Investigating Linguistic and Rhetorical Indices in the Sabai Kashani’s poem Khodavandname

During the period known as Bazgasht ( literally meaning return ), Persian poetry imitated traditional literature in various subjects of the 4th to 9th centuries of Islamic calendar (Hijri). Writing epic poems in the style of the past was one of these subjects. Epic poets in this period tried to make their works magnificent following Ferdowsi's style or generally epic style. Religious themes were also one of the fields for writing epic poems. Fath Ali Khan Sabai Kashani’s epic poem Khodavandnameh (1179-1238 Hijri) is one of the religious epic poems of the Bazgasht period. It describes miracles of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) and explains bravery and heroism of Imam Ali (P.B.U.H.) in Islamic conquests and battles. This article aims to describe some linguistic and rhetorical features of this epic poem using descriptive and analytical method. In examining the main linguistic indices of this epic poem, it became clear that Sabai Kashani used most of the standard linguistic indices of epic poetry, especially vocabulary, combinations, and concrete and abstract descriptions appropriate for battle scenes. In some of its aspects, such as the background music, the syntax and imagination (including metaphors and similes), while using the techniques of the predecessors, it has also taken initiative and has shown weakness and shortcomings in some cases. Being Familiar with these features can be useful in understanding the quality of language in religious epics and how epic language has evolved over time.