The Comparison of the Role of Imagination in the Poem and Illustrations of KhavaranNameh with Regard to Bachelard's Theory of Imagination

This article is an interdisciplinary research and follows the American school of comparative literature. The researchers drawupon Henry Remak's definition of comparative literature and Bachelard's theory of dynamic imagination in order to analyze the interaction between text and image in Khavaran Nameh. Bachelard notes that the imagination of the poet and the artist can be studied by dissecting literary and artistic images. He considers the four elements- -water, air, fire and soil that are the striking features of the ancient civilization of the East--as the basic criteria with which we can evaluate the factors that shape the writer's imagination. Based on the material representation of the four elements, Bachelard unearths the mythological archetypes and analyses the imagination of the artist. Our critical outlook revolves around Bachelard's conception of dynamic imagination (the four elements) and material imagination (metaphors and similes) and their compatibility with the illustrations of Khavaran Nameh. Stories of Khavaran Nameh center around the heroic actions and brave deeds of Imam Ali and his men in their battle against the Godless and the foes. It includes epic, mythic and legendary stories the content of which is taken from historical events that have been elaborated and decorated by imaginary incidents. After analyzing illustrations and comparing them with the poem, we come to the conclusion that the dynamic imagination as well as the material imagination—as defined by Bachelard--are artistic tools used for the illustration of the epic poem.