“Scientific and Specialized Journal of Modern Literary Research”

“Scientific and Specialized Journal of Modern Literary Research”

The Role of Shifters in the Narrative Structure of Nafthat al-Masdur with an Emphasis on the Author’s Position

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohammadreza Ebrahimiivar 1
Ahmad khajeim 2
1 PhD student in Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor of Persian Language and Literature, Literature and Humanities, Hakim Sabzevari, Sabzevar, Iran
Abstract
New Historicism views history as a narrative construct and a "subjective" product that reflects reality while being shaped by the author's mind. This approach aligns particularly with the theories of Roman Jakobson, a prominent linguist and formalist thinker. Jakobson, one of the pioneers of Russian Formalism, argued that art and literature should be analyzed primarily at the level of language and structure, rather than merely for their surface meaning or content. He emphasized the role of language as the historian’s tool, asserting that despite attempts to remain invisible in the historical narrative, the historian inevitably reveals their presence through the elements they introduce into the text. Jakobson termed these elements "shifters" and considered them indicators of the author's intervention in the historical narrative.

This paper aims to highlight the presence and involvement of the author in the historical text Nafthat al-Masdur by analyzing its shifters. It is worth noting that this theory has previously been explored by Mehdi Ghasemzadeh in relation to Jahāngushāy by Juvayni. For this study, the authors first distinguish types of shifters and methods of analyzing them based on literary criticism theories, using library research and two types of sources. They then collect and analyze textual evidence from Nafthat al-Masdur corresponding to each type and subtype of shifter. The findings reveal that the author employs numerous shifters in the text and, in some cases, omits key features typically associated with them.
Keywords
Nafthat al-Masdur
Roman Jakobson
Authorial Presence
Shifters
Subjects
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“Scientific and Specialized Journal of Modern Literary Research”
Volume 4, Issue 2 - Serial Number 8
autumn and winter 2025
September 2025
Pages 47-69