Analyzing the Status of Repentance in the Story of the Old Woman and Malekshah in Attar's Tragic Tales Based on Joseph Campbell's Archetype of "the Return of the hero
Subject Areas : Islamic MysticismMasoome RouhaniFard 1 , Mehdi Mahouzi 2 , Shahin OjaqaliZade 3
1 - دانش آموخته دکتری زبان و ادبیات فارسی،گروه زبان و ادبیات فارسی،واحد رودهن، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، رودهن، ایران
2 - دانشیار گروه زبان و ادبیات فارسی، واحد رودهن، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، رودهن، ایران
3 - استادیار گروه زبان و ادبیات فارسی، واحد رودهن، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، رودهن، ایران.
Keywords: the hero’s journey, MosibatNameh(Tragic Tales in Persian), Campbell, the Old Woman and Malek Shah, Repentance,
Abstract :
The mysterious tale of the Old Woman and the Kingdom of AlbArslan in Attar’s MosibatNameh(Tragic Tales in Persian) has a great capacity for various decoding readings. The tale of the Old Woman and Malek Shah can be studied based on Campbell’s theories. One of the appropriate methods for understanding the mysterious structure of this tale is Campbell’s archetype of the hero’s journey. The hero is evoked to another land and thus starts his journey. In the course of his journey through the world he loses the only property in his life and stands against Malek Shah in an audacious fight and urges him to return the righteous properties of the peasants and finally frightens him of passing the bridge and encountering the grandeur of God. Eventually when the hero attains his rights he prays to God that Malek Shah is forgiven so that he could achieve perfection and maturity. Malek Shah is changed in sleep and returns to his previous status while carrying the Elixir of Life with him so that he could impart it on peasants and friends. In these journeys the trudging hero sets foot on a dangerous journey by answering the call of the albino dean of the kingdom to save the peasants of Iran. After passing various stages of battle, the hero not only succeeds in his mission and gains material blessings, but also attains a kind of self-recognition and spiritual perfection that in addition to being the function of the hero is based on Campbell’s theories on “the hero’s journey” that leads to a change in his land through praying and obeisance to God and by asking for God’s help.
