A Study of Khaqani’s Prison Poems based on Henri Lefebvre’s Theory

Document Type : Original Article

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Department of Persian language and literature, Tehran, Iran.

10.22124/naqd.2024.27667.2586

Abstract

The present paper explores the representation of prison space in Khaqani’s prison poems, examining the dialectical relationship between perceived, imagined, and lived spaces through the lens of Henri Lefebvre's theory of ‘production of space’. This descriptive and analytical research, grounded in a review of library documents, reveals that the poet, informed by phenomenological and critical perspectives, has developed a new understanding of the material space of the prison by confronting the veil and recognizing the hidden mechanisms of power. In the imagined space, shaped by the institutionalized knowledge enforced by the discourse of power, the poet as a subject emerges in a cognitive space resulted by compulsory thinking. Furthermore, access to power by different groups and their roles in Khaqani prison become apparent. In the lived space, which is based on hidden resistance against the discourse of power, the poet creates a different space with the help of their imagination, relying on the world of possibilities and using poetic expressions, which does not have a material relation to the real prison space, but merely adds an idealistic meaning to it. The research findings suggest that the physical prison space, the dominant power discourse, and the imprisoned poet as an active agent collectively shape the prison environment in Khaqani’s prison poems.

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