A comparative analysis of the mythological concept of ring as a symbol and its reflection in a story of Iqbal-Nameh by Nizami

AbstractSymbolism is among the most used literary devices to represent and evoke layers of meaning. From ancient times, artists and rhetoricians have utilized the applied capacity of symbols to infuse their works with further appeal. As a prominent Persian poet, Nizami Ganjavi has used symbolic language in his works, particularly Panj Ganj [Five Treasures] (also known as Khamsa). His symbolism is influenced by his knowledge of the prevailing intellectual, philosophical, cultural, and mystical traditions of his time, rooted in various sources. With a long history in ancient civilizations and cultures, the ring is one of the symbols used in Nizami’s works. Historically and according to ancient beliefs, ring symbolizes kingdom, divinity, immortality and power. The result of the present study indicates that the ancient and mythological believes about the symbol of a ring are in conformity with this symbol in The Ring and the Shepherd anecdote in Nezami's Eghbal Nameh. In this anecdote, the ring is a code of superior power and all of the other symbolic elements as the shepherd, the cane and the spell reinforce the symbolic meaning of the ring.