THE SEMIOTICS OF GAZE: CULTURAL MODELING OF THE EYE METAPHOR IN RUSSIAN AND KYRGYZ LYRIC TRADITIONS

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.5826

Keywords:

Eye, Mirror of the Soul, Lyric Poetry, Metaphor, Symbol, Cultural Concept, Russian Poetry, Kyrgyz Poetry, Cognitive Linguistics

Abstract

This article examines the semiotic functioning of the eye as a metaphor for the soul in Russian and Kyrgyz lyric poetry, analyzing how this body part sign operates across iconic, indexical, and symbolic dimensions. Through comparative analysis of 50 poems (25 from each tradition), the study integrates Peircean semiotics with cognitive linguistics to reveal how cultural models shape metaphorical meaning-making. In Russian poetry, the eye functions primarily as an icon of divine judgment and moral introspection, reflecting Orthodox Christian semiotics of transcendence. In Kyrgyz poetry, the eye operates as both index of communal values and symbol of protection against malevolent forces, drawing on Tengrist and Islamic semiotic systems. Color symbolism (blue, black, green) and broader representations (divine vision, evil eye, mirror) are analyzed as interconnected semiotic chains rather than isolated metaphors. The findings demonstrate that while the eye as "mirror of the soul" may have universal cognitive foundations, its specific semiotic actualization is profoundly shaped by cultural codes that determine how vision, truth, and spirituality are signified. This research contributes to comparative semiotics by illustrating how body-based signs function as boundary mechanisms between individual experience and collective meaning systems in distinct poetic traditions.

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Published

2026-04-09

How to Cite

Akmatalieva, N., Alieva, M., Tuleeva, C., & Naimanova, C. (2026). THE SEMIOTICS OF GAZE: CULTURAL MODELING OF THE EYE METAPHOR IN RUSSIAN AND KYRGYZ LYRIC TRADITIONS. Veredas Do Direito, 23(6), e235826. https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.5826

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 6 (2026): Veredas do Direito, v. 23, n. 6 2026

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Articles

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