Motif Analysis of the Diwan by Abu Ishaq Hallaj Atmaa Shirazi on the basis of two components of Structuralism

Persian satire, as an integral part of the cultural heritage of Persian-speaking regions, has maintained a semi-continuous yet bold presence, warranting diverse investigative approaches. One such approach involves identifying satirical motifs as structural elements within the text and then mapping motif networks to illustrate the relationships among these individual elements. Studying motifs to uncover super-motifs and their prevalence in texts provides a fresh perspective on textual analysis. The broad scope and flexibility of the motif concept make it an ideal tool for examining a text from this viewpoint. A motif is a recurring element within a text, provided that the repetition is sufficiently frequent and meaningful. The repeating element could be a word, symbol, image, literary device, or other motif. In this paper, satirical motifs in Abu Isaq Shirazi’s 15th-century Diwan were extracted, classified, and analyzed using a descriptive-analytical method based on documentary sources. The findings revealed that exaggeration served as a central satirical super-motif in the text, with interactions among numerous satirical sub-motifs contributing to this main concept. The sub-motifs include intertextual relations (such as parody, quotation, and allusion), the narrator's role as a fictional character, love-related and mysticism-related words associated with food, imagery, personification, dialogue, debate, hyperbole, mock-epic elements, food names used as radif, congeries, resemblance to didactic literature, the consecration of eating, hierarchical ordering of foods, and humorous titles. 
Introduction:
Persian satire, as an integral part of the cultural heritage of Persian-speaking regions, has maintained a more or less continuous yet bold presence throughout history. The frequency and longevity of existing Persian satirical works suggest that both authors and audiences have consistently recognized and fulfilled the need for satire. Given the diverse elements employed in these works, Persian satire requires study and analysis through multiple approaches.
Materials and Methods:
One possible approach is to identify the functional elements of satire and then examine the relationships among them. A key criterion for selecting these components is their repeatability. Motifs are repeated elements within the text, where their repetition effectively contributes to conveying the intended meaning. These elements are components of the text's structure, interacting with other elements and the text as a whole. Studying motifs to identify super-motifs and their effects provides a deeper understanding of the text. The broad scope and flexibility of the concept of motif make it an ideal tool for analyzing a text from this perspective. In this study, a motif is defined as any element (whether related to form or content) that recurs with significant frequency within a text or a collection of texts. This element can be an idea, image, symbol, event, character, action, atmosphere, word, onomatopoeia, literary device, or other similar features. This wide variety clearly demonstrates that motifs are effective tools for conveying meaning, and studying them provides a way to access the central concept of the text. This study emphasizes structuralism as a method to identify the constituent elements of a text, their internal relationships with one another, and their relationship to the overall structure of the text. With this default approach, motifs as raw materials can be extracted and classified, and their relationships with each other and with the entire text can be described. One can only understand the importance of an element in a text by examining how that element is perceived within the co-text and in comparison to factors that weaken or strengthen it. Attempting to interpret an element without considering the structure that contains it will likely lead to misinterpretation and misunderstanding of its significance. This research aims to develop a practical tool for understanding texts by combining structuralist approaches with motif analysis. In this research, the focus is on discovering the dominance, significance, and hierarchical order of the elements rather than their quantity. The ultimate goal is to depict the motif network as the relationships among the components of the structure.
Results and Discussion:
To apply the aforementioned theoretical framework, The Diwan by Sheikh Jamal al-Din Abu Ishaq Shirazi has been selected. Sheikh Jamal al-Din Abu Ishaq Shirazi was a satirist active in the first half of the 9th century. He was renowned for creatively describing various types of food in his poetry. His book is regarded as a rich text due to its diverse satirical motifs. This research aims to answer the questions about the kinds of motifs are used in the Diwan to achieve satirical language", the kind of hierarchy is established among the motifs that present satire and the satirical super-motif of the text. It appears that the Diwan employs a variety of satirical motifs to create satirical language. Furthermore, most of these motifs function as sub-motifs under a dominant super-motif that governs the motif network. In this paper, the satirical motifs in the Diwan were identified, classified, and analyzed using a descriptive-analytical approach based on documentary sources. Ultimately, "magnifying and highlighting the concept of eating" was found to be the central motif, encompassing numerous sub-motifs. Sub-motifs include intertextual relationships (such as parody, quotation, and allusion), the narrator's role as a fictional character, love and mysticism-related words associated with foods, imagery, personification, conversation, debate, hyperbole, mock-epic elements, the use of food names as radif, congeries, resemblance to didactic literature, the consecration of eating, hierarchical ordering of foods, and humorous titles.
Conclusion:
The multiplicity of these motifs and their interaction in the text ultimately serves to highlight the concept of eating and its related issues. The text's persistent use of satirical language stems from the exaggerated focus on eating and its associated matters. The author has used various motifs to emphasize the act of eating. It is interesting to note that, many centuries ago, the author appears to have played a role similar to that of the modern day food tasters on virtual social networks. In his intellectual framework, the human body is considered "the sublime" and embodies authenticity. This perspective sets him apart from the vast majority of earlier authors. The book was created primarily for entertainment. The implied meanings in the text, such as references to social and economic status, are not qualified as motifs and do not marginalize entertaining qualities of the work. A key aspect of the book is its ability to generate humor and make readers laugh without relying on lampoons or explicit sexual content, which were common comedic devices before his time and remain popular today. Instead, he crafted satire by highlighting the economic vulnerability experienced by many of his contemporaries. The narrator, who is perpetually hungry throughout the book, makes himself the subject of humor rather than mocking others alongside his audience. All elements of the text work together to convey the idea that eating, ranging from the fulfillment of the most basic needs to the appreciation of the finest flavors, is central to the author's perception and cognitive experience. He employs various literary devices to express its importance.