bilig-32 / Winter 2005

“Fruit” and “Grape” Symbols in The Works of Mevlâna Celâleddin Rûmî

Dr. R. Bahar AKARPINAR

Abstract: Religious-mystic literature texts reflecting the emotions, thoughts, assumptions, moods and patterns of belief and guiding sufısm are the ways of expression of sufi psychology. This literary tradition which comprises one dimension of sufi culture provides significant data on the process of formation, development, expansion and reconstruction of sufi notions in different settings through various interactions. The texts are very rich in symbols, whiche require a detailed analysis in terms of the period, approach, cultural setting in which they are produced and used, and the poets or authors who have matured and generated works in various sufi settings.

In this study, fruit and grape sembols in the Mesnevî and Rubaiyyât of Mevlâna Celâleddin Rûmî, who has been granted with the attribute of “leader of faith” in the XIII. century Anatolia due to his universal approach stemming from his multi-faceted sufı understanding wıll be analysed.