Mystical experience as revealed in jalaludin rumi`s poems : ``The tavern`` and ``How very close`` - USD Repository

  

MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE AS REVEALED IN JALALUDDIN

RUMI’S POEMS:

“THE TAVERN” AND “HOW VERY CLOSE”

A THESIS

  Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

  

By:

Intika Putri Widiarti

Student Number: 031214142

  

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2008

  

MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE AS REVEALED IN JALALUDDIN

RUMI’S POEMS:

“THE TAVERN” AND “HOW VERY CLOSE”

A Thesis

  Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements Sarjana Pendidikan Degree to Obtain the in English Language Education

  

By:

Intika Putri Widiarti

Student Number: 031214142

  

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

  

T h i s t h e s i s i s d e d i c a t e d t o

T h i s t h e s i s i s d e d i c a t e d t o

  

S u m a C h i n g H a i ,

S u m a C h i n g H a i ,

  

D a d , M o m , a s w e l l a s m y

D a d , M o m , a s w e l l a s m y

t w o l i t t l e S i s t e r s .

t w o l i t t l e S i s t e r s .

  

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  First of all I would like to express my thank to the Almighty God. He is not only the one who saves me, but He is a loyal and great companion. He gives me strength, He stays on my side, and gives me tremendous bless that I can stand up once again and again. He helpful hands support me that I can finally finish this thesis.

  I would like to express my high appreciation to my major sponsor Dr. Wigati

  

Yektiningtyas Modouw, M.Hum., for her patient, understanding and her motivating

  guidance in helping me finish this thesis. I will not forget those great moments we share together. My deepest gratitude also goes to my co-sponsor Henny Herawati,

  

S.Pd., M.Hum. She assists me on my every page of this thesis. She is unbelievably

  efficient and critical although she has a very little time. I am honored to be one of her students.

  I would also like to express my great thanks to all lecturers for their great contribution in my development, their honest and critical sharing and unforgettable memories. I would like to express my thanks to all staff in the secretariat, especially Mbak Tari and Mbak Dani supporting me since the first semester until now.

  My special thanks go to my father Ir. Kunto Prayogo. He is my hero and my idol since I was a little girl until now and forever. He is my everything. He supports me with his endless love, continuous assistance and enriches me with his encouraging wisdom. I learn about respect for individual difference from him. My special thanks also go to my beautiful mother Sri Ratna Hardiati, who has become caring. To my lovely sisters Dita and Lila who has become little angels in the house. No one can make me as happy, as sad, as proud, as angry, as confuse as they do.

  My sincere thanks go to my best friends, Bunga Ajeng and her family,

  

Timur Pamenang (Timmy), Fendi, Sharylin Childers (riil). I found precious

  friendship, honesty, and respect and share the greatest feeling of friendship with them. For all my ‘children’ gorgeous cats whom I love so much, Tukul

  

(kungkung), Rio (yoyoh), eta’ and all her kitties, Hj. Maria chiripa and all her

kitties, cindy and all her kitties, lusi, ruben (ubeng), iteng, and mas lilo.

  I also thank to my precious friends of PBI: Bunga, Dera, Timur, Debby,

  

Helen, Winny, Fendi, Ellen and mas moi, mbak Desty, Bertha, Cipox, Rinto

Dudung, Dudy, Andre 98, Andre 02 and others for the greatest support. Also, my

friends Sharylin Childers, Mbak Citra, Mas Adi, Mbak Ayu, Eric Manning,

Jenny Hayes, Mas Hari, MD, Mas Indra, Mas Alex, Mbak Marina, Yobie

Rukanda as well as my family Mas Adit, Mbak Leni, Mbak Ivy, Papa and

Mama Raharjo Yudhono, Bupoh Dien, Ajeng Hayu, Bude Anik, Bude Arum,

Mbak Yurni, and others whom I could not mention one by one here.

  In addition, I give my best appreciation and compliment to Suma Ching Hai, Eyang Jimat as well Kuinjabihari who have always guided me in enduring my journey of life, released my pain as well as giving the enlightment, freedom and wisdom both for me and for all the living things in this world.

  My great appreciation, finally, goes to my greatest man, Yogi Priandhika. Thanks for supporting words, inspiring encouragement, and greatest love. He is

  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  6 2.2 Reviews on Religious Ground and Sufism................................................

  21 2.5 Theoretical Framework………………………………………………....

  20 2.4 Criticism...................................................................................................

  17 2.3.2 The Work…………………………………...……………………...

  17 2.3.1 The Life……………………...……………………………………..

  14 2.3 The Life and the Work of Jalaluddin Rumi………………......................

  2.2.2 Sufism………………………………………………………………

  11

  11 2.2.1 Religious Ground..............................................................................

  6 2.1 Theoretical Review....................................................................................

  TITLE PAGE……............................................................................................... i PAGE OF APPROVAL…................................................................................... ii PAGE OF ACCEPTANCE………...................................................................... iii STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY....................................................

  5 CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE..............................

  5 1.5 Definition of the Terms..............................................................................

  4 1.4 Benefits of the Study..................................................................................

  4 1.3 Problem Formulation.................................................................................

  1 1.2 Objectives of the Study..............................................................................

  1 1.1 Background of the Study............................................................................

  

ABSTRAK …………………………………………………………………...….. xiii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION…...................................................................

  STATEMENT OF PUBLICITY……………………………………………….. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS…................................................................................ vii TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………….……… ix ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………..….….. xii

  PAGE OF DEDICATION.................................................................................... iv v

  23

  CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY...................................................................

  24 3.1 Subject Matter..........................................................................................

  24 3.1.1 “The Tavern”……………………………………………………...

  24 3.1.2 “How Very Close”………………………………………………...

  25 3.2 Approach..................................................................................................

  27 3.3 Procedures……………………................................................................

  28 CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS................................................................................

  30

  4.1 The Explication of Jalaluddin Rumi’s Poems “The Tavern” and “How Very Close”….........................................................................................

  31 4.1.1 The Tavern…………………….….………………………………..

  32 4.1.2 How Very Close………………………………..……………..........

  37

  4.2 Mystical Experience Represented in Jalaluddin Rumi’s Poems “The Tavern” and “How Very Close”……………………………………….

  44 4.2.1 Bondageless………………………………………………………...

  44 4.2.2 Transcendent Love………….……………………………………...

  54 CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION.....................................

  72 5.1 Conclusion…………………………...………………………………….

  72 5.2 Suggestion……….……………………………………………………...

  73 5.2.1 Suggestion for the Further Researchers…………………...……….

  73 5.2.2 The Implementation of Teaching Poetry…………………………...

  74

  5.2.2.1 The Importance of Applying Biographical Background to Analyze Rumi’s poems in Teaching Poetry…...……………………...………………….

  74

  5.2.2.2 The Implementation of Teaching Rumi’s Poems by Applying Author’s Biographical Background………………...…………………………….......

  76 BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………………

  78 APPENDICES…………………………………………………………………..

  81

  Appendix 2 Jalaluddin Rumi’s Biography………………………………..........

  84 Appendix 3 Jalaluddin Rumi’s Picture……………………………………........

  87

  th Appendix 4 The Middle East Map 13 Century……………………………….

  88 The Ottoman Empire’s Map……………………………………….

  89 The Middle East Map……………………………………………..

  90 Appendix 5 Lesson Plan………………………………………………………..

  91 Appendix 6 Short Description about Poetry I………………………………….

  94 Appendix 7 Interview Transcription with Kuinjabihari.......................................

  95

  

ABSTRACT

  Widiarti, Intika Putri (2008). Mystical Experience as Revealed in Jalaluddin Rumi’s

  

Poems: “The Tavern” and “How Very Close”. Thesis. Yogyakarta: English

Language Education Study Program Sanata Dharma University.

  This thesis discussed and analyzed “The Tavern” and “How Very Close” (2004), two poems written by Jalaluddin Rumi. This thesis explored the concept of true happiness through mystical experience offered by Jalaluddin Rumi which was manifested into both poems. It was interesting to discuss mystical experience because it offered the values we could learn.

  This thesis presented two main questions: 1.What does Jalaluddin Rumi say in his poems “The Tavern” and “How Very Close”? 2. How is mystical experience represented in “The Tavern” and “How Very Close”? This thesis is aimed to answer the problems mentioned.

  The writer applied Structural-Semiotics approach by Julia Kristeva to answer the questions. To answer the first question, Structural approach was employed to get the meaning in the intrinsic level. The analysis of the intrinsic level was based on the elements of the poems in a text level which were seen from language, namely words, prosodic features, and the interpretation of the words written in the poems. Thus, the use of dictionary was essential. The second question employed Semiotics approach to explore the extrinsic level of the poems. To construct the meaning in extrinsic level, it needed information from the contextual background which were seen from religious ground, Sufism, Jalaluddin Rumi’s biographical background as well as the information suggested by spiritual practitioner. This information was employed as the supporting information in understanding the essence of the poems.

  The findings of this thesis are, furthermore, two imperative messages that Rumi wishes to convey through both of the poems. The first finding in intrinsic level of the poem “The Tavern” refers to the finding of the author’s self identity while “How Very Close” refers to the intimacy of the author’s beloved. This finding directs to the same point of Rumi’s spiritual Journey. The second finding in extrinsic level, pointing to the same similarities, namely: ‘bondageless’ and ‘transcendent love’ as the mystical phase of Jalaluddin Rumi. To this point, the phase refers to his primary life reflection of his spiritual journey which enables him to attain higher level of spiritual understanding.

  For future researchers, the writer suggests to analyze further influence of mystical experience toward humans’ mode of vision about life, especially the intention to find the difference of one’s psychological attitudes building before experiencing mystical experience and that of after it. It is imperative to see one’s motivational background which changes his or her point of view toward this life so that one may have some particular opinions about the essence of life.

  

ABSTRAK

  Widiarti, Intika Putri (2008). Mystical Experience as Revealed in Jalaluddin

  

Rumi’s Poems: “The Tavern” and “How Very Close”. Thesis. Yogyakarta:

Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Universitas Sanata Dharma.

  Skripsi ini menganalisis dan membahas puisi berjudul “The Tavern” and” How Very Close” (2004) yang ditulis oleh Jalaluddin Rumi. Skripsi ini menggali konsep dari kebahagiaan sejati melalui pengalaman spiritual yang ditawarkan oleh Jalaluddin Rumi yang termanifestasikan kedalam kedua puisinya. Pengalaman spiritual merupakan suatu hal yang menarik untuk dibicarakan karena hal ini menawarkan nilai-nilai yang dapat kita pelajari.

  Skripsi ini mengajukan dua pertanyaan utama: 1. Apakah yang Jalaluddin Rumi katakan dalam puisinya yang berjudul “The Tavern” and “How Very Close”?

  2. Bagaimanakah pengalaman spiritual yang direpresentasikan di dalam “The Tavern” and “How Very Close”? Skripsi ini bertujuan untuk menjawab dua pertanyaan yang telah disebutkan.

  Penulis menggunakan pendekatan Structural-Semiotics dari Julia Kristeva untuk menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang telah disebutkan diatas. Untuk menjawab pertanyaan pertama, pendekatan Struktural digunakan untuk mendapatkan arti dalam lapisan intrinsik. Analisis dari lapisan intrinsik ini berdasarkan element- element dari puisi dalam level teks yang dilihat dari segi bahasa, element prosodik, dan interpretasi dari kata-kata yang terdapat didalam puisi-puisi tersebut. Oleh karena itu, penggunaan kamus sangatlah penting. Pertanyaan kedua t pendekatan Semiotik untuk menggali lapisan ekstrinsik dari puisi-puisi tersebut. Untuk membangun interpretasi lapisan ekstrinsik, dibutuhkan informasi dari latarbelakang kontekstual yang dilihat dari dasar religius, Sufi, latar belakang Jalaluddin Rumi, dan informasi yang diperoleh dari praktsi spiritual. Informasi-informasi ini digunakan sebagai informasi pendukung untuk mengerti esensi dari puisi-puisi tersebut.

  Hasil dari studi ini adalah dua pesan yang sangatlah penting yang ingin disampaikan Rumi melalui kedua puisinya. Hasil pertama dalam lapisan intrinsik dari puisi “The Tavern” menunjuk pada penemuan identitas diri sang pengarang sedangkan “How Very Close” menunjuk pada hubungan yang sangat intim sang pengarang dengan kekasihnya. Hasil ini menuju titik yang sama yaitu perjalanan spiritual Rumi. Hasil penemuan kedua dalam lapisan ektrinsik menunjuk pada inti yang sama yaitu “bondageless” dan “transcendent love” sebagai suatu fase perkembangan kehidupan mistik Jalaluddin Rumi. Pada titik ini, fase ini menunjuk pada refleksi kehidupan yang terpenting dari perjalanan spiritualnya yang memudahkan Rumi mencapai tahap pengertian spiritual yang lebih tinggi.

  Untuk para peneliti selanjutnya, penulis menyarankan untuk menganalisis pengaruh lebih jauh dari pengalaman spiritual terhadap cara pandang manusia tentang hidup, dengan kata lain, analisis ini bertujuan untuk mencari perbedaan dari perkembangan sikap-sikap psikologis seseorang sebelum mengalami pengalaman spiritual dan sesudah mengalaminya. Hal ini sangat penting untuk melihat latar

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This chapter is divided into five sections. The first section is Background of

  the Study. It deals with the reasons for choosing mystical experience as the main concern of the study. The second section is the Objectives of the Study. This section discusses the main purpose of this study. The third section is Problem Formulation, which contains questions to be answered by this study. The fourth section is the Benefits of the Study. It puts forth the advantages of conducting this study. The fifth section is Definition of Terms. It explains the terms used in this study in order to enable the readers to understand this thesis better.

1.1 Background of the Study

  Every human wants to live in peace and harmony with nature and the society they inhabit. They expect to be happy. They have made many efforts and attempts to make their lives become more peaceful and harmonious. In relation to this statement,

  1 religions have been one of the main facilitators to control and improve human life .

  The word religion is derived from Latin language. Re means ‘to come back’ and

  

lagare means ‘to connect’. The purpose of religion is therefore to reconnect a soul to

  his Creator (1990:10). However, life is sometimes not easy as it looks. Over time, humans have abandoned the tenets of the religions which have been upheld for thousands of years as a result of modernity. It is due to this religions do not have the capacity to facilitate the practical problems that humans face in everyday life and in the present era by preventing them for going in the wrong direction. When humans fail to solve the practical problems in everyday life and feel that God does not answer their prayers, humans tend to find another way which is much faster and easier to achieve what they want. The example of this phenomenon is Lia Eden’s case. She founded a new religion named Salamullah. This religion came about as a tool to answer the practical problems occurring in everyday life in the context of questions about God. While their former religions had failed to aid them in answering these questions, the Salamullah believers consider this religion as the answer to the

  2 questions they have been waiting for so long .

  In conjunction with the failure of religions to aid humans in answering practical problems occuring in everyday life, Bernard Lonergan has identified the shift in thinking as “the turn to interiority” (2003: 316). The interior side can be found in every religion. It empowers its believers to have a comprehensible understanding of the religions’ core objective. It directs people to the same point, which is to create a balanced life synchronized with nature and both living and non living creatures of God. For example, Islam, has an interior side called Sufism, with Jalaluddin Rumi being one of the most famous individuals who practiced Sufism.

  The role of the interior side in creating a balanced life is to provide the knowledge as well as the wisdom to its believer so that they feel God in everything they perceive through their five senses. Then, the understanding of God slowly changes. God is seen as a manifestation of the living and non-living creatures in the universe instead of God who just observes from the sky and is distant from His creatures. This

  3 understanding is called mysticism, and the experience called mystical experience .

  Margaret Smith explains the notion mysticism clearly as follows: Mysticism is not to be regarded as a religion in itself, but rather as the most vital element in all true religions, rising up in revolt against cold formality and religious torpor. Nor is it a philosophical system, though it has its own doctrine of the scheme of things. It is to be described rather as an attitude of mind; an innate tendency of the human soul, which seeks to transcend reason and to attain to a direct experience of God, and which believes that it is possible for the human soul to be united with Ultimate Reality, when “God ceases to be an object and becomes an experience” (1980: 20).

  Jalaluddin Rumi (1207- 1273) has been recognized as the greatest mystical poet of Islam, and as the supreme mystical poet of all mankind. He was born in 1207 C.E. in the city of Balkh, which was then in the Persian province of Khorasan but is now in Afghanistan. His most well – known work, The Mathanawi, contains a broad expanse of Sufi teaching and of Islam itself. It is considered by many as the most magnificent work of Persian ever written (1983: 11).

  His insights into the human heart and soul are deep. Rumi’s universe is shaped by the Koran, the prophet of Islam, and the Muslim saints. Rumi’s message is nevertheless so universal and full of liberal use of imagery drawn from sources common to all human experience that his meaning is accessible to people of various backgrounds and religious perspectives (1983:9).

  As one who is interested in Rumi’s teachings, I came to realize that many of his mystical doctrines and practical wisdom taken from real life are very interesting to explore since they offer valuable meanings for readers which can be implemented into one’s life. This study is employed in order to analyze and investigate the essence of mystical experience as it is found in Rumi’s poems. My intention is, therefore, to explore and observe the messages of what Jalaluddin Rumi tries to convey through his poems “The Tavern” and “How Very Close”. I try to reveal the message of the concept real happiness through mystical experience which Rumi wants to convey. I hope this thesis is able to give a new perspective in understanding God better so that humans can make a deep consideration and self-definition of their lives.

  In addition, I give the limitation to this thesis that I am a practical and empirical observer of English as an English education program student who is investigating and deepening my knowledge of the English language by exploring Jalaluddin Rumi’s poems. The analysis about mystical experience is taken from Jalaluddin Rumi’s point of view which is conveyed through his mystical poems “The Tavern” and “How Very Close.”

  1.2 Objectives of the Study

  The study aims, first, to explore Jalaluddin Rumi’s poems “The Tavern” and “How Very Close”’ and what Jalaluddin Rumi tries to convey in both of poems. The second aim of the study is to understand the meaning of mystical experience according to Jalaluddin Rumi which is manifested in his poems “The Tavern” and “How Very Close.” These two objectives are undertaken with the view that Rumi’s message is highly valuable to humankind because it highlights other ways of understanding and appreciating God but also offer a concept of real happiness in life.

  1.3 Problem Formulation

  1. What does Jalaluddin Rumi convey in his poems “The Tavern” and “How Very Close”?

  2. How is mystical experience represented in “The Tavern” and “How Very Close”?

  1.4 Benefits of the Study

  The study is beneficial for both readers and those who are interested in literary works. This study helps the readers to understand more about the poems, so that the readers are able to enjoy reading Jalaluddin Rumi’s poems. The readers can also enrich their knowledge of literary studies, particularly, about mysticism in the Sufi order and mystical experience as an inherent dimension of human existence. The other advantage is that this study may make a useful contribution to other researchers who want to analyze Jalaluddin Rumi’s poems “The Tavern” and ”How Very Close” on other topics related to Sufism.

  1.5. Definition of the Terms

  In order to clarify the meaning of the term ‘mystical experience’ used in this study, below is the definition of the term.

  Mystical Experience

  According to Rahner and Vorgrimler in Theological Dictionary mystical experience means the following: (a) An experience, the interior meeting and union of man with the Divine infinity that sustains him and all other beings in Christian mysticism, in

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE This chapter contains mostly theories and approaches, which will strengthen

  and accompany my analysis of the work. This chapter is important to help me work objectively and develop my comprehension logically. The first section is the Theoretical Review which discusses the theories used in analyzing the poems. This thesis employs the Structural-Semiotics theory. The second section is the Review of Related Studies which is employed as the important element in deepening the analysis. This section is divided into two parts, namely: Religious Ground and Sufism. The third section is The Life and Work of Jalaluddin Rumi which later will be correlated with the Structural-Semiotics theory used to analyse the poems. The last section is the Theoretical Framework.

  2. 1 Theoretical Review

  This thesis employs the theory of Structural-Semiotics ‘text and context’ proposed by Julia Kristeva in analyzing Jalaluddin Rumi’s poems. Jalaluddin Rumi’s poems are seen as a complex structure. However, to fully understand the meaning of the poems, I include the information from the text itself and the context in which the poems were written. To understand Jalaluddin Rumi’s poems “The Tavern” and “How Very Close”, Structural-Semiotics theory is used as the main element in understanding the poems. The text is used to explore the intrinsic level of poems, unity of meaning, then, the approach is divided into two priorities, namely Structural and Semiotics.

  The first priority uses structural theory to reveal information at a structural level of interpretation (intrinsic). A structural level of interpretation investigates the comprehensible linguistic signs. The analysis of the intrinsic level is based on the elements of the poems in a text taken from language, namely words, prosodic features, and interpretation of the language in the poems at the intrinsic level. In

  1

  order to understand the meaning at the intrinsic level, the assistance of a dictionary is needed. The role of the dictionary is to explicate the structural meanings of the poems which later serve as a basic foundation in organizing the essence of the poem at a extrinsic level.

  The second priority, semiotics, is employed to discover the essence of the poems through a deeper level of interpretation (extrinsic). Semiotics theory explores the extrinsic level of interpretation which is seen from the context of the poems. The context’s role is to provide information about the background which influenced Rumi and how he was able to create such poems. When we know how the background influenced Rumi to create such poems, we are able to infer the message of Rumi’s mystical experience and construct the essential meanings based on the information provided in its entirely. Thus, it is relevant that I provide information from religious ground, Sufism, Jalaluddin Rumi’s life, as well as the information about spiritual life suggested by Kuinjabihari.

  The information from the extrinsic level is employed as referential significant role in explaining the essence of religion’s interior side which aim to create a harmonious life. The understanding lies in the explanation that, to create a synchronized life, humans need the correct concept of what a religion is. So, later, human feels happy in running his life.

  Sufism is used as referential information for the reason that Sufism is the core of the religion of Islam (the interior side), the role of this information is to give knowledge for the readers. The readers will be able to understand and make a connection between Sufi concepts and the essence of the poems.

  Jalaluddin Rumi’s life is used as the referential information of how he was shaped, through his journey in life, to be somebody who realized his true essence and was able to create such works in which his essence was manifested.

  The information from a spiritual practitioner of Sufism named Kuinjabihari serves to give the significant in making sense of the theory I read from many written sources. It also helps readers and I understand what spiritual life is like, which is essential for readers to understand the poems deeper. The significance of this overall information is to help readers to have a better understanding of the poems.

  The understanding of the poems comes when the readers know the context of Rumi’s life which influenced him to become a mystic, and the values explained in the religious ground and Sufism. Thus, by employing Structural-Semiotics theory, I expect to get the complete meaning of mystical experience according to Jalaluddin Rumi which is manifested in the poems “The Tavern” and “How Very Close.”

  Literary works are seen as structures of meaning-structures which have structural criticism to grasp the sign meanings which correlate with the structure system. The science to analyze the signs is called semiotics (Preminger et al, 1974:980). Therefore, semiotic analysis cannot be separated from structural analysis.

  The semiotic notion of intertextuality proposed by Julia Kristeva refers to the terms text and context. According to Julia Kristeva in her book entitled Desire in

  

Language, text is defined as a trans-linguistic apparatus that redistributes the order of

  language by relating communicative speech, which aims to inform directly, to different kinds of anterior or synchronic utterances (1980: 36). The text, in brief, gives meaning directly through the structural level which is in the poems. This opinion is supported by Culler in his book entitled Structuralist Poetics, where analyzing and criticizing literary works are the efforts to catch and to give meaning to the texts of literary works (1977: VIII).

  The term context is defined as the procedure of a semiotics that, by studying the text as intertextuality, considers it as such within (the text of) society and history.

  The construction of the context is the focus where knowing reality grasps the transformation of utterances into a totality (the text) as well as the insertions of this totality into the historical and social context (1980:37). In brief, the context is therefore an effective tool to investigate the pre-textual experiences, which serve as a base from which it influences the author of the literary works to generate such works.

  The nature of every element in any given situation has no significance by itself, and in fact is determined by its relationship to all the other elements involved in that situation. The full significance of any entity or experience cannot be perceived autonomous, but it is more on a part of difficult situation and from its relationship with other parts, the elements form meanings (Culler, 1977:170-1). Therefore, to understand poems, we have to notice the correlation of the elements as a part of the whole meaning.

  Semiotics is science of signs. Signs have two aspects, signifier and signified: both elements function as aspects of the ‘indissoluble unity’ of the sign (Hawkes, 1977:126). Signs have various meanings which are based on the relationship between signifier and signified, namely icon, index and symbol. In the icon, the relationship between sign and object, or signifier and signified, manifests as ‘a community in some quality’: a similarity or ‘fitness’ of resemblance proposed by signs. A painting has an iconic relationship to its subject in so far as it is resembles it. In the index, the relationship is concrete, actual and usually of a sequential, causal kind. Smoke is an index of fire. In the symbol, the relationship between signifier and signified is arbitrary; it requires the active presence of the interpretant to make the signifying connection. Saussure gives a following example, the major systematic manifestation of signs in this mode occurs in language. The observation of a leaf could be said to be the index of a tree; where painting of a tree constitutes an icon of the tree, my utterance of the word ‘tree’ is a symbol of the tree because there is no inherent, necessary ‘tree-like’ quality in that signifier: its relationship to an actual tree remains fundamentally arbitrary sustained only by the structure of the language in which it occurs, and which is understood by its interpretant, and not by reference to any area of experience beyond that (1977:129). textual level of the poems (the intrinsic level of the poem’s interpretation). Thus, the assistance of dictionary is needed to explicate the meaning in the structural text level.

  Meanwhile, Semiotics investigates the contextual level of the poems (the extrinsic level of interpretation): the information beyond the text which influences the author so that he is able to generate such works. The information of religious ground, Sufism, Jalaluddin Rumi’s life as well as the information suggested by the spiritual practitioner, Kuinjabihari, indeed, are relevant to discover the essential meaning of the poems in this study.

2.2 Reviews of Religious Ground and Sufism

2.2.1 Religious Ground

  In this part, a discussion of religion as a vital element which has a role in the analysis of the poems will be put forth. This part is useful in the fact that it highlights for the reader the value of religion. This part is useful as it gives a significant description which supports the essential meaning of mystical experience through the poems written by Jalaluddin Rumi. Thus, this description will help to obtain a deeper understanding of Rumi’s works “The Tavern” and “How Very Close.”

  Religion as a search for the Transcendental is an inherent dimension of human existence, although its external form seems to vary from person to person, tradition to tradition, and culture to culture. Religion is treated as a loving reality that runs through every aspect of human beings who must live it wholeheartedly each and every moment in their continued religious existence irrespective of the status,

  Religion is seen as a trans-rational existential approach to human conditions; resolutions of these problems are searched for within an initial framework supplied by certain fundamentals assumptions about reality, a framework… (2005:383).

  Friedrich von Hugel, in his work The Mystical Element of Religion, lists three elements that are essentially present in any institutionalized religion. They are (1) organizational or institutional, (2) speculative or intellectual, and (3) experiential or mystical (1923:51-53). Although von Hugel is of the opinion that a proper balancing of all these three elements is necessary for a proper and healthy approach to religion as a unified reality, Chackalackal tend to think that any ignorance of the experiential or mystical dimensions of religion will misrepresent its own inner spirit, leaving only a lifeless structural construction, which in turn, would become a drained system incapable of providing any assistance to its believers in appropriating a transcendental or trans-rational perspective in approaching and realizing the ultimate nature of reality in finding answers to the ultimate questions about God and life . Moreover, Chackalackal also adds that experientially-oriented or mystically disposed believers (if they are on the right track) will reinvigorate and sustain their respective religions against sheer emotionalism, self-centeredness, and unbecoming idiosyncrasies on the part of individuals… (2005: 384). Although there are a lot of sense-related practises within religions, these practises by themselves are unable to lead a seeker to a long-lasting experience of the

  God. These practises have value only insofar as they are symbolic in reminding an initial and intermittent understanding and experience of the Ultimate, which could be further enriched and strengthened by an ongoing practise of various methods (mostly rational frameworks and sense-bound experiences. It requires an inward turn so as to identify the inner spiritual meaning. It calls for transcendence over the sensual and nonessential meaning and reach of those methods (including sacred scriptures, ritualistic observances, etc) to the mystical, which according to every religion has a prime, of place:

  ...the mystical belongs to the very essence of every religion, even though that essence usually contains other elements as well. Not only does it occasionally take a complete hold of some, but, more importantly, it shapes and informs, inspires and renews, all religious activity, whether it be ritual, moral, or theoretical. Without some share of spiritual experience religions withers away in sterile ritualism, arid moralism, or theological intellectualism... (1988: 6-7) For a person, belonging to religious tradition especially, experiencing the essence of his or her religion and being a mystic constitute an ongoing process, an unending pilgrimage in faith; bring someone to an end of love and trust in God. As Underhill puts it, a mystic is one “in whom the transcendental consciousness can dominate the normal consciousness, and who has definitely surrendered himself to the embrace of Reality.” (2006: 75).

  What is essential in this regard, therefore, is orienting oneself totally and generously towards the Real by cultivating an open perspective motivated by an attitude of love and communion towards every being, living and non-living.

  As we know that there are a huge number of multitude methods but no single method could be put aside as the most excellent method. Every method seems to contribute its might; but no single method seems to finally attain such an ultimate experience. The reason is, all the methods that are available to us are mediated through logical reasoning and an experience already conveyed through the linguistic becomes an essential element in suggesting an approximation of the transcendental experience, encountered by the mystics. The incapability in explaining the transcendental experience would limit the value of symbolic expressions to a great extent.

  The role of religion in facilitating mystical experience is crucial. A believer who is capable of distinguishing between the essentials and non-essentials and of accepting the absolute character of God wholeheartedly will definitely be able to soar high in religious experience without losing the firm foundations in radical faith (2005: 387).

2.2.2 Sufism

  The word “Sufi” originates from Arabic word “Suf” which means wool, implying a cloak and refers to the simple cloaks the early Muslim ascetics wore. But one should also note that not all Sufis wear cloaks or clothes of wool. Another etymological theory states that the root word of Sufi is the Arabic word “saaf”, meaning pure, clean or blank. This etymology refers to the emphasis of Sufism on purity of heart and soul. One should notice and to be distinguished here that, Sufism is different than the teaching of Islam in general. In fact, commonly we know that Sufism belongs to Islam. However, according to Annemarie Schimmel, Sufism is in its early stages of development meant nothing but the interiorization of Islam.

  According to the history of Sufism, Sufism originates in the esoteric teaching of the Prophet Muhammad. A.J. Arberry explores, in his book Sufism: An account of way how to deeply recognize God by communing with Him instead of doing a tasteless or empty rituals of conventional religions: While the Moslem Scriptures prescribe in detail the religious duties incumbent upon the believer, and regulate his behavior as a servant of God and a member of the faithful community, we are not immediately concerned here to summarize this aspect of the Koran. We are interested rather to examine those passage beloved by the Sufis as testifying to God’s Nature and Attributes, His self-revelation to mankind through the voice of Gabriel (the angel) speaking to Mohammed. For these mystical texts are the chief encouragement and justification of the Sufi in his belief that he also may commune with God (1950: 16-17). In the same book, Arberry also explains that the Sufis seem to notice the essential message through a deep comprehension of the Koran. Such knowledge of the essence of God takes the Sufis to start and continue their appreciation toward God: