Finding Meaning in Meaninglessness: Comparative Reflections on Rumi and Kafka’s Literary Thoughts
International Journal of Literature Studies December 18, 2024 Dr. Zubaida Nusrat, Adibah Binti, Abdul Rahim
Two literary figures from different eras and traditions—the 13th-century Persian poet Rumi and the 20th-century modernist author Franz Kafka—both address the challenge of finding significance in a meaningless reality. Rumi, grounded in Islamic mysticism, emphasizes moving beyond the ego to achieve unity with the divine as the path to true purpose. Kafka, marked by Judaic esotericism and existential dread, portrays the profound alienation and anxiety of searching for meaning in an indifferent world. Despite Rumi's spiritual optimism and Kafka's bleak view, both offer essential insights into the human condition and the experience of seeking meaning amid spiritual and existential crises arising from modernity.