In
the Shahnameh an amalgamation of the Persian equivalents of
chapters in the book of Genesis, the Odysseys, Paradise Lost,
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and Shakespeare. Indeed,
it is astonishing how often the vocabulary of Shakespeare
suits incidents described in the Persian epic. Drama,
comedy, and tragedy – all are there. Reuben
Levey, a leading scholar of Persian literature
In
the last analysis, it was the Shahnameh, Ferdosi’s poetical
work of universal literary rank, that became the milestone for
the self affirmation of Iranian identity. For the
Iranian people indeed live in and by means of their poets; and
the importance of the poems of Ferdosi for the preservation of
the Iranian character can in no way be overestimated. Iran
in Fruh-Islamischer Zeit, Bertold Spuler,
The
Shahnameh is an impressive monument of poetry and
historiography, being mainly the poetical recast of what
Ferdosi and his predecessors regarded as the account of Iran's
history. An account which already existed in a less
appealing form in prose works, especially in the Shahnameh of
Abu Mansur Abd-al-Razzaq. A small portion of Ferdosi’s
work, in passages scattered throughout the Shahnameh, is
entirely of his own conception. In addition to the
profound descriptions of various scenes and phenomena,
expresses his reflection on life, his religious and ethical
beliefs and his admiration of virtue, his praise for his
patrons, and his references to the sources he used. The
rest of the work is divided into three successive parts: the
mythical, heroic, and historical ages. Ferdosi, in these
passages, expresses his reflection on life, his religious and
ethical beliefs and his admiration of virtue, his praise for
his patrons, and his references to the sources he used.
The rest of the work is divided into three successive parts:
the mythical, heroic, and historical ages.
The
mythical age: After an opening in praise of God and
Wisdom, the Shahnameh gives an account of the creation of the
world and of man as believed by Sassanians. This
introduction is followed by the story of the first man,
Gayumarth, who also became the first king after a period of
mountain dwelling. He accidentally discovered fire and
established the Sadeh Feast in its honor. Stories of
Tahmureth, Jamshid, Zahhak, Kaveh, Freidun and his three sons:
Salm, Tur, and Iraj, and Manuchehr are explained in this
section. This portion of the Shahnameh is relatively
short, amounting to some 2100 verses or four percent of the
entire book, and it narrates the events with the simplicity,
predictability, and swiftness of a historical work.
Naturally, the strength and charm of Ferdosi’s poetry have
done much to make the story of this period attractive and
lively.
The
heroic age: Almost two-thirds of the Shahnameh is devoted to
the age of heroes, extending from Manuchehr’s reign until
the conquest of Alexander. The main feature of this
period is the major role played by the Sagzi (Saka) or Sistani
heroes who appear as the backbone of the Iranian empire.
Garshasp is briefly mentioned as is his son Nariman, whose own
son Sam acted as the leading paladin of Manuchehr while
reigning in Sistan in his own right. His successors were
his son Zal and his son Rostam, the bravest of the brave, and
then Faramarz.
The
feudal society in which they lived is admirably depicted in
the Shahnameh with accuracy and lavishness. Indeed,
Ferdosi’s descriptions are so vivid and impressive that the
reader feels himself participating in the events or closely
viewing them. The tone is significantly epic and moving,
while the language is extremely rich and varied.
Among
the stories described in this section are the romance of Zal
& Rudabe, the Seven Stages (or Labors) of Rostam, Rostam
and Sohrab, Siavash and Sudabe, Rostam and Akvan Div, the
romance of Bijan and Manije, the wars with Afrasiab,
Daqiqi’s account of the story of Goshtasp and Arjasp, and
Rostam and Esfandyar.
It
is noteworthy to mention that the legend of Rostam and Sohrab
is attested only in the Shahnameh and, as usual, begins with a
lyrical and detailed prelude. Here Ferdosi is in the
zenith of his poetic power and has become a true master of
storytelling. The thousand or so verses of this tragedy
comprise one of most moving tales of world literature.
The
historical age: A brief mention of the Ashkanian (Arsacids)
follows the history of Alexander and precedes that of Ardeshir.
After this, the Sassanian history is related with a good deal
of accuracy. The fall of the Sassanian and the Arab
conquest are narrated romantically, and in a most moving
poetic language. Here, the reader could easily see
Ferdosi himself lamenting over this catastrophe, and over what
he calls the arrival of “the army of darkness”.
According
to Ferdosi, the final edition of the Shahnameh contained some
sixty thousand distiches. But this is a round figure;
most of the relatively reliable manuscripts have preserved a
little over fifty thousand distiches. Nezami-Aruzi
reports that the final edition of the Shahnameh sent to the
court of Soltan Mahmud was prepared in seven volumes.
Ferdosi’s
style is that of a superb poet. His epic language is so
rich, moving and lavish that it truly enchants the reader.
Personal touches in the Shahnameh prevent it from falling into
a dry reproduction of historical narratives. No history
has been so eagerly read, so profoundly believed, and so
ardently treasured in Iran, as has the Shahnameh of Ferdosi.
If a history were ever to influence its readers, the Shahnameh
has done and still does so in the finest way. Where many
Iranian military and religious leaders failed, Ferdosi
succeeded. With the Shahnameh, the revival and
immortality of a nation became possible.
Ferdosi
did not expect his reader to pass over historical events
indifferently, but asked him to think carefully, to see the
grounds for the rise and fall of individuals and nations; and
to learn from the past in order to improve the present, and to
better shape the future.
The
Shahnameh stresses that since the world is transient, and
since everyone is merely a passerby, one is wise to avoid
cruelty, lying, avarice, and other evils; instead one should
strive for justice, truth, order, and other virtues which
bring happiness, ease, and honor.
The
singular message that the Shahnameh of Ferdosi strives to
convey is the idea that the history of Iranshahr was a
complete and immutable whole: it started with Gayumarth, the
first man, and ended with his fiftieth scion and successor,
Yazdegerd III, six thousand years of history. The task
of Ferdosi was to prevent this history from losing its
connection with future Iranian generations.
Source:
Ferdowsi, A Critical Biography, by A. Shapur Shahbazi,
Published by Mazda
Publishers, 1991 The Shahnameh, Abu'lQassem Ferdowsi,
Edited by Djalal Khaleghi-Motlagh, Vol. I, 1988.
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