Polysemic Function of Harp in Persian Poetry Based on Conceptual Metaphor Theory

This paper aims to investigate the commonly used, symbolic and visual metaphor “Chang” (Persian Harp) in Persian poetry. After reviewing the works of Persian poets, written from the 4th century AH to the present day, we found out that the word “Chang”, which originally refers to a musical instrument (Harp), has taken on different connotations throughout the history of literary styles and movements. Some of these connotations have been internalized by Persian poets and widely used by different historical schools of poetry and are still used in the works of contemporary poets. Among the various connotations of “Chang”, the concept of “senescence” is applied mostly. Using the cognitive theory of contemporary metaphor, in this article, the multiple related meanings of the literary term “Chang” and its visual schema in verses with analogical or metaphorical phrases will be analyzed.

This research was conducted using a documentary analysis method and the qualitative analysis of the documentary. The data were collected through a desk research method. Also, the sample sentences were gathered from anthologies of greatest poets from the 4th century to the present day. In this regard, the various conceptualizations of “Chang” were examined and then, their metaphorical connotations were extracted and classified. It is worth noting that the literal sense of the word “Chang” (the musical instrument) is not considered here and the analysis is limited to the analogical or metaphorical aspects of the aforementioned term.

The musical instruments, as represented in literary works of different cultures and ethnicities, convey certain cultural codes and represent various symbolic meanings. By studying the use of musical instruments in the literature, myths or folklores of a culture, one can understand what beliefs it represents and what messages it transports to future generations. Persian poets have portrayed the word “Chang” through dynamic images and figures of speech. For Persian poets, “Chang” was not an inanimate object, but rather an animated creature. Due to its curved shape, Persian Harp (Chang) is also recognized as “arched Harp”. This exceptional aspect of Iranian harp, has inspired great Persian poets to create countless numbers of similes and metaphors. “Synesthesia”, as Europeans call it, is a rhetorical device through which one can describe a sense in terms of another and is capable to convey a wide range of meanings (Shafiei Kadkani, 1991, p. 271). Among senses engaged in “synesthesia”, the sense of sight (visual perception) has a high potential to express the figure, size and color of the objects. The point of resemblance between “Chang” and the hunchbacked elderlies has to do with its appearance: Persian “Chang” is curved and because of this quality, many Persian poets have made a resemblance between this musical instrument and the elderlies’ curved back.Also, the concept has been used in opposition to the upright posture of the young. Furthermore, the curvature of “Chang” has been applied as a metaphor to describe the imaginary resemblance between the elderly and firmament. Percepting time as an object is another example of metaphorizing a metaphysical idea (Golfam and Zafaranloo, 2009, p. 124). Here, Chang is an object which, due to its curved structure, bears a resemblance to an old person (time as an old experienced elderly).Also, the concept has been used in opposition to the upright posture of the young. Furthermore, the curvature of “Chang” has been applied as a metaphor to describe the imaginary resemblance between the elderly and firmament. Percepting time as an object is another example of metaphorizing a metaphysical idea (Golfam and Zafaranloo, 2009, p. 124). Here, Chang is an object which, due to its curved structure, bears a resemblance to an old person (time as an old experienced elderly).Making a comparison between the curvature of “Chang” and the curved elderly, was started in the course of 6th AH. There are hardly any examples of such comparisons in poems from 4th and 5th century AH. The first generation of the Persian poets, such as Rudaki and Ferdowsi, used “Chang” in a literal sense and the figurative usage of the term was rare during this era. It is noteworthy that during 5th century, poets were more inclined to use metaphors and similes, but using “Chang” as a figure of speech was still infrequent. However, in the course of the 6th and 7th AH centuries, analogizing “Chang” to senescence became popular among poets and emerged to be the source of several splendid literary images. Khaqani Shervani, one of the greatest poets in 6th century, is well known for creating splendid Chang-related images. During the 8th and 9th centuries, sonneteers like Hafez and Jami invented novel metaphors and in doing so, they added more creative concepts to the old image of “Chang” as an old person with a hunchback. In fact, by mapping the curvature of Chang to the concept of old firmament, they coined a new metaphor. Persian poets of the 13th century reproduced the same metaphors and similes in their works.For the 7th century poets, “Chang” played the role of a spiritual advisor, a concept that was replicated in the poetry of the next generation (for example in Hafez’s sonnets). Traditional Persian poets claimed that the stature of “Chang” is arched because it is sad and because it has been mourning for it’s separated beloved for a long time. Such conceptualization started from the poetry school in the 5th century. The other poetical cause attributed to the curved structure of “Chang” has to do with its humiliation and its posture that brings to mind a servant who is bowing to his master or is bowing respectfully. These concepts have been frequently used in Sanai and Saadi’s poetry. In several Persian works, “Chang” is depicted as a company for wine. In some couplets, “Chang” is described as a sincere person who contrasts hypocritical piety. In order to play a “Chang”, a musician should embrace it. Many poets mentioned this unique characteristic in their poems and described it as a characteristic which distinguishes “Chang” from other musical instruments.

In this study, the polysemic functions of a literary concept (i.e., Chang) and its schema were analyzed through a contemporary approach to cognitive metaphor. In Persian poetry, “Chang” is portrayed as an animated creature and even as human being. To transfer this imaginary interpretation, poets have utilized similes and metaphors. These concepts have repeatedly appeared throughout the history of poetry style and have reoccurred in the contemporary poetry discourse. Similes and metaphors for “Chang”, are generally related to human’s sense of sight.The schemas of “Chang”, represented throughout different eras of Persian poetry, are divided into three categories. Among these, the most important one is the resemblance between the arched structure of “Chang” and the curved stature of an elderly man. The concept of “Chang” as an old person, has given rise to other imaginary concepts including: “Chang” as an old firmament and as an elderly who gives advice to the young.The other similes or metaphors that are stemmed from the concept of the curved “Chang” are as follows: the curvature of a sorrowful lover that is far from his beloved; the curvature of a humiliated person; the curvature of a servant; the curvature of a servant who is bowing to his master or is bowing respectfully. Other figures of speech about “Chang” have to do with other characteristics of this musical instrument; for example, the resemblance between the strings and the beloved’s lock of hair or vise versa, the resemblance between the poor material of its horizontal foot with the ragged garment of a poor dervish, the opposition of the poor material that covers the columns of a “Chang” and the silk strings which represent an image of two faced or hypocrite people.Also, there are several examples in Persian literature that depict the truthfulness of “Chang” against the insincerity of the pious people. Persian literature is replete with images in which the aforementioned musical instrument is depicted as somebody whose hair is tonsured. Finally, Persian poets have referred to the way a musician holds a “Chang”, claiming that this quality shows the superiority of “Chang” over other musical instruments.