Nature and Mystical Identity

In their journey on this earth, humans always search for a centre to hold on to. The journey is sometimes inward and other times outward. Direction does not matter as long as the eye, and the heart, are set on the destination; the Absolute. This thesis demonstrates three kinds of the Absolute and three different ways of approaching them. Farid Ud-Din Attar, Kate Chopin and Theodore Roethke take different roads to reach their Absolute. Similarities among the three works tackled in this thesis are represented by the role of nature in the spiritual journey to attain a mystical identity, and by having an ultimate goal of the journey called the Absolute . On the other hand, differences are represented by the different definitions of the Absolute that the three authors offer. This thesis also presents different notions like annihilation, unity and illumination that the passengers in the three mystical journeys encounter. The author of this thesis maintains that literature allows us to envision a kind of Absolute, whether as God, Identity or the Divine. Finally, the author leaves the reader a gift question: What is your Absolute?

Autorentext

Mayada Al Shereef is an Egyptian young author. She holds a Master of Arts degree in English and Comparative Literature from the American University in Cairo. Mayada published poems and articles in Egypt and Canada, and is part of the Pen Templar Pilots cultural group. She works as a market researcher in a leading multinational company.