Metaphor, Semantic Dissemination, and Urdu Critics

Abstract

Metaphor, a pivotal element of rhetoric and the foundation of eloquence, is considered indispensable in poetry for its capacity to infuse allure and ambiguity, thus enabling poetry to engage in multifarious analogies and possibilities. Metaphor is a phenomenon and manifestation characterized by diverse interpretations of its boundaries. Some regard it as engendering figurative rather than literal meanings, while others perceive it as a treasury of semantic creation. Modern critics conceive it as an integral aspect of language, forming the bedrock of multiplicity of meaning. This article undertakes an analysis of the writings of significant critics entrenched in the Urdu critical tradition concerning metaphor, aiming not only to unveil these critics' conceptualization of metaphor but also to elucidate its typologies, facets, and functionalities.