Interpretation of  A Tale, a poem by Ahmad Shamloo by Cognitive Poetics Approach

Cognitive poetics theory provides a theory about literature, which is based on the language of literary text as well as the order of linguistic segments. Furthermore, this theory is rooted in the cognitive linguistics techniques, such as analogical analysis, in which conceptual mapping in literary texts can operate at three different levels: “attribute mapping,” “relational mapping”, and “system mapping” (Freeman, 1998). The first level is specified to the perception of similarity between objects, the second level is for studying the relations between objects, and the final level is for recognition of patterns created by object relations, which enables generalization to more abstract structure. In this paper, to study the operation of this theory, a Persian poem, called “A Tale”, written by Ahmad Shamloo, is going to be analyzed. This research argues that how cognitive poetics could produce an appropriate theory for systematic analysis of a literary work and its interpretation? The given response is that every literary theory has to cover seven criteria to be appropriate, so cognitive poetics cover all of them and provide a powerful device for distinguishing between the linguistic and poetic functions of language. Moreover, the general mapping skills, which make the cognitive ability suitable for producing and interpretation of metaphor, are the basis of this theory, which could clear the insight and limitations of traditional literary critics as well as evaluating a literary style by using cognitive poetics approach. The main goal of this paper is to show the difference between language and structure of poem and everyday conversation or any other genre. It also tries to show how systemic interpretation of each poem occurs according to system mapping.