Similar thems in rudaki and hafizs poems

Contrastive Literature is an important and invaluable branch of evaluating prominent works in a certain language which can uncover the source of literary types or genres as well as themes of a language’s written heritage whether in the form of poetry or prose. It can also manifest the influence on and from poetry types or similarities in the lines of thought both in the content and form. Research on Hafiz and investigation of similarities in the themes of Hafiz and his contemporary poets has a long history.
For many years, researchers have written and conducted studies on Hafiz. In contrastive studies, the researcher investigates the themes of similarities of thought between the creators of poetry and prose from their birth to their growth.  Such literary studies, which are based on influencing and being influenced or similarity of thought, and in which the researcher aims to dig out different poets and writers’ adaptations of and loans from each other, or tries to investigate the frequency of the common themes and patterns of thought, have a long history and can easily be found in rhetorical texts, translated works, and literary criticism.

The present study was an attempt to investigate the similarities of thought in Rudaki and Hafiz taking a descriptive-analytical method. The analyses have been organized based on comparison and evaluation of the poems of the two poets taking into consideration the similar themes of thought.

 Discussion:

Apparently and compared to the present time, Hafiz had a ready access to Rudaki’s sonnets and the written heritage of the Samanids.  The sonnets of Hafiz are an image of the Persian literary heritage. Themes and concepts of the early great Persian poets can easily be traced in this magnificent thesaurus.  Thanks to his prodigious memory and genius in poetry, Hafiz created a collection, based on the form and content of the old Persian poetry including sonnets and other literary genres, which represents the magnificent architecture using Persian material. 
Considering the permanent presence and influence of Rudaki in and on the minds of the different poets from his time to the present, it seems that, with his precision and meticulousness in choosing themes and ideas for his sonnets, Hafiz enjoyed single elements (like certain words), clauses (such as adjectival clauses), images and concepts of Rudaki. Critics and experts have usually touched upon the influence of Rudaki on Hafiz and the similarity of themes between the poems of the two.  Rudaki and Hafiz have a lot in common considering their personality traits and manners as well as poetical interests and viewpoints toward the universe and its elements.  Both poets know the ins and outs of Persian poetry and its interrelationship with music. Their poems are missionary works done out of their pleasant disposition. Based on the very few poems left from Rudaki, and regarding Hifiz’s sonnets, some major topics were investigated in them. The first topic in common is the frequency of use in similar clauses, which is usually accompanied by the ‘worship of wine’ and its rituals. Throughout his poems, Hafiz reflected the old tradition of wine worshiping, festivity, and joyance and thus can be regarded as being in the same line with Rudaki.
Describing the countenance of the beloved is particularly outstanding in the poems of Rudaki and Hafiz. Picturing the spring season is another common theme. Rudaki and Hafiz would also perceive destiny through wisdom and principle. The frequency of common register in Rudaki and Hafiz’s poems is a reflection of their similarity and common ideology toward life with its ups and downs.  In the next step, the present study has analyzed the meter and lateral music in Rudaki and Hafiz’s poems with the themes of picturing spring and the beloved and the beauties of the nature.

The findings of the analyses represent the fact that the legacy of the sonnets of Rudaki and his contemporary poets of the Samanids was so rich and enduring that Hafiz could not be indifferent to them. It merits remarking that Rudaki and Hafiz knew the tricks of the trade regarding Persian music and had pleasant singing voices which helped them pay a lot of attention to the form and content of the poems they would compose.
The present paper also investigated the common concepts and ideas in Rudaki and Hafiz’s poems. One of these concepts was music.  As mentioned earlier, both of the poets knew the ins and out of the Persian music and had pleasant singing voices. This, together with their fluency in poetry and choosing appropriate meter, helped them compose enduring poems and sonnets. The frequency of musical terminology in their poems is another affinity between the two poets.
Delicate fragrance is another common element in their poems. As a matter of fact, the two poets, with their keen sense of smell, paid a lot of attention to various scents and intelligently saw, heard, and smelled elements of the universe. Because of their meticulous attention to the beauties of nature, Rudaki and Hafiz can be regarded as nature worshipers and lovers of the beauties of the universe.
Seizing opportunities and savoring the transient moments of life is another quality the two poets share.  Based on the ephemeral nature of life, Rudaki and Hafiz viewed the basis of universe as legendary and evanescent and invited all to enjoy and savor the life in a great number of their poems.   
It seems that anti-asceticism and hypocrisy were also reflected in Rudaki’s lost poems. Conclusion can be drawn from the few remaining poems of Rudaki and comparing them with those of Hafiz that they insisted on worship of life and truth and abstinence from asceticism and hypocrisy. 
Self-applause is another salient feature in Rudaki and Hafiz’s poems. The two poets acknowledge their own true art. They eulogize their own poems which is not a mere gesture or exaggeration toward a person or thing; it rather is eulogizing the art. The eulogy, here, is about the poem, pleasant rhythm, coherence of speech, and disposition.