Journal of the stylistic of Persian poem and prose
volume Number 17، number In Volume 6، September 2024 ، issue Number 100

A comparative study of the likeness of warriors to animals in Homer's Iliad and Ferdowsi's Shahnameh

Ali Amini (Author in Charge)

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Epic literature around the world describes the bravery of warriors. Homer"s Iliad and Ferdowsi"s Shahnameh are among the most famous epics in the world. In this research, descriptions and similes of animals used in battles for victorious warriors, up to the 15th hymn of the Iliad and the first book of the Shahnameh, have been compared. These animals included lion, leopard, wolf, boar, hound, cow, ram, horse, elephant, rhinoceros, whale and dragon.

METHODOLOGY: This research was done with descriptive-analytical research method.

FINDINGS: Examining the two epic works under research shows that both works have used a lot of likening warriors to animals and sometimes they have used similar methods to describe and compare warriors to certain animals.

CONCLUSION: In examining the animal descriptions of brave warriors, we found three groups of wild animals (predatory and non-predatory), domesticated animals and mythical animals. wild beasts, lions, leopards, wolves and whales (crocodile); non-predatory wild animals, boar, elephant and rhinoceros; Domesticated animals were dogs, gowers, rams, and horses, and the only mythical animal was the dragon. Among the predatory animals, lions, leopards and wolves are common in both epics, and whales are unique to the Shahnameh. The non-predatory wild animals are the boar for the Iliad and the elephant and the rhinoceros for the Shahnameh. Domestic animals are all specific to the Iliad and mythical animals are specific to the Shahnameh. Both epics describe lions, leopards, boars, and wolves. These animals are known everywhere with the same behavior, and for this reason, they have been used in both epics as descriptions. Peel and rhinoceros are native to Asia and Africa, that"s why they are only used in Shahnameh. The use of domestic animals was due to cultural differences, and for this reason, such descriptions were not used for warriors in the Shahnameh. Such a simile of a warrior to a dragon exists only in the Shahnameh.

Keyword
Epic , Iliad , Shahnameh , Simile , the warriors

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