کنشگری غزل اجتماعی در بازۀ زمانی مشروطه تا انقلاب اسلامی

ABSTRACT

This study examines the functional and thematic evolution of the Persian ghazal from the Constitutional era to the Islamic Revolution. The primary objective is to elucidate how the ghazal transformed from a purely romantic poetic form into a vehicle for social and political activism. Employing a descriptive-analytical method, the research traces the developmental trajectory of works by prominent poets of this period. During the Constitutional era, the ghazal transcended strict traditionalism to become a medium for articulating national demands and critiquing tyranny. Subsequently, during the Pahlavi era, this activism deepened through the utilization of modern linguistic capabilities and symbolic approaches, eventually reflecting class-based concerns and critiquing social structures. By synthesizing the traditional structure of the ghazal with a contemporary, inquisitive spirit, poets of this era created a form of "social ghazal" that addressed pressing societal issues while preserving formal authenticity. The study concludes that the social ghazal of this period represents not a rupture with tradition, but rather a creative continuation of it in response to historical exigencies. In the Constitutional era, like other poetic forms, the ghazal became a medium for expressing lyricism infused with nationalistic and patriotic ideals. Certain poets—who were also freedom fighters and Constitutionalists—interwove the form with the rhetoric of labor literature and social issues, thereby altering the thematic unity of the ghazal. Overall, the contemporary ghazal has undergone transformations, norm-breaking, and a loss of thematic unity in its internal structure, while experiencing change and innovation in its external form.