The Metonymic Image in Ibn al-Arandas al-Hilli: Its Structural and Semantic Functions

Abstract

Metonymy constitutes a central rhetorical technique in the construction of Arabic poetry. Its function is not confined to ornamentation or aesthetic embellishment; rather, it transcends these limits to become a fundamental element in shaping meaning, constructing significance, and conveying the creative experience to the reader. This study aims to examine the metonymic image in the poetry of Ṣāliḥ ibn al-ʿArandas al-Ḥillī, an Iraqi poet of the eighth century AH, by uncovering its structural and semantic functions and clarifying its role in enriching poetic discourse, particularly in his elegiac and panegyric poems connected to the tragedy of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).

The study adopts a descriptive–analytical approach, tracing metonymic images in the poet’s dīwān and analyzing the mechanisms of their operation and the patterns of their manifestation within the poetic context, while also exploring their relationship with other rhetorical images such as metaphor, simile, and symbol. The findings reveal that Ibn al-ʿArandas drew his artistic imagery primarily from concepts of faith and Islam, relying on the Holy Qur’an, Prophetic Hadith, and religious heritage, as well as on nature, the cosmic sphere, and scenes of battle. He transformed these sensory elements into symbols laden with spiritual and emotional connotations.

The study demonstrates that the poet successfully employed metonymy with an innovative spirit, transforming it from a conventional rhetorical device into a central structural element that carries meaning, intensifies significance, and opens a broad interpretive horizon for the reader. It also reveals the diversity of metonymic patterns in his poetry, including metonymy of attribute, referent, and relation, in addition to compound metonymies that combine more than one semantic level within a single image. On the structural level, the metonymic image is characterized by integration and harmony with the overall poetic structure, while semantically it opens onto multiple religious, spiritual, social, and political dimensions. The study concludes that metonymy played a prominent role in embodying Islamic meanings in tangible forms and in presenting truth accompanied by evidence and proof, thereby deepening the artistic effect and enhancing the persuasive and emotional impact of the poetic text.