Comp Lit Lectures Shahnameh PDF

Preview

Summary

Download Comp Lit Lectures Shahnameh PDF

Description

Comp Lit Lectures Shahnameh Quest for belonging Conflict between family duty and national duty The Shahnameh was intended to recreate a history of preIslamic Iran and fire a sense of national pride and identity The first empite in Iran was the Median Empire between 728 and 549 BC, but the greatest empire of early Iran was the Achaemenian Empire The control and distribution of water and other resources was one of the key roles of the king of kings in order to maintain peace Zoroastrianism: The cosmic battle between good (Ahura Mazda) and evil (Ahriman) Mithraism: Hierarchical structure (seven grades of purification) The importance of a spiritual guide Divine King: King as chosen by God and the promoter of the right religion, he is the ultimate decisionmaker Replaceable elected king: King as the preserver of social hierarchical order, and as the head of a group of decision makers Ferdowsi was descended from a family of Parthian-Persian landlords Educated as a dehgan in preIslamic values and narratives and as a scholar of post-Ismlamic traditions The Shahnnameh was one of the most valuable texts in the unification of the state of Iran Became a source for inspiration of an Iranian identity untethered to Islamism The periphery is celebrated Narrative identity The narrative of selfhood: Beginning, turning points, moments of crisis, redemption, possible futures and their corresponding quests and pathways, belonging and recognition Collectivity: Tribal/kinship/ ethnic narratives, national narratives, margins and centre The elements to emphasise the elements that make us who we are According to the Shahnameh is that the periphery must be respected

Zahhak is a destructive force who breaks the structure by killing his father and then retaining his broken structure by killing the youth. HE then reinforces this by killing Jamshid, an indication that Jamshid had become complacent and wrong Iranians suffer the most under Zahhak as they are on the periphery for him Zahhak’s success is defined by his destruction of the previous society Kaveh and Feraydun are the two harbingers of justice Feraydun’s children Tour, Salm, and Iraj Iraj is the youngest but also the wisest, he is the embodiment of all the good qualities one can have Tale of Sam and Zal Zal fails to appreciate difference in Sam’s white hair but the difference proves to be the ultimate blessing for the nation, symbolising the significance of difference Story of Zal and Rudabeh The sacred marriage of sky and earth It is a forbidden love and a reconciliation of opposites Rudabeh’s parents are descendants of Zahhak, whilst Zal is a descendent of a dragon slayer and Feraydun Rostam, the son of Zal He is delivered by the magic of Simorgh through a caesarean and is raised by the love of his parents The wars between Iran and Turan is restarted through Afrasayab Rostam has a sense of belonging and the saviour of the nation, he is the hero who is much more important than the king Zal transfers his responsibilities to his son Rostam embarks on his 7 trials to try and help Kavus in his failed attack on Mazanderan 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

The lion The desert The dragon The witch Olad Arjhang The White demon

The Tale of Sohrab Rostam fails to be there for his son by killing him on the battlefield Sohrab is tricked by Afrasyab, he is a juvenile rebel for whom meritocracy is ideal He isn’t able to reach his full potential because of his lack of a true mentor

The legend of Seyavash The union of two sides of Iran and Turan The absence of the mother in the upbringing of Seyavash is important He grows up to be different and wants to receive proper training under Rostam His vision of life is defined in terms of peace not war Seyavash then leaves Iran out of anger When Seyavash goes to Turan he ascends to the status of a God He is the embodiment of the best Iranian values, and creates the second utopia in the Shahnameh Seyavash becomes a sacrificial hero A poor relationship with the hero shows a poor king Obsession with power is often the cause of a breakdown in relation sbetween father and son Death becomes the ultimate culmination of a story ‘I die therefore I am’...