Analysis of the story of the Lion and the Nakhchiran from the Masnavi Manawi based on the psychoanalytic theory of Jacques Lacan

Subject Areas : journal of literary criticism and stylistics research

Zahra Bagheri ¹ , Latifeh Salamat Baveel ² , Ali Reza Salehi ³

1 - Student of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Foreign Languages, Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran
2 - Assistant Professor, Department of Art Research, Faculty of Art and Architecture,Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.
3 - Member of the Faculty of Persian Language and Literature, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2025-05-12 Accepted : 2025-08-24 Published : 2025-09-08

Keywords: The Lion and the Nakhchiran, Lacan, the Spiritual Mathnavi, Rumi, psychoanalytic criticism.,

Abstract :

The story of the Lion and Nakhjiran in the spiritual Masnavi is a symbolic tale of man's inner struggle and search for identity. Inspired by Lacan's psychoanalytic theories, this research opens a new window to the analysis of this story. The aim of this research is to discover the hidden layers of the characters and decipher their complex interactions. The Lion, the embodiment of pride and totalitarianism, is trapped in his own mirror and struggles with an identity crisis. In contrast, Nakhjiran, as a symbol of another object, is a stimulus that leads the Lion to confront loss and limitations. The lack of a symbolic dimension or the name of the father in the character of the Lion leads to a confusion in his understanding of reality and fantasy, and ultimately, determines the collapse of his psyche. In addition, Lacan's concept of reality, as an element that challenges fantasies, plays a key role in this story. In this article, the author examines the story of the Lion and the Nakhjiran with a descriptive-analytical approach and through a library study. The main goal is to present a psychoanalytic analysis based on Lacanian concepts in order to gain a deeper understanding of this psychological theory and its application in literature. This research reveals the importance of literature as a powerful tool for discovering and understanding the human unconscious and its psychological complexities. The story in question, by challenging fantasies and imaginations, plays a central role in this analysis and acts as a key element in understanding Lacanian concepts.

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