The article is an analysis beset with the problem of mimesis, its cognition as the central topic of mediaeval literary criticism based on literary-aesthetic views of Nasiruddin Tusi, a great thinker of the XIII-th century. The conclusion is made to the effect that Khodja Nasiruddin Tusi is the first thinker who paid attention to mimesis as a scientific term. The brief and precise definition of this term proposed by him was further on in the focus of attention of logicians and literary critics. Though in the process of the analysis referring to mimesis Khodja Nasiruddin Tusi doesn`t mention the names of Aristotle, Farabi, Ibn Sino, nevertheless, his works testify that the thinker considers mimesis in the frames of the tenet of mediaeval logicians.
But Tusi doesn`t confine himself with treating mimesis only in the frames of poetology, he analyzes its presence in all the fields of creation, painting and prose inclusive; he comes to the conclusion that the subjects and events described don`t coincide with their genuine essence.
Nasiruddin Tusi, Aristotle, Ibn Sini, Mimesis, verse, science, logic
1. Al-Farabi. The Treatise on Poetry Law // Al-Farabi. – Roma, 1937. – 65 pp.
2. Zarrinkub, Abdulkhusayn. Truthful Poems, those ones without Embellishment. – Tehran: Al-Hudo, 1372 hijra. – 588 pp.
3. Kadkani, Muhammad Rizo Shafei. Image in Persian Poetry. – Tehran, 1308hijra. – 682 pp.
4. Musulmoniyon, Rakhim. Poetry in Theoretical Originals. – Tehran, 1377. – 256 pp.
5. Tusi, Khodja Nasiruddin Abudjafar Muhammad ibn Hasan. The Grounds of Sequences. Under the editorship of Azizullo Alizoda. – Tehran: Eden, 1377hijra. – 256 pp.
6. Sattorzoda A. The Old and the New // A. Sattorzoda. – Dushanbe: Man-of-Letters, 2004. – 253 pp.
7. Khodja Nasiruddin Tusi Speaking about Poetry and Versification. With addition of Persian poems by Khodja Nasir and the complete text of “Meyor-ul-Ashor” (certain number of poems). – Tehran, 1370. – 422 pp.
8. Shibli Numoni Hindi. Poetry in Adjam. Translated by Said Mukhammadtaki Fikhr Doi Ghilani. The second edition. VV.1-4. – Tehran, 1325hijra.