A Comparative Study of Sun and Flight as Symbols in the Myth of Icarus, and the Poetry of Attar Neishabouri

Relying on Yung’s theories of collective unconscious, and in the framework of American school of comparative literature, this study is an attempt to compare sun and flight as symbols in different versions of the myth of Icarus in English poetry, with Persian mystical poetry. The authors argue that the Sun and the act of flying in both lyrics are symbolic referrals used by these poets. The findings demonstrate that Icarus is very similar to the lovers described in mystical poetry. He relies on love to reach the sun and thus forgets his body and soul. Although Icarus dies at the end, his death is a new life. In fact, Icarus’s flying toward the sun, like the flying in mystical poetry is an ascent toward the land of immortality, and his achieving the truth reminds us of the union with the beloved that great theosophists like Attar described in their poetry.