mohamadreza torki; Asiyeh Farahi Yazdi; Roohollah Hadi
Volume 9, Issue 1 , September 2019, , Pages 21-40
Abstract
In this paper the theoretical history of “types of poetry,” as defined in ancient times up the seventh century, has been chronologically analyzed. The study was necessitated ...
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In this paper the theoretical history of “types of poetry,” as defined in ancient times up the seventh century, has been chronologically analyzed. The study was necessitated upon noticing that despite the wide extent of discussion about categorization and definition of types of poetry in contemporary studies, the question of whether there was a clear definition and categorization of types of poetry in ancient literary theories remains unanswered; and if the answer is yes, what was the basis for categorization of types of poetry? The existence of phrases in Khaqani’s verses that explicitly refer to ten types of poetry reinforces the hypothesis that ancient literary theories clearly defined and categorized types of poetry. So, under the four titles of philosophers and logicians, Arab literary scholars and rhetoricians, Persian works of literary and rhetorical criticism, and poets, ancient theories are studied and it is concluded that literary genres—particularly poetry—was a well-known subject among the ancients and especially Arabs, and in their works of literary and rhetorical criticism, a chapter or at least a title was devoted to it. In Persian literature, the theory of types of poetry is much more recent than the Arabic theory and is entirely influenced by it. Nevertheless, an evolution of the theory of types of poetry can be detected in Persian poetry.
