Journal of the stylistic of Persian poem and prose
volume Number 18، number In Volume 3، June 2025 ، issue Number 109

Analysis of the personalities of the kings of Shahnameh from the perspective of various psychological theories (Jung, Adler, Maslow)

Hadith Bahmani , Farshad Mirzaeimotlagh (Author in Charge), Masoud Sepahvandi

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The perfect human being and presenting a clear and vivid picture of him are controversial topics in the humanities, including literature and psychology. Psychological theories such as Jung"s shadow and mask archetypes, Adler"s lifestyle, and Maslow"s hierarchy of needs are some of the theories that can be easily studied and examined in some works of Persian literature, including Ferdowsi"s Shahnameh, which has a human-centered nature. An examination of the characters in this work shows to what extent Iranian man has achieved human growth and perfection in past eras and to what extent he conforms to the personality patterns of the field of psychology. In this regard, the present article aims to examine and psychologically study the personalities of the kings of the Shahnameh from the perspective of the theories of Jung, Adler, and Maslow, to clarify to some extent the reasons for some of the thoughts, words, and actions of the kings for the audience and to help the reader achieve a better understanding of the overall stories.

METHODOLOGY: This research was conducted based on the descriptive-analytical method and its data was provided based on library studies.

FINDINGS: Ferdowsi, like a modern expert novelist, while organizing the general aspects of the stories and the unique scenes of celebration, sadness, and joy, while paying attention to his speech, makes the characters of his story show the effect of human emotions on decision-making in a very wise way. With such psychological works, Ferdowsi shows us the innermost nature of the heroes of the Shahnameh. He is very precise in doing this and insists so much that it can be said that no word is uttered by the characters in his work that he has not shown us the psychological-emotional background for uttering it.

CONCLUSION: From Ferdowsi"s perspective, Jamshid and Zahhak have the archetype of the shadow and the mask, and Fereydoun and Kaykhosro have the archetype of the wise and wise old man. Also, Kaykavoos is more than any other king a prisoner of the archetype of the shadow, who eventually loses his life to his desires and greed. From the perspective of Adler"s lifestyle theory, Jamshid is an example of active and constructive kings, and Zahhak is an example of inactive and destructive kings. Also, Fereydoun"s personality, in contrast to Zahhak"s personality, is one of the most complete personality models based on Maslow"s theory. In this work, Fereydoun as a transcendent personality and Zahhak as a neurotic or unhealthy personality objectively represent the two points of the base and the top of Maslow"s pyramid.

Keyword
Shahnameh , king , Personality , Psychology , Jung , Maslow , Adler

• Aydenlou, Sajjad. (2009). From Myth to Epic, Tehran: Sokhan.
• Bahar, Mehrdad. (2010). A Look at the History and Mythology of Iran, Tehran: Elm.
• Feist, Gregory, J. and Feist, J. (2009). Theories of Personality, translated by Seyyed Yahya Mohammadi, Tehran: Ravan.
• Ferdowsi, Abolghasem. (2007). Shahnameh, edited by Jalal Khaleghi Motlagh, Tehran: Markaz of the Great Islamic Encyclopedia.
• Goli Aysek, M. (2007). "The Personality of Kavus in Shahnameh", Kavashnameh Scientific Research Quarterly, (27) 14, pp. 301-340.
• Javanshir, F. M. (2001). The Epic of Dad: A Discussion of the Political Content of the Shahnameh, Tehran: Jami.
• Jung, Carl Gustav. (2008). Psychology of the Unconscious, translated by Mohammad Ali Amiri, 3rd edition, Tehran: Elmi and Farhangi.
• Kazzazi, Mir Jalal al-Din. (2006). Mazes of Mystery, Tehran: Markaz Publishing.
• Khosravi, Ashraf. (2001). The Shahnameh from the Perspective of Jung's Analytical Psychology, Tehran: Scientific and Cultural.
• Mazlow, Abraham. (1988). Motivation and Personality, translated by Ahmad Rezvani, Mashhad: Astan Quds Razavi.
• McK, Kay, Robert. (2003). Fiction: Structure, Style and Principles of Screenwriting, translated by Gozarabadi, Tehran: Hermes.
• Mohabbati, Mehdi. (2002). Pahlevan in the Dead End: The Complete Text of Rostam and Sohrab and Rostam and Esfandiar with a New Look at Ferdowsi and the Elements, Tehran: Sokhan.
• Nordby, Vernon and Hall, Calvin Springer. (1996). Jung's Fundamentals of Analytical Psychology, translated by Mohammad Hossein Moqbel, Tehran: Jahad Daneshgahi.
• Rastegar Fasaei, Mansour. (2000). "China and the Chinese in the Iranian National Epic", Nameh Parsi Magazine, No. 17, pp. 81-108.
• Schultz, Duvan. (2013). Theories of Personality, translated by Yousef Karimi and others, Tehran: Arasbaran.
• Siasi, Ali Akbar. (2009). Theories of Personality or Schools of Psychology, Tehran: Tehran University Press.
• Vogler, Christopher. (2007). Mythical Structure in Fiction and Screenplay, 2nd edition, Tehran: Niloufar.
• Yahaghi, Mohammad J’afar. (2007). Dictionary of Myths and Storytelling in Persian Literature, 4th edition, Tehran: Farhang Mo’asar.
• Younesi, Ebrahim. (2005). The Art of Storytelling, Tehran: Negah.
• Zarinkoob, Abdolhossein. (2004). Introduction to the History of Iran, Tehran: Sokhan.