نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی

نویسندگان

• غلامرضا بلوری ¹
• روح اله نصیری ²

¹ دانشجوی دکتری زبان و ادبیات عربی، دانشکده زبان‌های خارجی، دانشگاه اصفهان، اصفهان، ایران.

² دانشیار، گروه زبان و ادبیات عربی، دانشکده زبان‌های خارجی، دانشگاه اصفهان، اصفهان، ایران.

چکیده

در این مقاله، مثنوی عقل و عشق  اثر محمد خاقانی اصفهانی با رویکردی تطبیقی و از منظر مکتب پارناسیسم مورد تحلیل قرار گرفته است. پژوهش حاضر بر چگونگی استعلای این اثر از کمال‌گرایی صوری، که مشخصه پارناسین‌هاست، به سوی تحقق یک رسالت معنایی و وحدت‌بخش تمرکز دارد. پارناسیسم، با شعار «هنر برای هنر»، بر کمال فرم، عینیت‌گرایی، و استقلال اثر هنری تاکید می‌ورزید. مثنوی عقل و عشق  در ابعادی چون چیره‌دستی در ساختار مثنوی، صناعت زبانی فاخر (فارسی و عربی)، و چارچوب نمایشی منسجم، قابل قیاس با ایده‌آل‌های فرمی پارناسین است. با این حال، این اثر در اهداف غایی خود، از محدودیت‌های پارناسیسم فراتر می‌رود. خاقانی اصفهانی، به جای آنکه فرم را غایت بپندارد، آن را به مثابه ابزاری برای انتقال مضامین عمیق فلسفی، عرفانی، و دینی به کار می‌گیرد. هدف اصلی مثنوی، ارائه الگویی برای «اتحاد عقل و عشق»، نقد گسست علم از ایمان، و ایجاد هم‌گرایی فرهنگی و ادبی است؛ این هدفمندی آشکار، در تضاد با اصل «هنر برای هنر» قرار دارد. حضور فعال شاعر به عنوان راوی و راهبر، به جای عینیت سرد پارناسین، به اثر شور و حرارت فکری و معنوی می‌بخشد. این پژوهش نشان می‌دهد که مثنوی عقل و عشق ، ضمن برخورداری از کمال صوری ستودنی، این فرم را نه هدف نهایی، بلکه بستری برای تحقق «رسالت معنا و اتحاد» قرار داده و بدین ترتیب، جایگاه خود را در سنت غنی شعر تعلیمی، فلسفی و عرفانی فارسی تثبیت می‌کند.

کلیدواژه‌ها

• محمد خاقانی اصفهانی
• مثنوی عقل و عشق
• پارناسیسم
• کمال فرم
• رسالت معنا

موضوعات

• ادبیات تطبیقی

عنوان مقاله [English]

A Comparative Analysis of Khaqani Isfahani's “Masnavi of Reason and Love” with the Parnassian School

نویسندگان [English]

• Gholamreza Boloori ¹
• Rooh Allah Nasiri ²

¹ Ph.D. Candidate in Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.

² Associate Professor of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.

چکیده [English]

This study offers an in-depth comparative analysis of Mohammad Khaghani Esfahani's significant work, "Reason and Love", exploring its relationship with the aesthetic principles of the Parnassian school through an analytical-comparative approach. The research explores the dynamic interplay between form and content in this prominent work of contemporary Persian literature, employing modern literary theories and scientific methodologies to reveal its distinctive characteristics. The investigation begins with a meticulous examination of the Masnavi's formal and structural elements, highlighting the poet's mastery of the classical Masnavi form, precise metrical composition using the Ramal Musaddas Mahzuf meter, sophisticated rhyme schemes, and intricate rhetorical devices.
The work's distinctive bilingual presentation (Persian-Arabic) and its coherent dramatic structure across five principal acts demonstrate its alignment with Parnassian standards of formal perfection and aesthetic refinement. However, at a deeper conceptual level, the study reveals fundamental divergences from core Parnassian principles, as Khaghani Esfahani deliberately employs artistic form to convey profound mystical, philosophical, and religious themes, rather than adhering to the doctrine of art for art's sake. Through its innovative transformation of form into a vehicle for expressing content, the masnavi establishes a dramatic dialogic structure that facilitates fundamental ontological and epistemological inquiry, creating an intellectual and spiritual space that transcends mere descriptive representation. The poet's active narrative presence, as both artist and concerned intellectual, introduces an existential and personal dimension that distinguishes the work from Parnassian objectivity. Situated within the Persian literary tradition, "Reason and Love" extends the didactic-mystical Masnavi heritage while synthesizing tradition with innovation. Ultimately, it presents a unique model of reason-love unity through religious teachings, exemplifying the successful integration of literary form with philosophical depth.

Introduction

The duality of Reason and Love has long been one of the most fundamental and enduring intellectual concerns in the history of human thought. In Persian literary and mystical traditions, this duality frequently appears as a central theme through which poets, mystics, and philosophers explore the limits of rational knowledge, the possibilities of intuitive experience, and the conditions for human perfection.
Reason is generally associated with order, argumentation, conceptual clarity, law, and systematic reflection, whereas love signifies intuition, spiritual immediacy, existential warmth, unity, and transcendence. The encounter between these two forces is therefore not merely a literary opposition but a profound epistemological, ontological, and spiritual problem.
Mohammad Khaqani Isfahani’s "Masnavi of Reason and Love" represents a contemporary poetic effort to revive this classical debate within a modern intellectual and cultural context. The work is significant not only for its philosophical and mystical depth but also for its remarkable formal craftsmanship. Its use of the classical masnavi form, disciplined metrical structure, dramatic organization, and bilingual Persian-Arabic presentation all demonstrate the poet’s deliberate attention to poetic form, linguistic mastery, and structural coherence. At first glance, this emphasis on technical precision, formal refinement, and aesthetic discipline aligns the work closely with the ideals of the nineteenth-century French Parnassian school. Parnassianism, commonly associated with the principle of “art for art’s sake,” emphasized formal perfection, artistic objectivity, impersonality, descriptive precision, and the autonomy of the literary work from moral, religious, social, or political functions.
Nevertheless, a deeper examination of Reason and Love reveals that Khaghani Esfahani’s poem transcends the confines of self-sufficient formalism. Although it employs a refined and disciplined artistic form, it ultimately places that form in the service of philosophical, mystical, religious, and cultural meanings. The central purpose of this study, therefore, is to analyze the progression of this masnavi from Parnassian-like formal perfection toward a meaningful and unifying literary mission.

Methodology

This research adopts a qualitative, analytical-comparative method. The study first identifies the major theoretical principles and stylistic features of Parnassianism, particularly formal perfection, artistic autonomy, objectivity, impersonality, technical mastery, and the doctrine of “art for art’s sake.” These principles provide the conceptual framework through which the formal and aesthetic aspects of Masnavi of Reason and Love are examined.
In the second stage, the primary text of Khaghani Esfahani’s masnavi is analyzed as the central corpus of the research. The study examines the poem’s formal structure, metrical discipline, bilingual composition, dramatic organization, symbolic characterization, and dialogic movement. These elements are compared with Parnassian aesthetic standards in order to identify areas of convergence between the poem and Parnassian poetics.
In the third stage, the study analyzes the thematic, philosophical, and spiritual orientation of the poem in order to determine its points of divergence from Parnassianism. Particular attention is given to the role of Revelation as a mediating and synthesizing principle, the poet’s active presence as narrator and guide, and the poem’s commitment to reconciling Reason and Love within a higher religious and mystical framework. Through this method, the research seeks to clarify how the poem both approaches and transcends Parnassian formalism.

Theoretical Framework: Parnassianism and the Ideal of Form

Parnassianism emerged in mid-19^th century France as a reaction against the excessive emotionalism and subjectivity of Romanticism. Its proponents, such as Théophile Gautier and Leconte de Lisle, sought a return to Classical values of restraint and technical mastery. Key principles include:
Art for Art's Sake: The belief that art should be free from moral, social, or political obligations.
Technical Perfection: A focus on the craft of poetry, emphasizing precise word choice and rhythmic harmony.
Objectivity and Impersonality: The removal of the poet's personal I from the work, favoring a cold, detached observation of the world.
Plasticity: A preference for vivid, three-dimensional descriptions akin to sculpture or painting.

Discussion and Analysis

4-1. Formal Excellence: The Parnassian Parallel
Khaghani Isfahani’s Masnavi exhibits several traits that align with Parnassian ideals. The choice of the Ramal Musaddas Mahzuf meter—the same used in Rumi’s Masnavi-e Ma’navi—provides a rhythmic flow that is both heavy and fluid, suitable for deep philosophical discourse. The poet's obsession with hard work and polishing the verse is evident in the bilingual structure, where the Persian and Arabic versions move in perfect metrical and thematic harmony. This technical virtuosity serves as a showcase of linguistic mastery, much like the Parnassian emphasis on the poet-as-craftsman (métier). Furthermore, the work is organized into five distinct acts, creating a coherent and disciplined dramatic structure that mirrors the Parnassian love for order and formal symmetry.
4-2.The Hegelian Dialectic: Thesis, Antithesis, and Synthesis
The Intellectual structure of the poem follows a classic Hegelian triad.
Thesis (Reason): Reason Is introduced as the initial stage of systematic, logical, and law-oriented thinking. It represents the Rational and Industrial aspect of the work, emphasizing structure and precision.
Antithesis (Love): Love rises In opposition to Reason, representing intuition, direct experience, and the rebellion against the cold calculatIons of logic. In the poem, Love provides the spiritual heat that separates the work from Parnassian cold objectivity.
Synthesis (Revelation/Wahy): The peak of the poem is the synthesis achieved through Wahy (Revelation). This third force does not negate Reason or Love but situates each In its proper place. Revelation saves Reason from narrow-minded pride and Love from destructIve rebellion, leading to a Sublime Unity.

The Transition toward Meaningful Mission

The fundamental point of departure from Parnassianism lies in the poet’s mission. While Parnassians viewed form as the final goal (Art for Art), Khaghani Isfahani views form as a vehicle (Art for Meaning). The Masnavi carries a didactic and unifying message, seeking to reconcile:
Science and Faith
Tradition and Modernity
Diverse cultural and linguistic heritages
Unlike the Parnassian observer who remains indifferent, the poet in Reason and Love acts as an active narrator and guide. His presence Is not a cold objectivity but a sublime subjectivity that seeks to lead the audience toward a spiritual conclusion. The focus on The Unity of Reason and Love under the shadow of Revelation is a direct critique of the spiritual crisis of the modern world, which the poet attributes to the disconnect between knowledge and faith.

Conclusion

The Masnavi of Reason and Love" is a successful synthesis of formal perfection and committed meaning. While it satisfies the Parnassian criteria for technical mastery and structural discipline, it refuses to remain within the confines of "art for art's sake." Instead, the poet utilizes the aesthetic power of the Masnavi form to facilitate a profound ontological and epistemological inquiry.
The transition from "form-as-end" to "form-as-means" allows the work to find its place within the rich tradition of Persian didactic and mystical poetry, while also addressing contemporary global crises of meaning. This work proves that an artist can achieve the highest levels of formal excellence without sacrificing intellectual and spiritual commitment. It stands as a modern model for Meaningful Art, demonstrating that the perfect form is most powerful when it serves a perfected mission of unity and truth.

کلیدواژه‌ها [English]

• Mohammad Khaqani Isfahani
• Masnavi of Reason and Love
• Parnassian School
• form and content
• didactic-mystical literature

عنوان مقاله [العربیة]

التحلیل المقارن لقصیدة العقل والعشق لخاقانی أصفهانی فی ضوء المدرسة البرناسیة

چکیده [العربیة]

یتناول هذا البحث دراسة متعمقة لقصیدة العقل والعشق للشاعر الإیرانی محمد خاقانی أصفهانی، حیث یسلط الضوء على أوجه التشابه والاختلاف بین هذا العمل الأدبی والمبادئ الجمالیة لمدرسة بارناس. تعتمد الدراسة على المنهج التحلیلی المقارن لتوضیح العلاقة الجدلیة بین الشکل والمضمون فی هذا العمل الأدبی الفارسی المعاصر.
یبدأ البحث بتحلیل المکونات الشکلیة والهیکلیة للقصیدة، حیث یظهر إتقان الشاعر للقالب الکلاسیکی للمثنوی والتزامه الدقیق بعروض البحر الرمل المسدس المحذوف، بالإضافة إلى براعته فی القافیة واستخدام المحسنات البدیعیة. کما یتمیز العمل بکونه ثنائی اللغة (فارسی-عربی) وبترکیبة مسرحیة متماسکة عبر خمسة فصول رئیسیة، مما یجعله متوافقاً مع معاییر مدرسة بارناس التی ترکز على الکمال الشکلی والجمالیة المادیة.
لکن الدراسة تکشف أن القصیدة تختلف جذریاً عن المبادئ الأساسیة لمدرسة بارناس على مستوى المضمون العمیق. فبینما تتبنى المدرسة البرناسیة شعار الفن لأجل الفن، یستخدم خاقانی أصفهانی الشکل الفنی لخدمة مضامین صوفیة وفلسفیة ودینیة عمیقة. یتجلى ذلک فی ترکیزه على وحدة العقل والعشق، ونقده للانفصال بین العلم والإیمان فی العالم المعاصر، وسعیه لتحقیق التقارب الثقافی.
من أهم نتائج البحث تحلیل کیفیة تحویل الشاعر للشکل إلى أداة للتعبیر عن المحتوى، حیث یعتمد على البنیة المسرحیة والحواریة لطرح أسئلة وجودیة ومعرفیة أساسیة، مخلقاً فضاءً فکریاً وروحیاً بدلاً من الاکتفاء بالوصف المادی. کما یبرز البحث دور الشاعر الفعال کراوٍ ومرشد للنص، من خلال حضوره الواعی کذات شاعرة تمنح العمل بعداً وجودیاً وشخصیاً یختلف عن الحیاد البرناسی.
فی القسم الختامی، تضع الدراسة القصیدة فی سیاقها ضمن التراث الأدبی الفارسی، حیث تمتد جذورها فی تقالید المثنوی التعلیمی الصوفی مع قدرتها على المزج بین الأصالة والابتکار. تقدم القصیدة نموذجاً فریداً لوحدة العقل والعشق فی ضوء التعالیم الدینیة، مما یجعلها مثالاً ناجحاً للدمج بین الشکل والمضمون والأدب والفلسفة.

کلیدواژه‌ها [العربیة]

• حمد خاقانی أصفهانی
• مثنوی العقل والعشق
• البرناسیة
• الشکل والمضمون
• کمال الشکل ورسالة المعنى