Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Ali Najafi ¹
• Mohammad Paknahad ²
• hosein jafari ³

¹ Member of the Faculty of Language and Literature Department, Farhangian University, Hamadan Province

² Faculty member of the Department of Language and Literature, Farhangian University

³ Master's degree in Persian Language and Literature Education, Hamadan University of Education

Abstract

The conceptualization of the “heart” in Persian ghazals—particularly in the works of mystical poets—constitutes one of the most fundamental elements of language and thought. This study adopts a comparative approach to examine the ghazals of Attar of Nishapur and Hafez of Shiraz, identifying the metaphorical network of the heart across six primary domains: the heart as a physical object, a place, a living being, an abstract entity, a body part, and a bearer of external attributes. Within each domain, subcategories and diverse images of the heart are extracted and analyzed through selected verses from both poets. Findings reveal that while both poets employ a shared repertoire of metaphors, their approaches diverge significantly. Attar predominantly portrays the heart as a mirror reflecting divine truth, a vessel for divine love, and a companion to the seeker on the mystical path. In contrast, Hafez, drawing on similar imagery, envisions the heart as a multilayered arena where love, spiritual rebellion, social pain, and the interplay of reason and emotion converge. In other words, the heart in Attar’s poetry serves primarily as a conduit to transcendental truth, whereas in Hafez’s verse, it emerges as a battlefield of conflicting human experiences. This comparison suggests that although both poets belong to the Persian mystical and romantic tradition, their perspectives on the heart reflect fundamental differences in worldview and lived experience. Such an analysis offers fresh insight into the function of conceptual metaphors and mystical symbols in Persian ghazal poetry.

Keywords

• : Conceptual metaphor
• comparative analysis
• Hafez Shirazi
• mystical poetry
• Attar Neyshaburi
• conceptualization of the heart