A Comparative Study of the Characters of Tahmineh and Artemis

Tahmineh is a wise brave woman in Persian mythology, whose behavior and characteristics are very similar to Artemis, the Greek goddess of hunting and war. The researcher compares the two characters based on the principles of American comparative literature. The results show that these two characters share similar attributes in that they both have twin brothers and both are connected with hunting and forestry, and both are known for bravery and archery. Tahmineh and Artemis are both virgins and initiators of love. However, the immortality of Artemis and the mortality of Tahmineh, explain for the contrasts between them. Besides, the incongruity between Persian and Greek social and cultural contexts, leads to the emergence of differences between the two women. Artemis is a goddess and is always described as one, she is reckless, cruel, and not committed to family life, Tahmineh on the other hand, is not cruel and is responsibly committed to matrimony. According to Straus's and Jung's theories, we can say that despite surface differences, the two characters have similarities that can be explained in terms of the common mythic structure of two nations and the common collective unconscious.