Mihr ü Mah: |a mathnawi of Mustafa Âli

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to study Mihr ü Mah, a mathnawi, which is one of the works of the prominent historian and poet of the sixteenth century, Mustafa Ali. Ali who was born on 25 April 1541 in Galipolli and died on 18 November 1599 in Jedda, wrote about fifty works on historical, literary and other subjects. Mihr ü Mah which has been transcribed in this thesis, is the first work he wrote under the cognomen Ali. In Turkish Literature there are two other mathnawis of the same name written by the poets Zarifi and Klyasi. In these mathnawis which basically relate love stories, it is possible to observe the use made of the anonymous Mihr ü Mah Story as found in Persian Literature. What distinguishes Ali's Mihr ü Mah from the rest is his emphasis on spiritual and metaphysical elements. Instead of concrete characters he uses personnages with symbolic overtones and instead of, describing earthly love, his versification is imbued with mystic passion.