Analysis of Metaphor in Shahnameh: Aesthetic, Imagerial, Eloquent, and Linguistic Perspectives

Ferdowsi, the Iranian poet from Tus, uses the device of imagery to depict circumstances, moments, behaviors, physical beauties, and different aspects of nature and life, as they are. An epic undertone is detectable in most of these images. Accordingly, this paper aims at studying the different types of metaphors in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh. Certain words and expressions such as the moon, cypress, daffodil, flower, lion, panther, dust something, split the heart in half, and boil are frequently used in their metaphorical meanings. Following their place in Shahnameh, others are used less frequently, for example, the ferocious zebra, the gigantic demon, hazelnut, red date, precious corals, and debt to wisdom. This paper explains the meanings of these words and expressions and the type of metaphors in each case to further shed light on Shahnameh from different standpoints including aesthetics, imagery, eloquence, and linguistics.