Literary Criticism Approaches in Sokhan Magazine

The impact of Sokhan magazine on the development of literary trends in Iran is undeniable. One of the ways that this magazine took this purpose was the foundation of modern literary criticism. Focusing on specialized literary criticism was first started in this land by means of Sokhan magazine. The present study aims at analyzing the approaches of literary criticism in Sokhan magazine with a descriptive-analytical method. This study has finally concluded that in the first ten periods of the magazine, the works were criticized in the traditional way, but in the later periods, reviews appeared either through translation or written reviews by Iranian authors, which are included in the three categories of classic, pre-modern, and modern. Classical criticisms have dealt with the lexical-technical discussions of the works of poets and writers. In pre-modern criticism, in addition to explaining the necessity and importance of literary criticism, it is possible to pay attention to the criticism of human experience and coherence. In modern reviews, most of the new aspects such as the fluid flow of the mind have been analyzed in the works of poets and writers.IntroductionThe importance of magazines in literary circulation and especially in the development of new literary criticism deserves detailed research. Before the emergence of magazines in the new era, Persian literature had fallen into the cycle of repetition and petrification and it did not benefit from creativity and innovation (Parsinejad, 2001, p. 17). One of the influential magazines in this field is Sokhran magazine which was published over the years under the management of Parviz Natal Khanleri and led contemporary literature toward transformation. This work was mostly done through translation and literary criticism. From 1321 AH onwards, Sokhon magazine became a field for criticism and strengthening and guiding the literary talents of the time (Yahghi, 1996, p. 102). This study investigates the general approaches of literary criticism in this magazine. Materials and Methods This descriptive-analytical study uses a qualitative analysis method, and the statistical population is all the courses of Sokhran magazine. Research FindingsKhanlari founded the literary-scientific-social monthly magazine Sokhon in 1322 AH with the cooperation of some prominent writers of that time, including Sadegh Hedayat, Bozorg Alavi, and Sadegh Chobak. The purpose of this magazine was to contribute to the progress and development of Persian literature through the publication of the works of contemporary and young Iranian writers and poets, the foundation and development of literary criticism, the promotion of scientific and literary research, and the introduction of writers and poets from other countries in the world through the translation of their works. Sokhon magazine started to define its policy from the very beginning and thus paved the way for literary critics and the spread of critical thinking in the magazine. It mainly aims at:Proposing the needs and priorities of research in the unknown realms of ancient literature with analytical and critical scientific methods.Critically investigating Persian prose and inventing a new plan with a scientific method to know the rhythm and Bahr of Persian poetry, separating the rules of Persian prosody from Arabic prosody, and establishing new signs and terms for it in the Persian language;Designing the first topics of modern linguistics in Persian and publishing articles on topics such as the evolution of language, language and society, and language and dialect, which were written for the first time in Persian, and expressing the topics of scientific problems in simple, easy language; andIntroducing new writers and poets and encouraging them to continue their work by critically reviewing new books in the realm of fiction and poetry.By searching all the periods of Sokhon magazine, we came to the conclusion that the reviews of this magazine have three general approaches: Classical criticism, pre-modern criticism, and modern criticism, and examples of articles included in the magazine were provided for each approach. Moreover, critics were introduced under each approach. The new books section was a title that Khanlari had created in the last few pages of the magazine since the beginning of the publication of Sokhon in Khordad 1322 AH and reviewed new books. It is important from a historical point of view because its words are clear and concise in expressing the matter. There is no ambiguity or generality in its language. It tells the flaws and art of the work and introduces young writers and poets to the literary society of Iran. Many poets and writers who are famous today, have introduced and reviewed their first works in the notes of ‘new books’ in this magazine.Discussion of Results and Conclusion Considering the three approaches of classical, modern, and pre-modern, criticism in the magazine caused both new critics to be cultivated and was a step to stabilize new poetry in front of critics' criticism and pave the way for literary critics and the spread of critical thinking in the magazine. Then, Iranian and non-Iranian critics were introduced. This review and introduction in the magazine made the works of writers and poets visible and made non-Iranians become familiar with Iranians.