Volume 04 Issue 11-2024
34
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
(ISSN
–
2771-2273)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
11
P
AGES
:
34-38
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
ABSTRACT
This article is dedicated to the analysis of the image of the people through the depiction of paradise in Eastern lyric
poetry. Special attention is given to the moral aspect, the theme of inner beauty, love, and talent as reflections of
aesthetic values and their interconnection with the concept of paradise.
KEYWORDS
Hafiz Shirazi, the patterns of ghazal genre, the issues of individuality and the people, earthly hell, heavenly paradise.
INTRODUCTION
The Eastern people represent an aesthetic and
philosophical concept. The particular interest in the
Eastern people has manifested over many centuries,
and each time, researchers discover something new,
previously unexplored, within the texts of literary
works. The manifestations of the spirit of national
character through the category of paradise in the
ghazals of Hafiz Shirazi are especially intriguing. The
poet’s closeness to the people and his life entangled
with their concerns are the central motifs of his work.
The unity of the subject and the object, the kinship of
souls, unites the poet and the reader. There is an
evident emotional compatibility, where Hafiz Shirazi
anticipates the reader's mood, "meets them halfway,"
and achieves unity in thought and life stance.
"Strive in goodness, for sincerity gives birth to the sun,
Research Article
ARTISTIC REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE AND LOVE AS A
REFLECTION OF PARADISE IN THE GHAZALS OF HAFIZ SHIRAZI
Submission Date:
November 02, 2024,
Accepted Date:
November 07, 2024,
Published Date:
November 12, 2024
Crossref doi
https://doi.org/10.37547/ajps/Volume04Issue11-08
Mavlyanova Tamilla Bakhrilloievna
Uzbek-Finnish Pedagogical Institute, Faculty of Languages, Department of Russian Language and Literature,
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Journal
Website:
https://theusajournals.
com/index.php/ajps
Copyright:
Original
content from this work
may be used under the
terms of the creative
commons
attributes
4.0 licence.
Volume 04 Issue 11-2024
35
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
(ISSN
–
2771-2273)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
11
P
AGES
:
34-38
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
And the bright dawn will turn away from the dark evil"
—
this is the poet’s positive life philosophy. In another
case, addressing a wealthy man, he says:
"See the inscription on the radiant arch: 'All that is on
Earth,
Except for good deeds for the benefit of mankind, is
not eternal.'
In the lines of Hafiz Shirazi, one can trace an appeal
directly to the reader. However, for the Eastern lyricist,
the reader is not merely an observer, but a participant
in the poetic act, in the life process that the people live.
One of the primary patterns in Hafiz Shirazi's ghazals is
that the author leaves much to the listener’s
imagination, thereby leaving the ending open, which
allows the reader to make their own conclusion about
the fate of the people. This is one of the unique
methods inherent in the pen of Hafiz Shirazi, making
his ghazals endlessly close to the people, in the sense
that they often lack an ending, leaving the conclusion
to the reader. It is a genuine emotional, lyrical dialogue,
often growing into direct addresses.
Indeed, Hafiz Shirazi frequently reflects on the
intersection of the individual’s issues and those of the
people. He often illustrates how the upheavals within
society reflect upon the destinies of individuals, with
the most prominent and vivid example being his own
life. However, his honesty toward the people amidst
whom the lyrical protagonist lives provides the
foundation for the fulfillment of his fundamental
message:
"And also, I am grateful to my weak hands:
They cannot torment the poor through force."
For himself as a poet, he offers the following self-
assessment:
"He who is revived by love will never die.
To be immortal, it is my destiny until the end of my
days."
These lines cast doubt upon the notion of the "end of
days." If the lyrical protagonist contemplates the
physical end, it refers to existence through poetry, in
which the duration of life is measured by how long his
lines endure. And since these lines are immortal, the
author himself is, in essence, eternal.
The poetic precision and puri
ty of Hafiz Shirazi’s verses
render his poetry irresistible. What is particularly
significant is that each bayt (verse) possesses its own
self-contained world of feelings and is often loosely
connected with other bayts in the same ghazal. In
other words, each bayt is a rhythmically refined and
mathematically precise expression of thought, which,
when considered collectively, reflects a broader idea.
Volume 04 Issue 11-2024
36
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
(ISSN
–
2771-2273)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
11
P
AGES
:
34-38
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
His lines exhibit logical coherence, and his ghazals
possess an encyclopedic breadth.
Here is a key, meaningful thought by Hafiz Shirazi:
"I send you a mirror
–
a poem: look upon the deeds of
the Creator,
Praise, as you gaze upon yourself, the abundance of
divine grace."
God has bestowed upon Hafiz his divine gifts, including
poetic talent, for which the poet is grateful and praises
Him. Poetry, in this sense, serves as a mirror, reflecting
the soul of the poet and the life of the people, the
individual, and reality itself. In the poem, as in a mirror,
everything is reflected: aesthetics, the era, the author,
the issue, the interaction with the people, the poetic
approach to life, the humanistic perception of the
events being illuminated, the education of the reader
through the prism of poetry
—
this is why the author
embodies the highest aesthetic worldview.
Hafiz Shirazi depicts the daily life of the people so
beautifully that he renders it aesthetic, and if not
paradise, then at least gratitude for the ability to live
well. For example, we can refer to the author's
observations: "A man sees better with the heart, not
the mind"
–
this is Eastern wisdom:
"The insight of the heart is a miracle bestowed from
above,
All the tricks of the mind are in vain before it."
The mind and the heart are two great criteria for the
people. Regarding the absence of earthly hell in Haf
iz’s
paradise-like soul, the poet expresses this in the
following line: "In the mirror of the soul, I see nothing
that I have seen in life." The explanation for these lines
lies in the description of Hafiz’s unique soul, which is
naturally shaped by the poetic gift he has received
from above.
Reading the ghazals of Hafiz Shirazi in their original
Persian edition reveals that the lines are composed
harmoniously,
balanced,
with
equality
and
proportionality of the bayts. The ghazals are crafted
with mathematical precision, a difficult feat in poetic
form. The difference between the original Hafiz and
the translations lies in the melodiousness, musicality,
and the richness of meanings in the former.
The lyrical protagonist, who not only represents Hafiz
Shirazi but also the entire Eastern people, is not only
deeply lyrical but also courageous, approaching the
hardships of life with ease. Moreover, it is the people
who strive not only to conceal the flaws of existence
but also to praise the achievements of lived days,
ennobling actions in an attempt to improve life on
Earth
—
this represents the broader context of
describing the Eastern national character.
The people's life can be portrayed with fluctuations,
indicating that, in an indirect sense, it would not have
Volume 04 Issue 11-2024
37
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
(ISSN
–
2771-2273)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
11
P
AGES
:
34-38
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
been difficult for the lyrical protagonist to imagine
earthly hell. Much of this perhaps bears a poetic
parallel to Hafiz Shirazi’s own life. It is known that the
author of these lyrical lines was a court poet and
declaimer, with ample opportunities to live a life of
luxury, without financial worries, while singing the
praises of his ruler and the ruling elite
—
something
typical of that time. However, Hafiz did not deem it
necessary to accumulate such wealth, which indicates
that he was a poet dedicated to his beliefs and views.
Thus, the poet chose a different subject for his
ghazals
—
the artistic portrayal of the people. This was
an Eastern people distinguished by their aesthetic
perfection, living in a world of love and harmonious
relationships.
His poetic mastery in creating paradise is unparalleled:
"Yesterday, when in the earthly paradise the dawn
breeze
Scattered the wreath of her tresses at the will of
passion..."
Hafiz was a devout man and held theological views that
were worthy of debate among his contemporaries:
"I recalled the arch of your eyebrows just before
prayer,
And groaned, forgetting all my prayers at once."
It required great courage in medieval Iran to even
contemplate, let alone write such lines, placing earthly
love for a woman above the heavenly love for God
(which corresponds to the time of prayer). Hafiz was
an advocate for breaking the old order, which no
longer satisfied the people who longed for a new life:
"Come! Let us fill the cup with crimson nectar,
We will break the old arch of heaven and build a new
one in its place!"
In his verses, one can also detect a rebellious spirit. For
instance, in one of his ghazals, he contrasts his beloved
with the prophet Joseph, a bold artistic move that not
every poet would dare to make:
"You are as beautiful as Joseph!
–
claims all of Shiraz.
People lie
–
I am convinced: you are a hundred times
more beautiful!"
These lines may not be seen as disrespecting the
prophet but rather as an exaltation of earthly love.
The poet holds his beloved in the highest regard, thus
not hiding the fact that:
"I would not trade your street for eight paradisiacal
pavilions,
Freed from both worlds, by your love I am great." The
poet emphasizes that love frees the people from the
burdens of both worlds.
Volume 04 Issue 11-2024
38
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
(ISSN
–
2771-2273)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
11
P
AGES
:
34-38
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
A very high, idealized assessment of the beloved is
found in this bayt:
"At the threshold, the dust of the moon-faced is dearer
to me than the gardens of paradise,
I would give up all the houris for it, and all the palaces
as well."
Given that hur (or houri) refers to a heavenly being or
angel, it can be concluded that the poet offers a very
lofty, truly poetic evaluation of his moon-faced lover.
This sentiment is continued by Hafiz in other ghazals.
Here is an example of his preference for earthly
paradise over the heavenly one.
The description of rainbow-colored imagery, bright
hues, flowers, and gardens is elemental in the
depiction of the concept of paradise and the artistic
portra
yal of the people and love. The poet’s
craftsmanship is revealed through his portrayal of the
material world, shaped by essences manifested by the
masses, the people, as well as the image of the people
as a representation of their culture and views,
expressed in the melody of sound and the softness of
the depiction. Hafiz Shirazi recreates the earthly
paradise of the common people, who seek truth and
inner peace in the paradise they have created
themselves.
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2.
Ahmad ibn az-Zabidi. Al-Jami as-Sahih. Clear
Presentation of the Hadiths from the "Sahih
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3.
A'loxon Afsohzod. Rindiyolamsuz. Dushanbe, 1972:
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4.
Braginsky I. S. 12 Miniatures: From Rudaki to Jami.
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5.
Dunaevsky B. The Poetry of Hafiz // Shams-eddin
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Braginsky // Stars of Poetry: Rudaki, Ferdowsi,
Hafiz, and others. Dushanbe, Irfon, 1976;
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Rumi Jalal ad-Din Muhammad. Masnavi-yi Ma'navi
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Petersburg: Petersburg Oriental Studies, 2007.
