Analysis of the Concept “The other” in Nezami’s Khosrow and Shirin Based on Bakhtin’s Dialogue Logic

Recognizing oneself and the world in a different way constitutes one of the fundamental concepts in Western confrontational discourse. The self serves as the basis for a person's self-knowledge, and the objectification of what lies within the self is solidified through the presence of the other. This is why the concept of the "other" has expanded across the fields of sociology, literature, and philosophy. Khosrow and Shirin is one of the important romantic poems in which reciprocal love of a man and a woman is seen, which can be analyzed based on Bakhtin's conversational logic theory and the explanation of the concept of "other". Many conversations in the fictional series Khosrow and Shirin by Nizami prompted us to approach this work through the lens of the concept of the qualitative analysis. In this article, after a brief overview of the intellectual and historical development of the concept of "other", the important components of Bakhtin's theory are explained. After that, we have tried to examine the manifestations of another concept from the perspective of Bakhtin's conversational logic, relying on the dialogues between the characters in Khosrow and Shirin Nizami's poem. The evidence indicates that in the poem of Khosrow and Shirin, the dual concepts of "I and another" and "multiple voices" are prominently expressed in the dialogues between Khosrow and Shirin, as well as in their interactions with other characters in the story. This poem centers on a female perspective, and the voices of the female characters in the dialogues possess distinct identities. In this story, we also witness the relationship of "I for another and another for me. The love between Khosrow and Shirin becomes the source of their growth and development. 
Introduction:
Regarding the historical origin of the concept of otherness in the West, two time periods can be considered: first, from the early centuries of Western philosophy up to the 19th century; and second, from the beginning of the modern era to the present. The earliest attention to the idea of otherness can be found in Plato's dialogues (cf. Plato, 1367:419-480). "An idea that was formed based on the logic of contrasts and persisted until the mid-19th century" (Najumian, 2016, p. 217). However, a different line of thought emerged more prominently in the contemporary era, where the developments of modernity laid the foundation for the expansion of alternative perspectives and otherness. Descartes' statement, "I think, therefore I am, the beginning of a new era in human history. The Cartesian ego, or the thinker's ego, was positioned at the center of Western philosophy and modernity as both the agent and subject of knowledge. The modern self emerged as an autonomous agent that sought the reason for its existence within itself, rather than in transcendental principles or beyond society, within the context of the new system of thought (Tajik, 1384: 11-12).
"Hegel" considers the formation of the self, or ego, as a being endowed with knowledge and personality, aimed at recognizing and accepting the other. He describes the relationship between the self and the other as that of master and servant, which constitutes the first stage in the historical development of human thought and social life. Hegel believes that through the evolution of this stage, the human mind progresses toward self-awareness and ultimately attains wisdom.
After Hegel, many thinkers, influenced by the Hegelian dialectic, explored interconnected concepts such as the self and the other. Martin Buber, Levinas, and others also examined the concept of the "other" from a theological perspective. In Levinas's philosophy, it is the encounter with the other that gives rise to ethics. The other challenges my spontaneity and self-righteousness, and morality arises from this very experience or situation (Alia, 1388: 99). According to Martin Buber's philosophy, while each person is responsible for themselves, they also bear responsibility toward others and nature. Therefore, Buber's dialogue addresses two fundamental relationships between humans and the world. Similarly, Husserl argues that one's own experience and that of another are distinct. He does not regard another's experience as his own, nor does he consider his own experience as a model to explain the otherness of others.
In general, it can be said that the philosophy of modernity, which has been followed from Descartes to Husserl, is the philosophy of consciousness and is based on the originality of the wisdom of the subject, that is, man. In this perspective, the non-subject is either excluded or considered dependent on humans. However, in the postmodernist approach, a different concept becomes highly prominent. Another foundation in this era is intertwined with various fields such as sociology, psychology, and literature. We observe its influence in the theories of Heidegger, Levinas, Bakhtin, and Kristeva. Philosophers of the 20th century critically examined the philosophy of modernity, which centered on consciousness. At the core of this critique was desubjectification that is the collapse of the philosophy of consciousness.
Reflection on the concept of was not limited only in the field of philosophy, but specifically through Mikhail Bakhtin, it entered the realms of sociology and literature. Bakhtin introduced the concept of "other" into literary studies, grounding it in anthropological and philosophical foundations within his theoretical framework. Bakhtin's ideas were influenced by a complex array of philosophical traditions, including Neo-Kantian philosophy, Husserl's phenomenology, and Bergsonian vitalism (Gardiner, 1381: 36). Meanwhile, Martin Buber played a significant role in the development and theorization of "the other" and the relationship (intersubjectivity) in Bakhtin's thought.
Like Buber, he considers a person's knowledge to be dependent on the presence of another individual and believes that a person gains a better understanding of himself through the presence of others. Bakhtin's works, especially his concepts of the "other" and conversational logic, can be seen as a response to the prevailing conditions of his era, characterized by "a space based on anti-laughter, dogmatism, and anti-conversational ideologies in which monotony is promoted" (Poivendeh, 1373: 10). Bakhtin sought to capture the multiple voices within a text and emphasized the presence of others alongside oneself. He believed that a person's self-awareness can only be attained through the presence of another individual; without this presence, it is practically impossible to achieve a correct and complete understanding of the concept.
Materials and Methods:
"Khosrow and Shirin" is a classic Persian story that, for the first time, depicts reciprocal love between a man and a woman, portraying them as equals. Character-centeredness and the numerous dialogues in Nezami's Khosrow and Shirin inspired us to analyze this work through the lens of the concept of the "other" using qualitative analysis. In this article, after a brief overview of the intellectual and historical development of the "other" concept, the key components of Bakhtin's theory are explained. After that, we attempted to examine the manifestations of another concept through the lens of Bakhtin's conversational logic, focusing on the dialogues between the characters in Khosrow and Shirin in Nezami's poem.
Conclusion:
Dialogue and tone are important elements of story writing that are closely related to characterization. The thoughts and beliefs of fictional characters are conveyed through dialogue. In fact, characters reveal their inner realities, flaws, and artistry by speaking and communicating with others. Many conversations in this story provide a suitable platform for illustrating the components of Bakhtin's dialogic logic, as the main characters, especially the women, often express their own distinct voices. As far as we can tell, the voices of the women in the story are more dominant, while the men, except for Khosrow, do not exhibit any subjectivity. Although Farhad displays a distinct identity during his debate with Khosrow, this identity is subsumed within another, namely Shirin, so Farhad's conversations lack true intersubjectivity. However, when Farhad visits Khosrow's palace, we witness an instance of carnivalism, as Farhad mocks the glory and power of Khosrow's kingdom. Additionally, the relationship between Khosrow and Shirin appears to be both subject-subject and intersubjective in nature, ultimately embodying the concept of "me for you and you for me."