The Special Birds in Ali Shir Nawāyī’s Turkic Divans

Abstract

In XV. century, Ali Shir Nawāyī who was the touchstone poet of Chagatai literature applied to delicacy philosophy of sufism for discovering the existence and meaning in inner journey of person in his poems in Turkic divans. As he dealed with his philosophical ideas about the human life in his poems, he displayed a different expression in mystic and literary meaning by some special bird names. In addition, it is seen that Nevȃyî gave place to special bird names in his couplets with a metaphorical use. This article consists of two part. In the first part of this article, a brief knowledge about metaphor was given. In thehe second part of this article, special birds that mentioned in couplets in the Nawāyī’s Turkic divans was shown. It is seen that some concepts in the couplets with special bird names are formed in connection with some mystical concepts and some verses in the Qur’an. The bond established by these special birds shaped Nawāyī’s bird world. This special birds that shaped Nawāyī’s bird world was envisioned like a guide to humanity. These special birds are both like a disciple and a guide in the spiritual journey. Some of special birds in Turkic divans are seen like thirty birds on a spiritual journey to accompany in the Nawāyī’s work “Lisān al-Tayr”. Also, the relationship and different aspects of some special birds in the Turkic divans.and the birds given in the Nawāyī’s work “Lisān al-Tayr” will be emphasized.

Keywords

• ali shir nawayi
• chaghatay literature
• birds
• turkic divan
• sufism