The criteria of inimitable simplicity of adjectives in Saadi and Al-Mutanabbi: From Structuralism to Philosophical Hermeneutics

Abstract Saadi’s poetry is famous for its inimitable simplicity of adjectives and such features can be traced in many of Al-Mutanabbi’s poetry. This article attempts to explore these adjectives in some of Saadi’s lyrics embodying wisdom or mysticism and Al-Mutanabbi’s poetry of wisdom and concept. To achieve this aim structuralism and Philosophical hermeneutics representing two opposing perspectives are employed. Hence, examining how the two approaches are applied, the criteria of inimitable simplicity of adjectives are discussed. Through the structuralist approach, the aesthetics are removed in terms of partial and objective aspects and the analysis of the poems enter a dynamic mental space. However, with philosophical hermeneutics approach history, relevance, development, dynamism, meaningfulness of abstract time and metaphysics are seen in the considered poems. They have a dynamic presence in the lyrics. Literary elements such as rhythm, rhyme, imagery are not effective criteria to analyze the inimitable simplicity of adjectives in the poetry of Saadi and Mutabi. The findings signify the philosophical hermeneutics can be considered as the criteria for evaluating such adjectives in the poetry of the two mentioned poems.