The Analysis of the Usages of Satiric Similes in Masnavi-ye-Ma'navi

The writers and poets of Persian literary texts have always used diverse rhetorical techniques to transfer their concepts more clearly. One of the most commonly used literary techniques is simile. This popularity is to the extent that no literary text could be found without benefiting from simile’s artistic capacity for conveying concepts. Mawlawī also used  simile with various structures along with appropriate literary techniques in Masnavi which is one of the most eloquent Persian mystical-educational texts. Among the similes in the Masnavi Ma’navi, a type of simile is observed that has a satiric theme and Mawlawī has used it to convey special concepts. This kind of simile is named satiric simile. Like many other innovations, the tradition of using satirical techniques in mystical poems begins with Sanai. In addition to the possible influence of Sanai, Mawlawī brings into existence his various innovations in satire. One of the type of satires in Masnavi is the meaningful similes that have satirical backgrounds. Explaining the functions of various similar aspects in satiric similes is one of the important purposes of this research. The present research attempted to study the found cases in Masnavi Ma’navi based on their rhetorical structure using a descriptive-analytic method.