A Structural Investigation of Plot in the Anecdotes of Marzban-Namah

The structural investigation of ancient anecdotes of Persian literature is an approach which can examine the literary narrative from an overall view. A structural analysis of anecdote can show how narrative has changed in Persian literature. This overall view provides the possibility of comparison and analysis of various narrative structures. This paper aims at investigating the plot of Marzban-Namah’s anecdotes based on Vladimir Propp’s approach and the principles of formalism and structuralism. All the anecdotes of the book are divided into two general structures. Also, this paper is an attempt to investigate the “functions” of the two general structure. The functions of the first type of structure functions are test (problem), helping, success (or not success). Moreover, the functions of the second type are pretension, test (problem), helping, proof (or not proof). It seems that in the plot of these stories, in addition to the element of casuality, there is another element which is called belief.