A Comparative Analysis of the Art of Imagery through Metaphor in the Poetry of Khayyam and Abu al-Ala al-Ma’arri

Abstract

Hakim Omar Khayyam and Abu al-Ala al-Ma’arri, two eminent poet-philosophers of the Islamic world, despite their profound intellectual commonalities in skepticism, rationalism, and critique of conventional beliefs, arrived at two entirely contrasting worldviews. Khayyam inclined toward hedonism and the enjoyment of the moment, whereas al-Ma’arri chose absolute pessimism and extreme asceticism. This contrast provides a unique framework for examining how philosophy manifests in verbal art. The main objective of this study, beyond a superficial comparison, is to conduct a comparative and structural analysis of the art of imagery through metaphor in the poetry of these two thinkers. The article seeks to answer the question of how Khayyam’s hedonistic worldview and al-Ma’arri’s pessimistic worldview, respectively, led to the creation of two distinct sets of artistic images and metaphors, and how these images became the principal tools of their philosophical reflection. The research method is descriptive–analytical with a comparative approach. Accordingly, the theoretical foundations related to imagery and metaphor are first defined. Then, through qualitative content analysis of Khayyam’s Rubaiyat and al-Ma’arri’s Luzumiyyat, the central metaphors of each poet are identified and categorized. In the final step, these metaphorical systems are examined separately and then comparatively to reveal their similarities and differences in reflecting the poets’ philosophical thought. The findings indicate that the metaphorical imagery of each poet serves as a direct reflection and a vehicle for the realization of his worldview. Khayyam employs sensory and tangible metaphors (e.g., the jug, wine, grass) to emphasize the value of material life and the necessity of immediate joy. In contrast, al-Ma’arri uses abstract and caustic metaphors (e.g., the body as a prison, the world as carrion) to logically affirm the evil of existence and the necessity of abstaining from it. Ultimately, for both poets, imagery is not merely a literary ornament but a philosophical act in confronting the enigma of existence.