Short Masnavi in Persian Literature (until the Eighth Century)

Masnavi format is usually used in composing long narrative poems and extensive topics due to the freedom in rhyme and line and the unlimited number of verses, and traditional rhetorical scholars have always referred to the length of Masnavi format poems. Nevertheless, there are very short Masnavi in Persian literature, the number of verses does not even reach ten verses. The purpose of this article is to study the course and content of this type of poem, its rhetorical aspects, and the reasons for the poet's tendency to compose them. The writing of these poems began in the sixth century and until the eighth century, nearly a hundred short Masnavi have been written on topics such as praise, short and request letters, recording the poet's experiences, and appropriate poems. Educational needs, the desire of poets to the common meanings in non-stereotyped forms, diminishing the importance of eloquent language in poems, needs and desires of audiences, increasing the intimacy of tone and popularity and Masnavi format have played an effective role in poets' tendency to compose short Masnavi.