A Comparative Study of Allegory and Its Functions in the Poetry of Mirza Habib Khorasani and Rahi Mo‘ayyeri

Abstract

The present study conducts a comparative examination of allegory and its functions in the poetry of Mirza Habib Khorasani and Rahi Mo‘ayyeri. It seeks to identify the various types of allegory and investigate the similarities and differences between the two poets’ allegorical techniques in terms of structure, imagery, and the communication of ideas. This fundamental research was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method. The data were collected through library research and systematic note-taking from the collected poems of the two poets. The findings indicate that allegory in Mirza Habib Khorasani’s poetry is predominantly constructed through compound similes in which intelligible concepts are likened to sensible images. Its two principal functions are imagistic allegory and ideational allegory. By employing Qur’anic figures, religious symbols, and mystical elements, he allegorically represents concepts such as reason, love, the soul, and wisdom. In contrast, Rahi Mo‘ayyeri primarily exploits the rhetorical capacities of the equational style. Through natural elements and romantic experiences, he not only creates poetic images but also expresses ethical, humanistic, and emotional ideas. The results demonstrate that, although both poets employ allegory to concretize abstract concepts, differences in their worldviews and modes of expression have produced two distinct patterns of allegorical composition. In Mirza Habib Khorasani’s poetry, allegory mainly serves a mystical and idea-oriented function, whereas in Rahi Mo‘ayyeri’s poetry, the equational style constitutes the principal mode of allegorical expression and provides a framework for integrating imagery and thought.