Reflection of Modesty and Politeness in Shahnameh and Pahlavi Texts

Shahnameh is the perfect mirror of Iranian culture, wisdom, and thought. It is also the epitome of beliefs and social norms and customs which can be explored by different approaches. This eminent work is the most important document coming from the poetry of ancient Persia.Modesty and politeness are one of such beliefs. According to Ferdoosi, modesty is an admirable character in men and women. He also praises politeness and regards it as an attribute of women, while on many instances; men are appreciated for having this character.Without any doubt, Toos Master has been influenced by some works in his treatment of ancient Persian culture. Ferdoosi has been drawing on Pahlavi texts in his rendering of this cultural aspect. Among these works, one can refer to Dinkard, Minoyeh Kherad, Ardavirafnameh, Bozorgmehr’s Book of Advice, the Advice of AzarPadMarsfandan, etc.In this paper, we try to look at the eminent position of modesty and politeness in ancient Persia culture from the perspective of Shahnameh and Pahlavi texts. We attempt to highlight the point that Ferdoosi, along with his cultural beliefs and interests, has been influenced by Pahlavi texts.