Between pantheism and monotheism: Goethe's religious conception in mahomets gesang through the lens of conceptual metaphor theory

This study employs Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) as a primary analytical framework to examine the metaphorical architecture of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s early lyrical poem Mahomets Gesang (1773/74). Moving beyond a purely thematic reading, the analysis demonstrates how central conceptual mappings—most notably THE PROPHET IS A RIVER and UNION WITH GOD IS THE SEA—function as the cognitive-poetic backbone of the poem. These metaphors articulate a sophisticated negotiation between two dominant religious paradigms: the immanent, nature-bound divinity associated with Spinozistic pantheism and the transcendent, singular God of monotheistic tradition.Adopting a comparative perspective, the study places Goethe’s metaphorical constructions in dialogue with Qur’anic imagery of water, light, and divine guidance. This intertextual reading reveals a deep structural resonance rather than superficial analogy, showing how Goethe’s poetic language engages shared symbolic patterns of revelation and spirituality. In doing so, the poem transcends its immediate historical context and participates in a broader intercultural discourse on the sacred.The article also reflects critically on the applicability of CMT to literary texts of high symbolic density. While CMT effectively elucidates the conceptual foundations of Goethe’s imagery, the metaphors in Mahomets Gesang operate as “living metaphors”: dynamic, aesthetically charged constructs that integrate cognitive, affective, and cultural dimensions. The study thus argues for an interdisciplinary approach that combines cognitive linguistics with literary hermeneutics in order to capture the full interpretative scope of Goethe’s poetic synthesis.