The Symbol of the Cave in the Poems of Manouchehr Atashi; A Comparative-Mythological Study Based on the Mircea Eliade's Views

The comparative-mythological study of the cave, as an ancient symbol, can reveal some unknown aspects of the functions of this symbol, and also, it makes it possible to understand more precisely why this symbol is used. By using the analytical-comparative method and the mythological approach to cave and its functions in various texts, the authors of present article have tried to achieve a comprehensive classification of the cave images. Based on this classification, four functions have been defined for the symbol as follows: 1. the womb of the Land-Mother; 2. the inner world and unconscious; 3. the symbolic role of the initiation ritual; 4. the world. According to these definitions, the mythological representations of the cave in the poems of Manouchehr Atashi have been considered. The study of the symbol in Persian modernist poetry, including the poems of Atashi, on the one hand shows the extent of the influence of mythological thinking in the mind of modern man, and on the other hand, it can reveal the most frequent functions of the symbol in the poetry of this modern Persian poet. An examination of Manouchehr Atashi's poetry shows that the symbolic functions of the cave, which are related to ‘the inner world and unconscious’ as well as ‘renaissance and modernity’, can be seen in his poems with greater frequency.