Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Persian Language and Literature Faculty of Literature and Humanities University of Tehran Tehran Iran

2 Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

10.22059/jpl.2025.389539.2292

Abstract

Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) fundamentally approaches language as social practice, challenging the notion of linguistic transparency. This methodological perspective views language not as a clear mirror reflecting objective truths, but rather as a translucent medium that inevitably distorts and reconstructs reality. Within this theoretical paradigm, Van Leeuwen's model of social actors emerges as a particularly valuable analytical tool, focusing on the sociolinguistic and semantic dimensions of discourse to reveal how texts construct representations of social participants. The current study applies Van Leeuwen's social actor framework to examine Mirzadeh Eshghi's socio-political poetry from Iran's Constitutional. This period's literature provides exceptionally rich material for discourse analysis due to its explicit engagement with political themes and social commentary. The research specifically investigates two key components of Van Leeuwen's model: nomination and categorization. Through systematic analysis of discourse-oriented poems, the study traces how Eshghi constructs representations of significant political figures and social groups during this transformative historical period. This investigation pursues three primary objectives: First, to identify the predominant patterns in Eshghi's representation of social actors; second, to analyze how these linguistic choices reflect the poet's ideological positioning; and third, to understand the relationship between these discursive strategies and the broader socio-political context of the Constitutional movement. The study particularly focuses on Eshghi's treatment of power structures and political elites, comparing his representation of different social groups. The analysis reveals several significant patterns in Eshghi's discursive strategies. The poet demonstrates a marked preference for concealed criticism, frequently employing metaphorical language and indirect references when representing social actors. Negative valuation emerges as the most frequent strategy, particularly in depictions of political authorities and power holders. However, the study identifies an important nuance: when addressing specific pillars of power - particularly lawyers and ministers - Eshghi adopts more direct and explicit language, reducing the degree of concealment in his criticism. The findings demonstrate that Eshghi's poetry serves as both artistic expression and political discourse, strategically employing Van Leeuwen's social actor categories to critique power structures while navigating the constraints of his historical context. The prevalence of negative valuation reflects the poet's oppositional stance, while the variation in explicitness suggests sophisticated awareness of discursive boundaries. This research contributes to our understanding of how literary texts participate in political discourse and shape social perceptions during periods of revolutionary change. Furthermore, it validates the applicability of Van Leeuwen's model to historical literary analysis, particularly in non-Western contexts. The study suggests that similar analytical approaches could yield valuable insights when applied to other works of Constitutional-era literature or to political poetry from different historical periods.

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