Poets of Mysticism: Jalal ud-Din Rumi & William Blake: A Comparative and Contrastive Analysis

A comparative analysis of the mystical poetry of 13th-century Persian poet Rumi and 18th-century English poet William Blake reveals both shared themes and distinct differences. Both poets engage deeply with the transcendent, exploring divine love, human transformation, and the connection between material and spiritual realms. Their poetry encourages readers to seek higher truths beyond the physical world. Despite coming from different cultural, philosophical, and theological backgrounds, their mysticism is expressed through their poetry. The study highlights similarities in themes and styles while noting differences arising from their distinct traditions.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the similarities and differences between the mystical poetry of Jalal ud-Din Rumi, a Persian poet who lived in the 13th century, and William Blake, an English poet who lived in the 18th century. The focus will be on their respective approaches to mysticism and spirituality, as well as their common themes of divine love, human transformation, and the connection between the material and spiritual realms. Their poetic expressions of mysticism reflect a profound engagement with the transcendent, and they encourage readers to seek higher truths beyond the confines of the physical world. Despite the fact that both poets come from different cultures, their mysticism is in their poetry. The purpose of this comparative study is to highlight the similarities between them in terms of their themes and styles, as well as the differences that stem from their distinct philosophical and theological backgrounds.