Dr Mohammad Hassan Arjmandi
Researcher, author, poet, and lecturer in Persian language and literature; developer of the She’r-Āhang theory and researcher of the relationship between poetry, rhythm, and Iranian music.
Academic and Professional Resume
Born in 1974 in Shahr-e Rey, Iran, Dr Mohammad Hassan Arjmandi works across Persian literature, comparative poetics, the music of speech, filmmaking, and cultural production.
Education
- Professional Postdoctoral Programme in Persian Language and Literature, University of Tehran, 2026
- Professional Doctorate in Persian Language and Literature, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, 2021
- MA in Persian Language and Literature, University of Tehran, 2017–2018
Research Interests
- Persian and comparative metrics
- Comparative literature and literary linguistics
- Music of speech and the relationship between poetry and music
- Digital tools and artificial intelligence for poetry analysis
Film and Screenwriting
Writer and director of the documentaries The Story of Rain, The Story of Friends, Mothers in Waiting, Nature Writer, and Poet of the Qur’an, as well as several short narrative films.
Awards and Festivals
His short films A Shared Feeling and A Letter to the Sky have been selected by more than thirty Iranian and international festivals. He has also received awards for screenwriting and short-film direction.
Selected Academic Articles
- “The Lexical and Historical Secret of Toranj in the Qur’anic Chapter of Joseph.” With Bijan Zohiri-Nav. Criticism, Analysis and Aesthetics of Texts, no. 24, 2024.
- “The Integration of the Elements of Persian Poetry and Its Influence on the Flourishing of This Art.” With Bijan Zohiri-Nav. Research in Persian Language and Literature, vol. 21, no. 71, 2023.
- “The Imperative Mood in the Ghazals of Hafez.” With Khodabakhsh Asadollahi. Criticism, Analysis and Aesthetics of Texts, 2022.
- “Iranian Prosody or Arabic Prosody? A Reflection on the Origins of Prosody.” With Bijan Zohiri-Nav and Babak Khezraei. Bahar-e Adab, vol. 17, no. 6, 2024.
- “A Comparative Study of the Stories of Zal and Rudabeh and Rapunzel Based on Structuralist Narratology.” With Bijan Zohiri-Nav. Bahar-e Adab, vol. 16, no. 10, 2023.
- “Proposing a Theory: Resistance Literature or Freedom Literature.” Bahar-e Adab, vol. 11, no. 4, 2018.
- “Examining the Correspondence between Poetic Metre and Modes of Traditional Iranian Vocal Music.” Literary Criticism and Rhetoric Research Journal, University of Tehran, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 175–200, 2025.
She’r-Āhang Theory
A new cross-linguistic framework for analysing poetic metre and the music of language.
Poetic metre is one of the fundamental elements that shape verbal music across cultures. Yet each literary tradition has developed its own terminology and analytical system, making exact comparison between languages difficult. She’r-Āhang begins with the measurable temporal value of syllables rather than the specialised vocabulary of a single poetic tradition.
Core Principle
A short syllable is assigned one temporal unit and a long syllable two temporal units. Metrical patterns can therefore be represented numerically and compared across languages.
Purpose
The theory does not seek to abolish traditional systems of prosody. It offers a complementary scientific language for comparing, teaching, and computationally analysing different metrical traditions.
Languages Studied
Research has examined the potential application of this framework to Persian, Arabic, Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, English, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese poetry.
Interdisciplinary Scope
She’r-Āhang connects literature, linguistics, musicology, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, natural-language processing, and digital humanities.
Scientific and Practical Development
- Comparative classification of metres through numerical patterns
- Conversion of poetic rhythm into musical beat patterns
- A simpler pedagogical approach to poetic metre
- Development of software capable of recognising metre from spoken poetry
- International collaboration with native-language specialists and universities
The long-term vision is an open international research framework in which each language retains its historical and cultural identity while scholars compare poetic rhythm through shared measurable principles.
Books
Dr Arjmandi’s bibliography includes research, poetry, fiction, screenplays, spiritual writing, and audiobooks. The following English titles are provided for international readers.