THE POETICS OF THE COLOUR “WHITE” IN THE SONNETS OF SHAKESPEARE AND RAUF PARFI

Аннотация

The poetics of colour have often been studied in literary criticism, folklore studies, and comparative literature. Comparing how two poets use colour within the same genre allows for meaningful conclusions. This article explores the poetics of the colour white in the sonnets of Shakespeare and RaufParfi. Keywords: colour, poetics, comparative literature, sonnet, Shakespeare, Rauf Parfi, artistic expression, contrast, portrait, quatrain. In sonnet artistry, colour holds a uniqueplace. Poets use thesame colour differently, and likewise, different poets use the same colour for specific poetic purposes. Philosopher and poetry theorist Abu Nasr Al-Farabi, in his work “Philosophical Questions and Their Answers” responds to the question “What is colour?” by stating: “Colour is the boundary of what makes a shiny object shiny; it is expressed on the surface of objects.”[1;74]. Colour is something visible to the human eye, found in nature, and humans replicate the colours they see in nature using various materials — for instance, dyeing fabric. Colour is a visible marker, and understanding it first requires sight. Sinceancient times, peoplehave attributed symbolic meanings tocolours based ontheireffects on life. White, for example, has been perceived as a symbol of purity, innocence, and the transition from one world to another — a perception that is also reflected in literature. Thus, studying the poetics ofwhiteinthesonnets of Shakespeare andRaufParfi carries special significance. In thesonnet 12of Shakespeare, whiteisused forcomparison: When Ibehold theviolet past prime, And sable curls all silvered o’erwith white; When lofty trees I seebarren ofleaves, Whicherst from heat did canopy theherd…[7] In this context, Shakespeare uses the phrase "silvered o’er with white" to figuratively depict the natural process of aging, symbolized by the graying of hair. Here, white is not portrayed as a symbol of beauty or purity, but rather as a representation of the passage of time, mortality, and inevitabledecline. In thesonnet 99 thecolour whiteis usedas asymbol of Beauty andEnvy: Thelily Icondemned for thyhand, And buds ofmarjoram had stol’nthy hair; Theroses fearfully onthorns did stand, Oneblushing shame, another whitedespair. [8] In this sonnet, Shakespeare accuses the flowers ofstealing thebeauty ofthe beloved. In particular, thewhite rose is depicted as representing "white despair," as it attempts toimitatethepurity of the beloved, but this attempt fails. In this context, white symbolizes innocence, elegance, and unsuccessful imitation. The poetic irony lies in the fact that even nature itself cannot match the beauty of the beloved, through which Shakespeare portrays a unique, direct, and unparalleled beauty that transcends natural beauty. In the sonnet 99, focused on flowers, Shakespeare uses white and intensified “whiter” to express clarity and depth in the beloved’s beauty. Creating a floral portrait of the beloved, Shakespeare uses colour to highlight physical traits. The term “white” (then intensified as “whiter”) isn’t merely for poetic meter but serves to emphasize purity and delicacy. 310 INTERNATIONAL MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL FOR RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT SJIF2019:5.2222020:5.5522021:5.6372022:5.4792023:6.5632024:7,805 eISSN:2394-6334 https://www.ijmrd.in/index.php/imjrd Volume12,issue04(2025) In Shakespeare's 127th sonnet, white is portrayed as a social construct and a reflection of changing beauty standards. Although Shakespeare does not directly mention white in this sonnet, its meaning is implied. Shakespeare critiques how beauty standards once favored whiteness (fair skin, fair hair), but now darker features (dark skin, dark hair) are preferred. In this context, white symbolizes traditional beauty, and its diminishing significance reflects cultural changes, possibly offering commentary onrace orsocial class: In theold age black was not counted fair, Orifit were, it bore notbeauty’s name; But now isblack beauty’ssuccessiveheir, And beauty slandered with abastard shame. [9]. In Rauf Parfi’s sonnet “Daryo mavjlariga yozilmish g‘azal” (“A Ghazal Written to the Waves of the River”) the colour “white” symbolizes tranquility and beauty in nature. The word “white” modifies “cloud,” conveying calmness. Parfi chooses not to use “black” or even “bluish,” as “blue” would have overlapped semantically with “sky.” "This word did not fully match either the rhythm or the meaning. Because the word “sky” was used as a synonym for “blue”, it took the place oftheadjective 'white'." Qamishlarshivirlar daryo tomonda, Ko‘kda oqbulutlarkezarbemajol. Bir tiriknafosat borliq, jahonda, Kimgadirelanar, qilariltijo. [3;34] TheEnglish translation ofthesonnet: Reeds whisper near theriver’s flow, Whiteclouds drift inthe calm above. Alivinggrace in theworld does glow, That calls to someone with pleading love. The poet describes a serene landscape — a calm, poetic space. The poet masterfully explains a picture of nature; in his description. How