Abstract

Both Plato’s Republic and Ibn Tufayl’s Hayy Ibn Yaqzan explain to the reader how a spiritual journey can bring about an understanding of the Divine. However, both works also show us that the spiritual journey depends on an inquiry into the nature of the human soul as it engages in the process of learning. In the first chapter of the thesis, Plato’s Republic is explored, particularly in terms of the Allegory of the Cave, which suggests how the notion the Divine goes beyond everyday life experience. In the second chapter, Hayy Ibn Yaqzan is presented as a spiritual narrative that helps us view the importance of observation, leading to the knowledge of the natural world, the beginnings of self-discovery and meditations on the Divine. My conclusion argues that these two works help the reader understand the reality of the Divine through different conceptions of the soul, which imply different but comparable views of education.

Department

English & Comparative Literature Department

Degree Name

MA in English & Comparative Literature

Graduation Date

Fall 10-26-2020

Submission Date

October 2020

First Advisor

Melaney, William

Second Advisor

NA

Third Advisor

NA

Committee Member 1

Moraw, Martin

Committee Member 2

Cooper, Samuel

Committee Member 3

NA

Extent

50 p.

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Library of Congress Subject Heading 1

English and Comparative Literature

Rights

The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy. The author has granted the American University in Cairo or its agents a non-exclusive license to archive this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study, and to make it accessible, in whole or in part, in all forms of media, now or hereafter known.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

Not necessary for this item

Streaming Media

Comments

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