Critical Analysis of Social Actors' Representation in the Poetry of Parvin E'tesami: A Study Based on the Reference System Strategies of van Leeuwen's Approach (2008)

This research critically analyzes the representation of social actors in the poems of Parvin-e E'tesami, based on the reference system of the socio-semantic approach of Van Leeuwen (2008), to clarify the relationships between power and identity in the socio-political context of that time. In this descriptive–analytical study, 247 couplets from 10 poems by Parvin were examined as a statistical sample based on the dual reference systems of genericization–specification, individualization–assimilation, aggregation–collectivization, determination–indetermination, association–dissociation, and differentiation–indifferentiation. The results indicated that, in personality type strategies, the representation of social actors shows that genericization and specification components are similar, while assimilation differs from individualization. In personalization strategies, determination and association frequencies differ from indetermination and dissociation, respectively. Furthermore, differentiation components vary from indifferentiation. In conclusion, data analysis revealed the use of all strategies within the dual reference system. The representation of social actors demonstrates attention to both genericization and specification, while assimilation–individualization indicates that power structures marginalize individual identities. The determination component highlights an imbalance in societal identity and structure. Additionally, the association–dissociation system emphasizes shared challenges and advocacy for social change. Frequent differentiation critiques the binary division of society, offering a distinct view of power dynamics between ordinary citizens and elite actors. Pronoun usage in this dual system differentiates known and unknown social actors, encourages conformity to societal norms, and reinforces collective identity over individual identity within a hierarchical framework
Introduction
Discourse analysis is a broad field that clarifies how meaning is constructed in interpersonal relationships and social interactions through the study of language use in various contexts (Gee, 2014). This approach is descriptive and does not address issues of power or social inequalities. The goal of discourse analysis is to understand the subtleties of language and how it functions in specific contexts without criticizing power structures. Critical discourse analysis, on the other hand, reveals the relationships between language, power, and social inequalities and focuses on how discourse shapes social structures and ideologies and how these structures influence discourse and the way language can sustain or challenge power structures (Fairclough, 1995, 2010; Wodak & Meyer, 2009, 2016). This approach, influenced by critical and social theories, often seeks to create and promote social change by revealing social inequalities in the underlying layers of discourse (Paltridge, 2012).
Parvin's poems are rich in emotions, experiences, and cultural-social issues. By expressing them, she challenges the conventional norms of a society, simultaneously inviting the reader to engage with her criticism of the diverse roles of social actors. These roles reflect different social classes in terms of identity and ideology. Parvin, through addressing social challenges, demonstrates that her poetic language is not only beautiful and melodious but also a powerful tool for social criticism, emphasizing the need for a critical understanding of discourse meaning. Furthermore, van Leeuwen's (2008) focus on intertextual characteristics can be more influential in revealing the layers of meaning in her poems, which possess a literary-historical background. This approach deepens the reader's understanding of contemporary socio-political events and clarifies the power dynamics in her poetic discourse. Since her poems have significantly influenced the representation of the relationships among different ruling groups during the Constitutional period, and to the best of our knowledge, they have not yet been examined from this perspective, it is necessary to analyze how social actors are represented. This analysis will consider the sociological-semantic components based on the system of reference, from the perspective of van Leeuwen's (2008) approach. This will not only enhance the understanding of their representation but also illustrate social relationships and power mechanisms of that period and address the following questions:

How is the frequency of the strategies and sociological-semantic components based on the reference system in Parvin's poems?
What image does Parvin present of the activists and social conditions of her time, considering the reference system of van Leeuwen's (2008) approach?

Method
The current descriptive-analytical research examines the representation of social actors in the poems of Parvin, with an emphasis on the reference system of van Leeuwen's (2008) model. To achieve this, first, the discursive elements in each couplet were identified and extracted based on the network of representation system of this approach, and then the obtained results were analyzed and explained. In this regard, 247 couplets out of 5612, derived from ten pieces of poetry predominantly in the form of a dialogue and related to cultural, political, and social contexts, were studied as a statistical sample. Van Leeuwen's (2008) systematic representation network of social actors (p. 52) is based on three transformations of deletion, rearrangement, and replacement, among which the dual reference systems serve as the basis for the analysis and classification of discursive elements. These dual strategies include genericization–specification, individualization–assimilation, aggregation–collectivization, determination–indetermination, association–dissociation, and differentiation–indifferentiation.
For the validity and reliability of the data, first, the discursive elements were individually identified and categorized by three researchers. Then, the classifications were matched, and after resolving discrepancies, a final selection was made. At the end, the frequency of participants in the poetic discourse was determined through SPSS software version 20, and the couplets were analyzed based on the extracted dual strategies.
Results
The data analysis indicates that in Parvin's poetry, genericization and specification have a similar frequency (50.49% compared to 49.51%). Furthermore, assimilation accounted for 42% and individualization accounted for 8%. The comparison of aggregation and collectivization also confirms that total aggregating, with 39%, has a higher frequency compared to collectivization, which has a frequency of 3%.
Overall, in the personification strategy, 30.32% of social actors are represented as indeterminate and 69.68% as determinate, indicating a lack of balance in the identity and social structure of Parvin's time. Additionally, in the determination strategy, the association representation of actors has a higher frequency compared to the dissociation representation. Moreover, Parvin has emphasized the differentiation between actors and social groups rather than focusing on the lack of differentiation among them.
Conclusion
As Parvin has paid attention to various aspects of people's lives in her poetry, her works are considered not only as literary pieces but also as reflections of the social, cultural, and political-economic conditions of society. Therefore, among the various approaches presented for analyzing critical discourse, her poems are examined based on van Leeuwen's (2008) social-semantic theory, which is suitable for such discourses, to clarify the type and nature of events, social actors, and how they are represented, as well as to elucidate the social realities beyond the discourse. Thus, the image presented of the actors based on this approach can analyze various social, cultural, and political issues from different angles and reveal the layers of meaning in the interpersonal relations of the actors with the people and vice versa.
Parvin has employed both strategies of personalization (determination and indetermination) in her discourse to clarify the identity of social actors. In the strategy of determination, all four elements of association, dissociation, differentiation, and indifferentiation have been employed. The double frequency of the determination element compared to indetermination indicates a lack of balance in the identity and social structure of society. The components that Parvin uses to represent the actors depict the social, economic, political, and cultural status and also the social structures of her time. Examples of indetermination, such as many, anyone, no one, and everyone, which reflect the representation of participants ambiguously, indicate the dark environment of Parvin's time in that the participants or social actors are not identifiable and there is a lack of clarity in society.
The higher frequency of association representation compared to dissociation indicates a focus on the experiences of the general public, common challenges, and supports her advocacy for social changes and emphasizes solidarity and coalitions among those who have been oppressed. She expresses her objection to social criteria, wealth distribution, and power structures that perpetuate this injustice through the association representation of activists. The lack of balance between association and dissociation representation suggests that although individual narratives are important, emphasizing collective experiences enables broader criticism of systemic issues compared to merely personal dissatisfaction. In fact, the greater frequency of social activists' representation as association is a critique of the socio-political context of the Constitutional era in Iran, where social justice inequality is widespread.
The greater use of the differentiation strategy among activists compared to indifferentiation reflects a critique of the binary division of society into insiders and outsiders and the differing views of power structures towards ordinary citizens compared to high-level power activists. Differentiation in Parvin's poetry generally involves two participants, one side which is always unknown, namely those who have power. In contrast, the other side, which is usually known, is the ordinary people and the lower social class. Differentiation, indeterminations and determinations in examples like "We, the poor, are alien to everyone," and "The rich man is familiar with everyone" (Parvin, 1998, p. 164) reflect the corruption within the bipolar and class-based society of her time.
Ethical Considerations
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Funding
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Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest