Toward Extracting the Structure of Prefaces of Classical Persian Prose Works

Persian classical literature is enriched with poetic and prosaic works that have flourished through the manifestation of unique structures, shaped by the profound musings of their brilliant authors. As the starting point of the structures in literary works, prefaces also have a special structure. Utilizing the historical documentary research method, this study seeks to unveil the fundamental structure that shapes the prefaces of five distinct types of works: narrative, didactic, moral, mystical, and historic. With a descriptive and analytical approach, the research seeks to extract a generalized structure, providing valuable insights into the topic. Most, if not all, of the prefaces to Persian literature are worthy of attention. The research conducted has revealed a consistent and systematic structure comprising 9 parts in the prefaces of the works under study. These parts follow a consistent pattern, with variations reflecting the authors' mental states, social and political circumstances, and other factors. As a result, certain aspects of these structures may either expand or be constrained depending on these influencing factors. But, in general, these 9 parts have been maintained. The extracted structure can be summarized in the macrostructure of three structures “other, self, other”. In the prefaces examined, we can observe a high level of informative content that showcases the authors' impressive abilities. With utmost dedication and remarkable precision, these prefaces demonstrate a conscious or perhaps even unconscious loyalty to their intended structure.