On personifications in oriental-style lyric poetry

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On personifications in oriental-style lyric poetry

Ass.prof. Alma Cisic

Doctor of Humanistics sciences in the field of Linguistics Department of Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian language and literature

Faculty of Philosophy University in Tuzla

In this work we dealt with folk lyric poetry that was developing during the advance of the Eastern Islamic culture through the Slavic South. The folk lyric poems bring to mind: the quaintness of Bosnian towns; love affairs; unexpectedly interrupted marriages; the beauty and charm of men and women; lyrical monologues of young men and women and so on. The magic and beauty of the folk lyric poetry were given by personifications, stylistic figures that we analysed in the poems that were collected by the famous researcher of folk lyric poetry V. GuniC. He collected them under the titles «Sevdalinke 1» and «Sevdalinke 2». The percentage value of folk lyric poems presence with personifications is also presented.

Key words and phrases: folk lyric poem, a figure of speech, personification, mythology.

Oriental style folk lyric poetry is one of the most representative genres of Bosnian-Herzegovinian oral literature and folk art in general. It developed when oriental forms of lifestyle came to be adopted in the Slavic South by the populace of medieval Bosnia, which adopted Islam. It happened around the beginning of the 16^th century when Bosnia was conquered by the Ottomans. That was the beginning of the golden age of the oriental style lyric poem, which lasted until 1878^th when Bosnia was occupied by the Austro-Hungarian empire.

At that time the lyric poetry did not cease to exist, but the social backdrop that gave life to it was disrupted. That backdrop consisted of specific town communities with all the required institutions, town quarters, alleys, houses with enclosed yards, with side doors, gardens with enclosed porches and flirting windows. During its existence, the oriental style lyric poetry was created and sung at girls' and young men's meetings, folk dancing events, social gatherings, weddings and other family gatherings. It all took place: in yards, gardens, towers, enclosed porches, inside houses; on picnics, on the road, during evening chatters, in road-houses, walking through the neighbourhood, riding a horse, in spas and hammams, on pastures, while hunting, on town fortresses, in captivity, on military campaigns, under foreign skies.

Besides numerous songs about respectable people, love lives in Bosnia-Herzegovina towns, which are in the third person, there are also songs of a different nature. It is those that become lyric monologues, by young men or girls, feeling hopeless because of unrequited love, infidelity, loneliness and waiting, or exclamations of the joy of love, quivering with the expectation of meeting the beloved one. Young men's lyric monologues were sung under the windows of the beloved ones, in the silence of the night, at men's gatherings, during evening chatter, which began at dusk on enclosed porches, or in gardens. Those love-songs were also called drunkards' songs. Girls' lyric monologues were sung in solitude, at the gatherings of girls by the tambour or doing some other kind of handwork [1, p. 210-215]. The oriental style love songs sang of the beauty of women, girls, persons that were known not only by name, but by the part of town they lived in. Living in accordance with the strict laws of patriarchal life, women stayed at home and raised children. Girls were covered by niqab, a kind of women's clothing made of homespun, and hidden until the moment of getting married. In better off classes of the Bosnian town pop-ulace, the woman was totally isolated from men so that the beauty of the persons from the songs was sometimes known only from hearsay which was based on the words of another girl or woman. The beauty of the person in question could only be imagined, and the impossibility to see her made that

Part of the charm and beauty of oriental style lyric songs comes from the personifications, stylistic devices we are going to discuss analysing them in the poems which renowned researcher into folk lyric poetry V. Gunic collected and published as «Sevdalinke 1» [2] and «Sevdalinke 2» [3]. We will also establish the percentage of the love-songs with personifications, compared to their total number.

We will first focus on the term stylistic device. With regard to that, we will also quote the classification of stylistic devices according to P. Girraud. He classifies them as follows:

concealed beauty even more alluring and inspiring to the poet's imagination. The beauty and splendour of the women and girls could catch the eyes of unknown poets, who sang praises to them, in case the girl came from a social class that did not oblige her to hide of her face, or if the beauty in question came from the Christian community in which women's faces did not have to be concealed from men's eyes. Alone, hidden from male eyes, women and girls could look at men on the street or atmeydan, especially in the days of flirting, or looking through the dense veil that covered the faces of Bosnian women when they left the house [1, p. 210-215].

Part of the charm and beauty of oriental style lyric songs comes from the personifications, stylistic devices we are going to discuss analysing them in the poems which renowned researcher into folk lyric poetry V. Gunic collected and published as «Sevdalinke 1» [2] and «Sevdalinke 2» [3]. We will also establish the percentage of the love-songs with personifications, compared to their total number.

We will first focus on the term stylistic device. With regard to that, we will also quote the classification of stylistic devices according to P. Girraud. He classifies them as follows:

concealed beauty even more alluring and inspiring to the poet's imagination. The beauty and splendour of the women and girls could catch the eyes of unknown poets, who sang praises to them, in case the girl came from a social class that did not oblige her to hide of her face, or if the beauty in question came from the Christian community in which women's faces did not have to be concealed from men's eyes. Alone, hidden from male eyes, women and girls could look at men on the street or atmeydan, especially in the days of flirting, or looking through the dense veil that covered the faces of Bosnian women when they left the house [1, p. 210-215].

1. «Figures of diction, which relate to p r o n u n c i a t i o n. They include: metathesis, prosthesis, paragoge, apheresis, syncope, apocope, dieresis, synthesis, crasis.

2. Figures of structure relate to s y n t a x. For example, word order: hyperbaton, ellipsis, zeugma, syllepsis, pleonasm, linking, separation, attraction, repetition, confrontation.

3. Figures of speech or tropes are: metaphor, synegdoche, metonymy, allegory, irony, sarcasm, cat- achresis, euphemism, autonomasia, metalepsis, antiph- rasis.

4. Figures of thought: hyperbole, litotes, antithesis, apostrophe, interjection, epiphonema, question, subjection, communication, ennumeration, concession, gradation, suspension, interruption, avowal, periphrasis, prosopopoeia and hypotyposis» [4, p. 73].

We will now turn to definitions of personifications. According to V. Jelacic -Srbulj personification belongs to the figures based on iconic signs. In accordance to the semiological opinion it would be the same as belonging to the class named figures of speech or tropes. Personification is defined by V. Jelacic Srbulj as a «subtype of the metaphor, which gives human characteristics to the things, natural occurrences, abstract objects, animals and plants» [5, p. 198]. According to V. Jelacic Srbulj « group of figures based on iconic signs is consisted of: metaphor,allegory and personifi-cation» [5, p.195] .

M. Milinkovic defines personification as a figure of speech which attributes human characteristics to the things and abstract objects [6, p. 113].

I. Skaric gives the following definition of personification. «The personification is a kind of metaphor which gives human characteristics and activities to non-human beings, things or abstractions [7, p. 120].

Bearing in mind that in this work we will be dealing with the personifications to be found in the folk lyric songs, we shall quote several specific examples out of this rich trove.

In example (1) the lyric song «Flowers are blooming, grass is growing» highlights lyric monologue and dialogue by young girl, feeling hopeless because of solitude and waiting the beloved one. These monologue and dialogue reveal mythological traces Mythology did not talk about theology in the way of modern perception of the life and environment. Mythology was inter-ested in the human experience. It was thought that the gods, humans, animals and nature were unbreakable connected. Made of the same substance they have the same rules. Onto-logical abyss between the world of gods and human world did not exist. Talking about divine meant talking about secular affairs. The existence of the god was unbreakable connected with the existence of the storm, sea, river or strong human feelings - love, anger or sexual passion [8, p. 14].of dis-appeared forms of life. Paleolithic population was faced with fact that if they wantHer lyric monologue reveals fact that the forest and her are able to feel emotions in the same way. Finally, she compares her own sorrow with happiness of shining nature:

« Flowers are blooming, grass is growing,

Forest is shining green.

51

Forest met her leaves,

But I could not do it with anybody.

My beloved one is so far away, oh, if I could be with him [...] » [2, p. 39].

Assigning human characteristics and activities to non-human beings, things or abstractions was the way of spiritual being of paleolithic population. So, tearful girl decided to send the message to the lover by the pi- geon.to survive they must kill. Hunters suffered because of killingShe gives him advices. If he becomes violet, she will be the rose, if he becomes falcon to pick her up, she will be the quail:

«[...] Tearful I send him the message

By the pigeon:

- Ah, my darling, become violet,

I will be the rose!

- Ah, my darling, become falcon,

I will be the quail! [...]»

[2, p. 39].

Now, we have here the verses with mythological traces about human beings transformation⁶into the animals, flowers, which confirms the equality between human and non-human existences. It is caused by the fact that these birds and other animals were observed by our ancestors in the same way as themselves. Because they were made of the same substance, they had the same life rules [8, p. 30].

Finally, she sent him the warning message not to look other girls if he wants her.

«[...] If you want to pick me up,

Do not fly so high!

If you want to take me to your castle,

Do not look other girls!»

[2, p. 39].

In example (2) the lyric song «Brighty star, where you shined yesterday» is dedicated to Sarajevo, capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Unknown singer, using personification, asks star where it was shining yesterday and what it was looking. The answer was Sarajevo city:

« Brighty star, where you shined yesterday?

- I was shining above Sarajevo!

- Shining star, what did you see?

animals, they felt their fear and heard their screaming. So they created myths to make themselves life easier [8, p. 30-32].

⁵ According to the ritual of transformation, very often human beings are converted into the birds. Very often they use birds for riding. After many researchings, N. J. Marr claims that the oldest animal for riding in Europa was deer [9, p. 310-311].

⁶ The ritual of transformation is connected with the initiation ceremony. In tribal communities boys adolescents who became mature men had to be for a while separated from their mothers and communities passing painfull exams. Suffering became the way of their transformation into the mature men. After these activities they learned that death means a new start. Then, they are ready to die as a hunters or warriors [8, p. 33-34].

- I saw Sarajevo city!

[3, p. 99].

The sky never lost the power to remind people to something sacred. High level People dedicated to mysticism and mythology regulary are rising to the sky and create techniques to achieve trance and concentation. They claim that they had to pass many levels in the sky to achieve the sphere of God [8, p. 26].survived as a mythical symbol of God presence. It is the oldest remain of disappeared forms of life [8, p. 26]. So, dialogue between unknown singer and star According to that mountains are very often sacred in mythology. These are placed halfway between earth and sky.revealed the capital city as something very sacred.

In example (3) the lyric song named «Mother gave birth to a son in the forest» preserve mythological traces highlighting the women as a personification of the life, which needs constantly men or animals sacrifices. It was the place where Moses met his God. Myths aboutThe song starts with statement that son was born in the forest surrounded by the wolfs:

« Mother gave birth to a son in the forest,

Mother gave birth to a son in the forest,

In the forest where the wolfs were bringing forth, [...]»

[2, p. 254].

She-wolf, doe and white fairy help her. Mythological elements appeared with these helpersflying exist in all cultures revealing universal human need for being free from material existence [8, p. 26-27].who standed by mother in difficult situation. They got human characteristics and abilities. She-wolf cuted the umbilical cord to her son. White fairy wraped him in silk, doe carried over him to the castle.

«[...] She-wolf cuted him the umbilical cord,

White fairy wraped him in silk,

Doe carried over him to the castle,

Dear sister brought him in the castle,

Dear mother breast-feeded!»

[2, p. 254].

In example (4) the song named «Black forest, full of the shades» highlights lyric monologue by young girl, feeling hopeless because of solitude. So she is telling her grief to the black forest. She has no mother or sister, lover is so far away, so the black forest is her only one friend who share sorrow with her. So, this song confirms unbreakable mythology connection between humans and nature.

« Black forest, black forest,

Full of the shades, full of the shades,

My heart, full of the grief,

I have no mother to share sorrow with her

I have no sister to tell her my pain,

I have beloved one, but so far away,

So far away, a hundred overnights! »

[2, p. 67].

Following the examples quoted from the analysed texts that V. Gunic, a distinguished scholar in the field of folk lyric poetry, collected under the titles «Sevda- linke 1» [2] and «Sevdalinke 2» [3], we will also quote the percentage value that shows the frequency of folk lyric songs with personifications compared to the total number of songs under analysis. We have analysed 517 folk lyric songs included in the collections mentioned above and found personifications in 88 examples. This means that the percentage of songs with personifications amounts to 17%.

At the end we can draw the following conclusions. Oriental style folk lyric poetry is developed when oriental forms of lifestyle came to be adopted in the Slavic South by the populace of medieval Bosnia, which adopted Islam. It happened around the beginning of the 16^thcentury when Bosnia was conquered by the Ottomans. That was the beginning of the golden age of the oriental style lyric poem, which lasted until 1878^th when Bosnia was occupied by the Austro-Hungarian empire. Besides numerous songs about respectable people, love lives in Bosnia-Herzegovina towns, which are in the third person, there are also songs of a different nature. It is those that become lyric monologues, by young men or girls, feeling hopeless because of unrequited love, infidelity, loneliness and waiting, or exclamations of the joy of love, quivering with the expectation of meeting the beloved one. Young men's lyric monologues were sung under the windows of the beloved ones, in the silence of the night, at men's gatherings, during evening chatter, which began at dusk on enclosed porches, or in gardens. Girls' lyric monologues were sung in solitude, at the gatherings of girls by the tambour or doing some other kind of handwork. Oriental style folk lyric poetry reveals mythological traces of dis-appeared forms of life including initiation ceremonies. According to these mythological traces the charm and beauty of the folk lyric poems derives in part from the personification, a figure of speech which we have analysed in the texts collected by the famous researcher of folk lyric poetry V. Gunic under the titles «Sevdalinke 1» and «Sevdalinke 2». The percentage value indicating the presence of personifications in this poetry is 17%, compared to the total number of analysed poems. The use of personifications in these poems highlights the following: the fact that the forest and girl are able to feel emotions in the same way; human beings transformation into the animals, flowers; existence of the helper [pigeon]; confirmation of the mythological spiritual world in which there are no differences between human and non-human existences [«Flowers are blooming, grass is growing»]; dialogue between unknown singer and star which revealed the capital city as something very sacred [«Brighty star, where you shined yesterday»]; mythological observing

⁹ Goddess from Katal Hujuk is giving a birth eternaly, but her partner, bull must die. Hunters took a risk their own lifes to feed their women and children [8, p. 37-38].

¹⁰The presence of helpers is connected with the initiation ceremony. During their passing very painfull exams tribal boys met the helpers [8, p. 33-34]. the women as a personification of the life, which needs constantly men or animals sacrifices [«Mother gave birth to a son in the forest»]; friendship between girl and black forest [which share sorrow with her]; confirmation of unbreakable mythology connection between humans and nature [«Black forest, full of the shades»];

References

folk lyric poetry poem eastern culture

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