Journal of the stylistic of Persian poem and prose
volume Number 14، number In Volume 6، September 2021 ، issue Number 64

A Study of Epic Motifs in Poetic Historical Epics

Marina Marikhi (Author in Charge), Mahmoud Modabberi , Mohammad Sadegh Basiri

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Motif is one the most important elements in consolidating narratives. It can affect the narrative both structurally and syntactically and due to repetition creates beauty, attraction and semantic salience in narrative situations. In epics, too, they are the links between the written epics, most of which are recreating the motifs of earlier works. They can be divided into main titles such as people, events, places, objects, concepts, and several subheadings can be considered for each title. The aims of this research are these: finding high frequency motifs in the selected epics, declaring their similarities and differences and specifying their effects in the processes and results of epics.

METHODOLOGY: Analytical-descriptive in which poetic books such as Ghazan Nameh, GaoonNameh, ZafarNameh, HomayounNameh, SharafNameh and TimurNmeh were studied as the first step. Then their motifs were extracted and the most frequent motifs and their different subclasses were specified and named.

FINDINGS: Motifs like causes of war, tact, tactics, treaty and message are the most frequent motifs of epic-historical works of this research. The motif of war with causes such as malice, Islamophobia, power-seeking and display of power is present in the works with the most frequency. Defensive, deceptive and destructive measures and tactics are applied in various ways such as ambush, corps formation, obstruction, deterrence, intimidation and influence in the enemy corps. Covenants are loyal, protective, coercive, utilitarian, reverse, murderous. Messages fall into the categories of written and oral, prophecy, and sleep.

CONCLUSION: In historical and religious dimensions. The subject of the work, the poet, his worldview and attitude, and his linguistic and expressive creativity have influenced the role of motifs.and changed them semantically. It has affected the quantity and manner of their presence and the manner of their use. The motifs, despite the variety of themes, advance the epic narrative and increase the reader"s awareness of the causes of war, the reasons for defeat, victory, and the motives of war.

Keyword
motif , epic , war , tact , tactic , covenant , message

• Baharmast, Ahmad. (1934). the command of God of War, General Ferdowsi. Second Edition, Tehran: Khayyam Publications, p. 15.
• Cuddon.j.a. (1979). A Dictionary of Literary Term, United Kingdom: Penguin Books.
• Dehghan, Ali. (2007). Correspondence in Persian, Tehran: Shayesteh, p.18.
• Ethe, Herman. (1977). History of Persian Literature, translated by Rezazadeh Shafaq, second edition, Tehran: Book Publisher, P.62.
• Fekouhi, Nasser. (1999). Political Mythology. Tehran: Ferdows, p. 4.
• Freund, Zolin. (2005). What is politics? Translated by Abdolvahab Ahmadi, Tehran: Agah, p. 192.
• Hatefi, Abdullah bin Muhammad. (1959). Tamarname.
• Henils, John. (1996). Understanding Iranian Mythology, translated by Jaleh Amoozgar and Ahmad Tafazli, Fourth Edition, Tehran: Cheshmeh, p.12.
• Modbber, Fakhr. (1967). The etiquette of war and courage. Edited by Ahmad Soheili Khansari. Tehran: Iqbal, p. 298.
• Mostofi, Hamdollah. (2009). Zafarnameh, Edited by Mansoureh Sharifzadeh, Tehran: Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies.
• Navai, Abdul Hussein. (1991). Historical documents and schools of Iran (from Timur to Shah Ismail), Tehran: Scientific and Cultural Publisher Company, p. 192.
• Nezami, Elias Ibn Yousef. (2002). Sharafnameh, Edited by Saeed Hamidian, fourth edition. Tehran: Qatreh.
• Niknam, Hossein Mirza and Sarfi, Mohammad Reza. (2002). Prophecy in Shahnameh. Iranian Studies, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, pp. 172-153.
• Nouri Ajdari, Noureddin bin Mohammad. (2001). Ghazannameh, edited by Mohammad Modaberi, Tehran: Dr. Mohammad Afshar Endowment Foundation.
• Payendeh, Hossein. (2015). Opening the Novel, Third Ed, Tehran: Morvarid.
• Pirnia, Hassan. (1995). Ancient Iran. Tehran: Sokhan, seventh edition, p. 373.
• Qadri. (2005). Jarunname, Edited by Mohammad Baqer Vosoughi and Abdolrasoul Khairandish. Tehran: Written Heritage Development Center.
• Rastegar Fasaei, Mansour. (1990). Twenty-one speeches about Shahnameh and Ferdowsi, Shiraz: Navid, p. 61.
• Razmjoo, Hussein. (2002). The Realm of Iranian Epic Literature. Vol. 1, Mashhad: Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies, p. 78.
• Riviere, Claude. (2005). Anthropology. Translated by Nasser Fakuhi, Tehran: Ney Publisher, p.196.
• Safa, Zabihullah. (2010). Epic writing in Iran, Ninth edition, Tehran: AmirKabir.
• Sarami, Ghadmali. (2009). from the color of flowers to the suffering of thorns. Second Edition, Tehran: Scientific and Cultural Publications, p. 650.
• Taghavi, Mohammad and Dehghan, Elham. (2009). How is the motif formed? Literary Criticism Quarterly, 2 (8), p. 26.
• Taheri, Abu Qasem. (1996). History of Political Thought in the West, Second Edition, Tehran: Qumes, p. 22.
• Zojaji. (2004). Homayunname, Corrected by Ali Pirnia. Tehran: Academy of Persian Language and Literature.