Journal of the stylistic of Persian poem and prose
volume Number 16، number In Volume 2، May 2023 ، issue Number 84

Vladimir Propp’s Character Types in Leyli-Majnun and Khosrow-Shirin Narrative Poems by Amir Khusrow and Nami Esfahani

Malihe Mozaffarikhah , Abolghasem Ghavam (Author in Charge), Hassan Zulfeghari

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Leyli and Majnoun, as well as Khosrow and Shirin are famous stories that have been composed into verses by many poets. Amir Khosrow Dehlavi and Nami Esfahani are the poets who versified these two stories commensurate with their own time and place conditions, and also made changes to the main poem composed by Nizami. This research aims to investigate the characterization of these versified stories using the Propp’s Theory and comparing key characters with each other.

METHODOLOGY: For this bibliographical research based on Vladimir Propp’s theory, the descriptive-analytical methodology was adopted for conducting this research.

FINDINGS: Characteristically, Khosrow, Shirin, Leyli and Majnun are all subjects to the conditions of their time. Little change has been made in the storyline with similar characters. In these four versified stories, the main plot of the story is a fixed one, with only some elements of the story being changed, eliminated or added. The introduction of characters is mostly done by direct description, interaction between characters and their conversations.

CONCLUSION: Khosrow and Ghais are both heroes that confront their rivals and obstacles. The motivator of Khosrow in Amir Khusrow’s narrative poems, is Shapour, whereas in Nami’s version, vise speakers considered as dispatchers motivate Khosrow. In both narrative poems, Shapour, Nakisa and Barbod are the helpers. The dispatcher of Ghais is his drive; his helpers cannot be of any help to him as obstacles are more powerful. There is villain in Khosrow-Shirin narrative poems whereas there are none in Leyli-Majnun but obstacles. Female characters in all four narrative poems are morally more realistic than male figures as the formers are depicted more resilient to difficulties and love melancholia. Among male characters, only Khosrow has a negative characteristic (he is a player) and has a less authoritative character in Nami’s version as he doesn’t show patience towards Shirin’s love. Majnun is weak and helpless towards love melancholia and is unable to tolerate it and dies. Both Amir Khusrow and Nami give Leyli more freedom of action as a consequence of their life condition and have both depicted a more detailed relationship for Leyli and Majnun, which is different from Nizami’s original version.

Keyword
Leyli-Majnun , Khosrow-Shirin , Amir Khusrow , Nami Esfahani , characters , Propp

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