The Ideal Man in Rāmāyāna and Shāhnāmah
Subject Areas : Christianity
Keywords: Ideal man, Rāmāyāna, Shāhnāmah, Valmiki, Firdawsī,
Abstract :
In the epics of the ancient peoples, the ideal man is manifested in the life and works of their heros, so that each one of them is a reflection of the ethical standards and values of his society. Great epic writers such as Valmiki and Firdawsī tried to create such an ideal man. The heros of Rāmāyāna and Shāhnāmah show the man in his different levels. In a survey of the characteristics of such an ideal man, his belief in God, wisdom, justice, self sufficiency, loyalty, philanthropy and prudence seem quite prominent. Though these characteristics are more or less found in both works, each quality has different manifestations according to the cultural background of its land of origin. For example, some qualities like loyalty are more prominent in Rāmāyāna, while others like having the God given charisma are more important in Shāhnāmah.