Mytho-Mystic Literature
Year:2020 | Volume:16 | Issue:58|Papers Count:11

Understanding the mythological background of epic characters helps us to analyze their functions in literary texts. Studying the functions of Vayu and the existence of some similarities between this lord and Kai Kā vus provides a comparative investigation of these two mythological characters. Kai Kā vus, as described in Shā hnā meh, is one of Iran's greatest epic kings and has a mythological background. Vayu is the god of wind and air that rules the empty space between heaven and earth. The present study, by using descriptive-analytical method, has found the similarities between the two characters. They are as follows: having ambitious personality, having divine light, having magic-medicine power, being warlike, being messenger of death, having a windy nature and being the father of first man. Although there are slight differences, the similarities between the two mythological characters make us think that the Kai Kā vus is a transformed and human form of Vayu. The purpose of this research is to present Kai Kā vus' godly background, his epic behavior and his multi-dimensional character in Shā hnā meh.

In mystical texts, there is a trace of the animality of the soul, though this belief dates back to the primitive era of human life. In his works, Carl Gostov Jung has introduced some of the repeated animal symbols in primitive and quasi-primitive ethnic groups; his theories are based on mythological and anthropological studies about these groups. In the present article, we study the role of animals in Tazkirat-al-Auliyā with a comparative-analytic method based on Jung's ideas. The results show that in the anecdotes of the book, animals play a role based on mythological beliefs about the animality of the soul. If we, like Jung's psychoanalysis, believe that the soul is an old expression of "self" and "psyche", then the animals play the role of unconscious symbols and are part of the process of psyche evolution. In the anecdotes of Tazkirat-al-Auliyā , sometimes, animals are the symbol of the mystic's transcendent self, they protect him and talk to him, they have superior knowledge and give him a transcendental knowledge; and sometimes they refer to the mystic as the head of the tribe and the owner of the totem.

An examination of Adunis' poems shows that the contrary opposites have a special status in his thinking; they play a crucial role in conveying the poet's new and favored concepts. One of the most important oppositions, which is found at high frequency in his poems, is the opposition of light and darkness. By using analytical-descriptive method, the present article attempts to evaluate two opposite and commonly used concepts of light and darkness in Adunis's poems based on mystical analysis. In this way, Adunis' special view about the nature and objects becomes clear, revealing aspects of the mystical thoughts in his poetry. The results show that concepts such as good and evil, inward and outward worlds, guidance and deviation are reflected in these two concepts. According to Adunis, one must abandon the intrinsic nature of them and unite darkness with light and reach a point where all opposing elements and multiples are united. To achieve this goal, the poet puts away material things and relies on a particular concept called "madness", and in this way, reveals the Truth and provides the knowledge of the ultimate nature of being.

Archetypes are rooted in the depths of collective unconsciousness; some of them, beyond the geographical boundaries, are present in the minds of all men. The present article, by using analytical-comparative method, attempts to exmine "the archetype of death and rebirth" in the poems let the Pigeon sleep by Syrian poet, Badi Saqour and in the Praise of Pigeons by M. R. Shafiei Kadkani. The issue of death and rebirth in these poems can be studied in three ways: a: The poet's focus is more on the subject of death. b: Death and rebirth occur in a balanced manner. c: More attention is paid to the subject of rebirth. The most important findings of this study are as follows: Many of the poems in these two collections are based on the balance between death and rebirth. In other his poems, Badi Saqour focuses more on death; but, Shafiei Kadkani emphasizes more on the issue of rebirth.

The purpose of this article is to examine the mythological motifs in a local Sistani legend called Nahang Boor va Shahzā deh (the story of the Blond Whale and the Prince). The story has rich mythological themes and Scythian, Greek, Chinese and Indian mythical representations can be found in it. By using descriptive-analytical method, the present study investigates the mythological themes, such as drinking blood, killing dragon, Aphrodite, the number three, crossing water with a horse, passing from fire, the desire for immortality, victory over death in the story. The richness of the mythological themes in the story suggests the need to pay more attention to the native culture and folk tales of Sistan.

Ruh al-Arwā h fi Sharh Asmā al-Malik al-Fattā h written by Ahmad Samā ni is one the most important works of the sixth century AH, devoted to the description of Divnie names. One of the main themes of the book is the relationship between man and God. Based on a structuralist semiotic approach and by using descriptive-analytical method, the present article deals with the relationship between man and God in Ruh al-Arwā h. In the examination of the text, we look for those deep-structure elements that in the subject of God-man relationship create the semiotic systems. In the structure of the contrasts, some key elements are recognized as the main system-building factors. To this goal, we use Levi-Strauss' method, which examines the relationships of signs based on the analysis of binary oppositions. By considering the relations of signs in the book, we show that within the circle of the signs of God (as a pole) the contrast between "glory and beauty", and "wrath and forgiveness" creates a network of contrasts that are related to contrast of positive/negative dignity of man. The text synthesizes opposite elements and, by its own method of combination, resolves oppositions and contradictions.

The Well of Babel, a novel written by Reza Ghā ssemi, has a mythological theme. Inspired by a Semitic story, it narrates the descent of two male angels named Harut and Marut who fall in love with a woman named Zohreh (Nahid). The purpose of the present article is to examine the metamorphosis of these three characters and their functions. In addition, by using descriptive-analytical method, it also tries to show the history of the fall of the angels and their connection to ancient Indian and Iranian goddesses. In this regard, it's important to investigate the metamorphosis of Anahita, Haurvatat and Ameretat and their relationship with Indian goddess of Saraswati and Ashvins twins. The results show that time, place, and personality in the novel have triple features. In trichotomy of personality, the mythological transformation of Harut and Marut into the body of two men and transformation of Zohreh into the body of a woman happen. Mandoo, Kamal and Filisa play central role in the transformation.

Metamorphosis is transformation of a fictional or real being into another being by using supernatural powers. One of the unique examples of metamorphosis is the transformation of a magic woman in Nizami Ganjavi's Eskandar-Nā meh. In this mysterious story, the features of three genres, i. e. folk, fairy story as well as mythical could be seen. The purpose of the present article is to examine this transformation from a mythological, fictional and historical perspective. The research is based on descriptive-analytical method. After examining the examples of the metamorphosis of magic women in ancient tales and explaining the story of the transformation of Azar Homayoun into a dragon in Eskandar-Nā meh, we study the possible reasons for the metamorphosis. The results show that Azar Homayoun is probably a fairy and her connection to water, fire and bodily desires support such a hypothesis. Another finding of the paper is that perhaps the legend of Azar Homayoun and Belinā s (Apollonius of Tyana) refers to an anti-occupation movement led by a braveheart woman in a fire temple as commad center.

Narratology, as one of the old topics in literary criticism, traces back to the ideas of Plato and Aristotle. Among recent narratologists, Gerard Genette (1930-2018) has presented one of the most consistent theories in narratology. The present research tries to apply Genette’ s theory in analyzing “ Qale-ye Soqrim” (Soqrim Castle), a narrative poem by the Iranian poet, Nima Yooshij. By using descriptive-analytical method, first, a summary of Genette’ s theory is outlined, then, the application of his theory to the analysis of the poem is presented. The purpose of the present study is to show to what extent the narrative elements have contributed to the formation of the poem as a mystical work and how far they have helped the poet to express mystical concepts. The results show that Nima Yooshij, by using appropriate narrative elements, has been able to create a work in line with the mystical works of Persian literature and to reflect mystical ideas in his poem in an effective way.

According to his audience's ability to understand, Jalā l ad-Dī n Rū mī uses allegories and folk tales for expressing spiritual love and mysteries. He believes that folk tales are a means of transcendence for knowledge lovers. Rū mī tells the antecode of "a man of Baghdad and the hidden treasure" to his disciples to interpret the famous hadith " whosoever knows himself knows his Lord". The story inspired the famous Brazilian writer, Paulo Coelho who wrote The Alchemist and became well-known all over the world. By using descriptive-analytical method, the present article deals with the question to what extent has Coelho been influenced by Rumi's mystical thoughts on the subjects of knowledge of God and self-knowledge? The result of the study shows that Rumi's mystical thoughts about unity of Being, manifestation of the Truth, softness of heart, the hidden treasure and divine knowledge, the language of love, the old wise man, cast a shadow over the whole story of The Alchemist.