Literary Motifs of Iran's National Epic An Essay on Iranian Epic Traditions from the Yašts to the Shahnameh

Document Type : Scientific

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Research Institute for Islamic and Iranian Culture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman

Abstract

Many of the epic traditions of Persian poetry have their roots in ancient Iranian literature. The Yašts represent the oldest epic work of Iran, composed in Avestan. In the Achaemenid inscriptions, written in Old Persian, one can find traces of adherence to epic poetic patterns. The Yādgār-e Zarirān (Memorial of Zarer) and certain Manichaean hymns were also composed based on epic poetry. Following the advent of Islam, epic poetry entered new realms, most notably through Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh. This paper examines and analyzes Iranian literary traditions across three domains—genealogy, metrics, and stylistic studies—from the Yašts to the Shahnameh. Investigations suggest that, in terms of meter, Persian epic poetry was influenced by Parthian and Middle Persian verse. The continuity of oral literary traditions within Iranian epic works can be identified through oral characteristics that date back to Indo-Iranian and even Indo-European roots, such as formulaic expressions and repetitive structures. Furthermore, in terms of literary style and mode of expression—specifically regarding artistic devices like repetition, epithets, and poetic imagery—there are profound similarities between the Yašts and the Shahnameh, attesting to the millennia-long continuity of literary traditions.

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