The semantics of weeping in Ferdowsi’s “Shahnameh”

Abstract

The article studies the semantics of tears and weeping in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh (10^th century) and puts forward the thesis that these notions are conceptualised within the poem. It analyses the linguistic means used to describe the characters’ tears and weeping, conveying their properties, causes and accompanying actions. The study identifies six key aspects that help to distinguish the meanings of ‘tears’ and ‘weeping’ from other meanings of polysemous words, thereby identifying the main contexts of weeping in the text: the spatial dimension of tears (their source and direction), properties of tears, emotional causes of weeping, characteristics of weeping, intensity of tears, and accompanying gestures. Particular attention is paid to the polysemous words āb (water/tears) and xūn (blood/tears of blood), as well as their combinations in ezāfe constructions. Statistical data on the frequency of the relevant lexical items are also provided. The findings may be used to investigate the semantic evolution of tears in Persian literary culture. The study is based on the critical edition of the Shahnameh original (Moscow, 1960–1968).