The Rhetorical Device of Paradox in Formalism and its Application in the Ghazals of Mawlana Abdullah Mesra Safir

چکیده

In literary criticism—particularly within the framework of formalism—the analysis of linguistic elements that foreground and differentiate literary language from ordinary discourse holds fundamental significance. However, the systematic function of paradox as one of the most important devices of defamiliarization in contemporary ghazals, especially in the poetry of Mawlana Abdullah Mesra, has received limited scholarly attention. The present study aims to elucidate the role of paradox in generating defamiliarization, foregrounding, and meaning production in the ghazals of Mawlana Abdullah Mesra based on formalist principles.

This research adopts a descriptive–analytical method and relies on library-based sources. In this regard, instances of paradox are extracted from the poet’s divan and analyzed within the framework of concepts such as deviation from linguistic norms and semantic tension. The findings indicate that paradox in these poems functions not merely as a rhetorical device but as an effective mechanism for suspending meaning and activating the reader’s engagement  Furthermore, this linguistic strategy plays a significant role in conveying mystical concepts and creating layers of meaning, thereby directly contributing to the processes of defamiliarization and textual foregrounding.