Analysis of Nature-oriented Couplets in Sa’adi’s Sonnets based on Ecolinguistics

In the present era, where environmental issues have become one of the most critical global challenges, analyzing the discourse of classical literature from the perspective of ecolinguistics can open a new window to understanding human-nature interactions and rethinking environmental perspectives. Therefore, this research seeks to answer the following question: What is the frequency of “the stories we live by” in nature-oriented couplets of Sa’adi's sonnets? The answer to this question is based on the eight stories proposed by Stibbe (2021); framing, metaphors, evaluations, identities, convictions, erasure, salience, and narratives. The current research is both quantitative and qualitative and follows a descriptive approach. Out of 6,293 couplets from the sonnets, sourced from complete works of Sa’adi, edited and published by the late Mohammad Ali Foroughi (2004), thirty-five couplets specifically concern nature and its elements. All these thirty-five couplets have been analyzed within the framework of Stibbe’s (2021) model. However, due to research limitations, only six samples are presented in this study, while the rest of the data analysis is reported in general terms. The fifth section discusses the percentage of occurrence and statistical analysis of the stories proposed by Stibbe. The findings reveal that the following frequency of the analyzed stories in Sa’adi’s nature-oriented couplets in a descending order: salience, evaluation, erasure, framing, narrative, metaphor, conviction, and identity. Among these, the salience story occurs most frequently, with 87 instances (37.35%), while the identity story appears least frequently, with only 2 instances (0.81%). The high frequency of the salience story indicates Sa’adi’s profound perspective on the relationship between humans and their environment, wherein nature serves as a reflection of his emotions, experiences, and moral teachings. Conversely, the low frequency of the identity story suggests that Sa’adi predominantly describes nature from his individual perspective rather than from a collective or societal viewpoint. As a result, the pronoun "we" is rarely used in nature descriptions, replaced instead by other pronouns or impersonal descriptions. The depiction of nature in Sa’adi’s sonnets is not limited to showcasing the world's beauty; rather, it reflects his deep insight into the philosophy of life, ethics, and wisdom. Thus, in Sa’adi’s sonnets, nature is a dynamic and meaningful element that transcends simple imagery, serving as a mirror to worldview, emotions, and life wisdom.