Bridging Sufism and Transcendentalism in Jalal Al-din Rumi’s Mathnawi (2011) and Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass (1998): Bakhtinian Analysis
Loading...
Date
2023
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Mouloud Mammeri University
Abstract
This dissertation emphasizes Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass and Jalal al-Din Rumi's Mathnawi, and examines the themes of spirituality and love in both authors' writings. The research, based on a comparative analysis, looks at how these poets, in spite of their disparate cultural and chronological circumstances, express similar ideas about divine love, spirituality, and nature. The comparative analysis bridges Eastern and Western literary traditions and emphasizes the universality of spiritual and mystical experiences. Through a comparative analysis of Rumi and Whitman's literary works, this dissertation highlights significant similarities between their poetic representations of love and spirituality, therefore advancing our knowledge of the world's literary legacy, whereby the first chapter explores Rumi's Mathnawi from a transcendentalist standpoint, highlighting essential components of spirituality, nature, and divine love. Through this lens of interpretation, the research shows how Rumi's vision which emphasizes the divine presence in nature and the interconnection of all beings aligns with transcendentalist concepts. In contrast, Chapter Two examines Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass from a Sufi viewpoint. And we have proved that they are similar to each other by using the concept of stylization made by Michael Bakhtin. This chapter focuses on the ways in which Whitman's poetry is in line with Sufi teachings according to Bakhtin, especially in its exaltation of the individual, the divine within, and the mystical interconnectedness of all things. Whitman's poetry is examined as manifestations of a Sufi-style spiritual journey, illustrating a common yearning for transcendence and divine love. The appreciation of both poets is enhanced by this research, which also raises awareness of the transcendent themes that connect many cultural manifestations of spirituality and love. Subsequent research endeavors might delve deeper into these links, augmenting the discourse between Eastern and Western literary and spiritual customs.
Description
50p. ; 30cm(+CD-Rom)
Keywords
bridge, spirituality, transcendentalism, stylization, Sufism, divine love
Citation
Literature and Interdisciplinary Approaches