Literary Interdisciplinary Research

Abstract One of the most effective contemporary methods for transmitting educational content to children is the use of storybooks and narrative collections. This study employs a descriptive–analytical method and an interdisciplinary approach to examine the collection 365 Stories for the Nights of the Year, written for age groups A and B, through the theoretical lens of Abraham Maslow. It asks how various manifestations of self-actualization in Maslow’s theory are represented in this collection. Findings indicate that many stories in the book incorporate key indicators of self-actualization identified by Maslow—such as a clearer understanding of reality and an ease of relating to it, empathy, philosophical and nonaggressive playfulness, creativity, acceptance of self, others and nature, and problem orientation. By listening to and reading these tales, children can be exposed to and educated about these concepts, thereby smoothing their trajectories toward personality development and eventual attainment of higher stages of individual growth characterized by self-actualized traits in Maslow’s framework.

Abstract Studying media tools, especially mass media, although not very old, has taken various mediums throughout human communication history. In Iran, some of the oldest media include tablets, stone inscriptions, books, and pulpits (Khotbeh), which played a significant role in traditional society. Persian poetry has also been one of the most important media in Iranian culture from its inception to the present day. Despite being less recognized for various reasons, Persian poetry remains one of the most influential traditional media in Iran due to its accessibility and services. Today, an important topic regarding media is understanding and analyzing their functions. Media can be classified into categories such as traditional and modern, new and old, media and mass media. This article uses descriptive analysis to explore the functions of Persian poetry as a medium from the perspective of medialogy. It examines these functions through various perspectives and summarizes these views within traditional Iranian media, particularly poetry. The research demonstrates that the most important functions of Persian poetry as a medium include providing information, standardization, mediation, entertainment, and inspiration.

Abstract Trauma is an experience beyond the capacity of language to represent and occurs when a traumatic event is experienced before conscious understanding. Žižek considers any exposure to a traumatic event to be trauma, and Lacan describes the individual's inability to represent that event as a fact. This research, using a descriptive-analytical method, examines and analyzes trauma in Reza Zangiabadi's story Khūn Khargūš (Rabbit's Blood). The purpose of this research is to psychoanalyze the nature of trauma and how it is represented in the characters of the novel. Fariba, the main character of the story, suffers from deep psychological wounds in the face of violence, poverty, and patriarchal domination, which are reflected in her narration, dialogues, meaningful silences, and stuttering. Fariba is not only a symbol of a damaged individual but also a reflection of repressed femininity in a patriarchal society. The present narrative presents trauma by breaking the timeline, creating a nightmarish atmosphere, and using linguistic techniques. Based on the analysis, Rabbit's Blood is a literary depiction of the psychological wounds that lie in the unconscious layers of the characters and can only emerge through linguistic and narrative failures. This novel is an embodiment of silence and stuttering in the face of violence, poverty, despair, and loneliness; something that falls within the realm of the Lacanian real.

Abstract Pictorial rugs of the Qajar period reflect the social, cultural, and artistic conditions of their time. Among literary themes, Nezami Ganjavi’s Khosrow and Shirin, composed in the 6th century AH, appears more frequently than other narratives on these rugs. This study aims to uncover the hidden meaning behind the depiction of the meeting between Shirin and Farhad on pictorial rugs, and the research question is how these rugs can be analyzed based on the iconological approach and Panofsky’s theories. This fundamental research follows a descriptive–analytical method. The samples include two rugs depicting the meeting of Shirin and Farhad, and data were collected through library research. The findings show that the spread of the myth of the “foreign woman” in the Qajar period reinforced the credibility of Shirin’s character in Nezami’s tale and contributed to the frequent representation of this story in pictorial rugs. The creation of 'Shirin and Farhad meeting' on carpets reflects an event in the collective unconscious influenced by the West and the spirit of the Qajar era. The depiction of Shirin and Farhad meeting could reference Qajar society’s unfavorable circumstances, gender discrimination, and the Shah and courtiers’ plots to eliminate experienced individuals.

Abstract Many researchers of the 20th century in the field of language and literature sought to provide a reasoned and regular framework for that form by analysing the structure of literary types, analysing their structure in the form of a few simple forms. Among the forms in question, for which they believed that a grammar could be prepared, was an enigma; but such a grammar was never fulfilled;However, it seems possible to extract common and repeated elements by analysing the structure of different enigmas and putting together the frequently used components in their structure. By putting them together, a grammar for this form can be compiled.

Based on this, in the current research, while examining and analyzing the definition of enigma and its connection with other forms such as riddles, irony, and metaphor, we have extracted the most frequent components in the structure of enigma with the inductive method based on description and analysis. The result of the research shows that, in addition to the "questioning" aspect, the six elements of paradox, opposition, metaphor, simile, personification, animism, and collocation are the basic elements of enigma; Perhaps enigma uses one of these elements or two, three, or all six elements. Based on the use of the mentioned elements, 64 forms can be considered for the grammar of the enigma, but the analysis of several enigmas showed that five patterns have more frequency. In these five patterns, simile is the main component, while metaphor, paradox, and personification are also used in four patterns.

Abstract This article employs a theoretical-analytical approach and a qualitative-descriptive method to integrate four major theories of humor-superiority, incongruity, relief, and labeling-into a unified framework for literary analysis. Each theory illuminates a distinct dimension of humor’s mechanism. The superiority theory, rooted in classical Greek philosophy, interprets humor as arising from a sense of dominance and the recognition of others’ shortcomings. The incongruity theory views humor as a response to the sudden clash between expectation and reality. Relief theory, grounded in psychology, explains humor as a means of releasing internal tension and suppressed emotions. Labeling theory, informed by sociological perspectives, examines humor’s role in critiquing and renegotiating social labels and norms. Analyses of Persian and English poetic examples demonstrate that these theories function complementarily, enabling a multilayered understanding of comic expression. The findings suggest that humor, beyond entertainment, operates as a critical tool for exposing dysfunction, recasting power relations, and managing psychological pressures. Integrating these four theories provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the nature, structure, and functions of humor and opens new avenues for future research across literary, cultural, political, and psychological domains.

Abstract Human beings continuously communicate with each other and they employ language functions to transmit the concepts and meanings in this social relationship. In this research the discourse of major Iranian and Turani characters with Siyavash in Shahname will be analyzed to be clarified to what extent the emotive, conative, phatic, referential, poetic and metalingual language functions are employed to transmit the ideas and concepts. Moreover, the functions having more frequencies will be identified. In this descriptive- analytical study the sampling is purposeful and the instrumentation is the checklist including the language functions of communicative model of Jakobson (1960 & 1995). The results show that the most frequent language function is conative in Iranian discourse (Keykavous, Sudabeh, Rustam) with Siyavash while the phatic function is the most frequent in discourse of major character of Turan (Afrasiab, Piran, Garsivaz and Farigis) with him. The findings also indicate that major Iranian characters in this story use language to influence on Siyavash and to persuade him to accept their ideas while major Turani characters employ language to make solidarity approach him and create a friendly atmosphere.