Agency of the Self and the Uncertain Nature of the Beloved in Persian Love Mysticism: Earthly, Ethereal, Masculine, or Feminine?
Teosofi May 11, 2022 Mahdieh Vali-Zadeh 1 citation
Persian classical mystic poetry's beloved is neither purely earthly nor purely celestial; an essentialist reading creates problems. The article explores the beloved through historical, philosophical, translational, linguistic, and developmental approaches. It concludes that the poetry embodies a spirit of uncertainty with purpose: the poet manifests personal agency by choosing an object of desire without explicit revelation, thereby living a life of choice free from religious fundamentalism's threats.