and defects for gaining knowledge, and how he
had trapped in a desert of tyranny and ignorance, and the reason for
his degradation from nearness to God to the world that help to The
coherence of the plot. Significant theatrical values are visible in these
images because they can turn pure description into landscape design,
which is more activist and characterization.
The beginning of this story is beyond time in the world of
command (Amr). Najm Razi creates the narrative space so that the
components of the scene are reinforced and induced by other
Prenatalelements, which are more dramatic, consciously, or
unconsciously.
In the story of the soul, the element of action forms a chain of
various theatrical situations that play a significant role in relevance to
the audience and are so alive that they seem to be happening
simultaneously. The mentioned actions show the turning points to
individuation and knowledge of the soul and include both the process
of descent and the ascent.
In this story, a dialogue based on images, which also uses the
function of poetry, attracts attention. In this way, it reinforces the
theatrical aspect of the expression due to the use of more emotion and
imagination.
The dialogue in this work is either the monologue or the
conversation established between God and the soul. The use of the
element of tone and the combination of various tones enhances the
emotional and semantic aspect of the word; simultaneously, it has a
significant effect on focusing on the actor; as the main element of the
show.
The basis of the conflicts of the soul story and the involvement
with external factors is the struggle against oneself, the human self.
One part of existence stands in front of another part. The result is an
evolvement, a balance, and a mutation of the personality.
Most crises have shown in the character and quality of his actions.
The realization of the nodes of this story, which is sometimes with a
brief description of Najm Razi achieve and sometimes with the help
of dialogues, replaces the detailed delineation that contains action and
incident with detailed description, point that is noteworthy in terms of
theatrical value.
Najm Razi's ability to process the character of the soul and the challenges that by using the Qur'anic-narrative data and mystical
techniques in the field of narration, allegory, image, and other literary
components, create for him; he has made some remarkable and
compelling suspensions in this story.
In this story, in which characterization is the most significant
element, there are three main and, of course, prenatalcharacters (God,
soul, and ego) who, in addition to the usual appearance, are seen in
allegories and poetic and prose images. The mentioned character also
are represented in a literary form. These factors help to reinforce the
narrative-rhetorical appeal of the narrative.
4. Conclusion
The most manifest elements and dramatic techniques of the studied
story that have been more effective in inducing various concepts are
characterizations, action, dialogue, conflict, respectively.
The subjects expressed through the mentioned elements are
respectively: the precedence of the creation of the soul over the body,
the connection of the soul to the divine existence, the separation of
the soul from the celestial world, the necessity of the soul belonging
to the body, his descending to the world; the nature and
characteristics of the soul, body, the ego and their contradiction, their
interaction, and agreement, the innate desire to return to the
birthplace of the soul, love, knowledge and their difficulties and
necessities, the praised and condemned world, the abandonment of
intellectual belongings and becoming moralizes to the divine
morality.
When using allegory and illustration techniques, the two elements
of action-reaction and dialogue, the tendency to "show" (which
expands the theatrical capacity of the work) are more evident than
defining.
In the plot, the reasons for the incidents are expressed either
directly or through allegory and metanarrative. Najm Razi gives ten
allegories to embody the characteristics of the soul and the path of its
perfection. These allegories, which focus more on the reactions of the
character element, turn pure description into landscape design, which
is more active, and consequently more dramatic.
Simultaneous with the beginning of the function of the element of
time and place (beyond time in the world of command (Amr), in opposition to the world), contradictions become apparent.
The most important result of using the scene element in the story
of the soul is the emphasis on these contrasts and the indirect advice
to create balance and reach a solution for the elevation of human
existence.
The action element with ten prominent examples forms a chain of
different theatrical situations. These actions show the turning points
of the path to individuation and knowledge of the soul.
Among the examples of the dialogue element, the dialogue based
on images, which also uses the function of poetry, has a more
theatrical value. The dialogue in this book is either dramatic or
internal monologue; or in the form of God's conversation with the
soul.
In these dialogues, manifestations of the tone element like the
paralanguage are evident, reinforcing the theatrical aspect due to the
focus on the character.
The basis of the conflicts of the soul is the struggle with the self,
the human self. The result is a change of personality.The conflict of
the story after dialogue is more functional than other elements. These
conflicts have found dramatic value because of the embodiment of
mental affairs and internal struggle.
In the story of this article, the effects of the soul joining the body
are the initial crisis and the origin of subsequent tensions. This
process continues until the soul is detached. Tension sets the stage for
the most prominent post-descent change for the soul: ascent and
return.
The first node in the soul's story figures the first crisis formed in
the meeting between the soul and the body. Other complexities
follow. The realization of these nodes, sometimes done with a brief
description of Najm Razi and sometimes with the help of dialogues,
replaces the detailed explanations that contain action and incident
with a detailed description. This event is significant and valuable in
terms of theatrical value. The final denouement happens when the
soul's attachment to the body breaks.
In suspension, the author makes his audience eager to know the
narrative character of the soul and his future from the very beginning.
The soul joining to the body in the story, and conflicts between these
two characters, initiate the audience's concern and desire to understand the outcome.
This feeling with the anxiety caused by the lack of confidence in
being good luck of the character expressed in the remarkable
suspensions.
This story has three prenatal characters: God, Soul, and Ego. In
introducing the characters, which carries many of the main concepts
of the story, the author uses both direct and indirect methods (which
have more theatrical value). Here, dialogue has a significant role to
play.
