The Study and Comparison of the Battle between Heroes and Heroines in Three Epic Narratives Based on the Ideas Gerard Genette

Battles of heroes is one of the main characteristics of epical texts. These battles are not always between two heroes. We can find examples of battling between a hero and a heroine. In spite of its repetition and importance, this theme never was the center of attractions. This project, tries to study and compare the battle between heroes and heroines in three epical narrations. Battles between “Sohrab and Gord Afarid” in “Shahname”, between “Homay and Homayoon” in a mathnavi with this name by “Khajooye Kermani” and “Rostam and Banoo Goshasb” of an anonymous poet. After a brief explanation of these battles, similarities and differences would be mentioned. We use “Gerard Genette’s theories for analyzing the similarities which are these: the way of narrating in components of narration - means, “order Time”, “mood”, “voice”-; hiding the gender of heroines; popularity of all three women in battling and hero winners at the end of all three battles. Differences are these: different goals to start battle; differences in the ending of battles; some reverse options in “Banoo Goshasb Nameh”, weakness of “Homay” comparing with those two heroines and the style of writing.