Analyzing the structure of Rostam and Esfandyar tale and the balance of power in the political thoughts in Ancient Iran
Subject Areas : Tectonostratigraphy
Saman Ghasemi Firoozabadi
1
(Assistant Professor, Iranology Department, Maybod University, Mybod, Iran)
Peyman Eshaghyeh
2
(PhD Student, Persian Literature, IAU, Yazd Branch, Yazd, Iran)
Keywords: Ancient Iran, Rostam and Esfandyar, Balance of power, Pahlavan, King,
Abstract :
In the tale of Rostam and Esfandyar we are faced with two noble warriors. One believes that “No one will ever see me in chains alive” while the other brazely states “A king’s fetters are no cause for shame”. What brings the two noble warriors in opposing sides and leads them to their inevitable end is the difference in their outlooks towards the kingdom and Pahlavani or heroic institution the former is raised from the Persian tradition before Zoroaster and the latter is derived from the reforms made by Zoroaster. Employing the structuralist approach this research studies the standpoint of Pahlavani institution and its relations with the kingdom institution in the two following traditions before Lohrasp, and Lohrasp-Goshtasp. Important features in the former are the following: the presence of Nyram’s family as a representative of Pahlavani essence, the convincing validity of heroic identity, independence and freedom of a warrior, Pahlavan’s intermediary role between the king and his subjects, his supervision over justness, and the royal empire, and minimizing the King’s power. In the latter tradition Pahlavan or warrior belongs to the royal family. He does not have a genuine identity and he is totally obedient to the commands and has no role except fighting under the king’s banner. Contrary to the former Lohraspi tradition, the royal institution has unlimited power and no institution is defined and recognized to supervise king’s deeds and to threaten his avariciousness. It seems that Lohraspi-Goshtaspi tradition is the result of reforms made by Zoroaster himself or Mobads in the name of Zoroaster.
- احمدی، بابک. (1370). ساختار و تأویل متن، تهران: نشر مرکز.
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