Mahmoud Fotoohi,
Volume 2, Issue 5 (5-2005)
Abstract
The similarities between Moulana's (Roumi) poetic style and Surrealism have been widely studied for many years. After reviewing the relevant literature, this paper revisits the topic more intensively and cites some supporting arguments to that claim. To this end, the similarities between the above styles are discussed from two perspectives. First, the similarities between Moulana's views concerning poetry are compared against those of the manifesto of surrealism. In the second part, the distinctive features of surrealist imagery in Moulana's poetry are portrayed. Then, it can be convincingly argued that what Andre Brereton and his contemporaries (1924 -1930) presented about madness and self-directed writing, marvelous phenomenon, the spark nature of poetic discourse, etc. in their poetic manifesto in Paris had indeed been experienced and realized in poetry by the great Persian Poet Moulana Jalal Ol Deen Mohammad Moulavi (604 – 672 A.H.) as early as eight centuries ago.
