Narrative Voice in Sur Sassui of Shah Jo Risalo of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17391578

Abstract

This study aims to highlight the deployment of the narrative voice as a narrative technique in Sur Sassui of Shah Jo Risalo. The analysis of the Sur is made in the light of the theoretical framework of classical narratology based on the core narrative category of narrative voice. The narrative voice is that of the homodiegetic narrator who employs the narrative tools such as autodiegetic narration, narratee signals, the first-person and the second person linguistic references, action-oriented words or phrases, and rhetorical addresses. The selected poetic lines of Sur Sassui were textually analyzed with a close reading technique in the light of the theoretical framework based on the core narrative category of narrative voice. The analysis revealed that Sassui, the protagonist character of the Sur, appears as a homodiegetic narrator and employs above above-stated narrative tools for communicating her personal experiences to her silent narratees. She introduces herself in the first person and her narratees in the second person linguistic references. She also interacts with her narratees by creating an ‘I-you’ narrative situation. With the help of narrative tools of action-oriented words or phrases and rhetorical addresses, Sassui shares her painful experiences of separation from her beloved husband. Conclusively, this study suggests that Sur Sassui of Shah Jo Risalo possesses narrative aspects that function as structural aspects. In addition, this study also recommends that some other sources of Shah Jo Risalo can be studied from a structural perspective.

Keywords: Narratology, Sur Sassui, Shah Jo Risalo, Narrative voice, Homodiegetic narrator, and narratees.