Transtextual and more textual reading of Zahhak Saedi's play and Zahhak Shahnameh's story
Subject Areas : Comparative Literature Studies
Behrouz Azhari
1
(Assistant professor, Department of Persian Languege and Literature, Sarab Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sarab, Iran. (corresponding author) )
Hamidreza Farzi
2
(Associate professor, Department of Persian Languege and Literature, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.)
Keywords: Shahnameh, Zahak Story, Zahak Play, Genet, Trans-Text, Hypertext,
Abstract :
Zahak's play is based on an interpretation of Shahnameh's Zahak story. This paper analyzes the metatextual and hypertextual relations of Saedi's play with Shahnameh's Zahak according to Genette's theory of transtextuality. It is done descriptive-analytically and based on library resources. In terms of metatextuality, there are cases showing the refusal or denial of some of the mythological beliefs of Shahnameh in the play, including the way Zahak treats the priests, nobles, and Arnavaz and Shahrnaz. In terms of metatextuality, unlike Shahnameh, Zahak's way of dealing with the characters is humiliating. In terms of hypertextuality, both types of hypertextual relations of imitation and transformation (change) are seen. Some elements of Shahnameh's story, such as Zahak's magic and his meat-eating, Shahrnaz and Arnavaz's fear and hatred of Zahak, Zahak's uncertainty and confusion, etc., have been used without any change in the play, which is called imitation. Sometimes a connection of transformation (change) is established with Ferdowsi's story. The quantitative transformation has been used by reducing the story's volume, and the content transformation has been used by changing the perspective and interfering in the process of some elements of the story, such as how the devil came to Zahak as a chef.Finally, although at first glance Saedi's play seems to be a mere imitation of the pre-text (the myth of Zahak and the story of the Shahnameh), a little care reveals clear examples of the author's tragedy and successful attempt to make fundamental changes in the over-text.
