Evaluation of love in terms of price-reward and crime-punishment in 16th century mesnevis

This study examines the concepts of "price-reward" and "crime-punishment" in masnavis, a significant form of verse in 16th-century classical Turkish literature, using classical poetic aesthetics, Sufi thought, and an interdisciplinary approach. Masnavis are multidimensional texts that reflect not only the divine and spiritual dimension but also human existence in the material world, social relations, and moral responsibilities. In this context, the concepts of "price-reward" and "crime-punishment" are evaluated in light of diverse disciplines such as law, sociology, religion, and education. The function of these concepts in the mesnevis has been addressed in the light of the symbolic structure of divan poetry and mystical thought, and the states of the lover and the beloved have been examined in the context of the relationship between law and sociology with social order, and the moral and spiritual aspects of religion. It has been emphasized that the concepts of "price" and "reward" in the masnavis are not limited to worldly rewards, but carry deep meanings such as the manifestation of divine justice, the fulfillment of social responsibilities and the process of spiritual journey. Our study evaluates how justice is established in the masnavis, where love is presented as a test, in which situations punishment becomes inevitable and when reward is seen as legitimate, through the structural and symbolic levels of the love narrative. As a result, when the concepts of "price-reward" and "crime-punishment" in the 16th century masnavis are examined with an interdisciplinary approach, a multidimensional understanding of social values, moral norms, and the functioning of divine justice is achieved. In this respect, masnavis are considered an important source for understanding the literary, spiritual, and social values of the period.