Analyzing the Myths of Simurgh and Angha (Phoenix) in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh and Meydani’s Majm’a al-Amthal

Myth is the evolved thinking activity of the primitive man. It is a set of interesting stories and anecdotes from the most ancient eras, full of miracles and surprises in which reality is intertwined with imagination. The word “mythology” has been repeated 9 times in Quran, in verses such as Infaal: 31. An’aam:25, etc. The myth of Angha is an example of cultural exchange between civilizations; in different nations, it is known as Simurgh, Samandal, Banu, etc. The present study is an attempt to analyze the symbols of Angha and Simurgh in Meydani’s Majm’a al-Amthal and Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, respectively, in order to uncover the mutual dreams of both Persian and Arabic nations; their non-existence does not prevent one from recognizing the mental realities believed by mankind. In comparative mythology, special attention is paid to psychological and linguistic approaches.
Certain researchers have stated that there are no mutual aspect between Simurgh and Angha. However, this study was conducted based upon the following hypotheses: 1. The origins of the symbols of Simurgh and Angha are in the ancient Persian culture and Semitic languages, respectively; 2. Mixed images and the transformation phenomenon are the causes behind the emergence of their good and evil forces; 3. Both symbols can be justified in scientific terms; 4. Collective and mutual archetypes, nature, and religious beliefs resulted in a number of shared features between the two; 5. And the environment and culture of each ethnicity are the reasons behind their differences.

Review of Literature:

There has been a number of extensive studies on Ferdowsi’s Simurgh; however, despite Majm’a al-Amthal being a reference in these studies, there has been no research on Angha. The most important studies in this area are as follows: 1. In his paper, Qolinezhad (2011) conducted a comparative examination of Simurgh with other mythical birds, briefly mentioning Angha. 2. In his study, Hejazi (2010) attempted to recreate the myths of Simurgh and Phoenix, believing external and internal factors to be effective in the revival of both myths, without mentioning Meydani’s Angha; 3. Ajinah (1994) has pointed out various Arabic myths including Angha, regarding the bird as an equivalent for Simurk; however, no comparative aspect between Ferdowsi’s Simurgh and Meydani’s Angha was mentioned. 4. In his work, Asad-allah (2018) regarded the myths of Simurgh and Angha as substantially different without mentioning their historical archetypes and origins. To date, there has been no research on comparing Ferdowsi’s Simurgh and Meydani’s Angha.

The present study seeks to answer the following question: What are the similarities and differences between the myths of Simurgh and Angha? To this end, both myth were recreated in stages where Simurgh is present in Shahnameh via analyzing nearly 50-60 verses and comparing them with three Arabic proverbs along with three anecdotes on Angha. The study was conducted using library studies and the comparative-analytical method. It can serve as an introduction for researchers in the areas of culture, literature, and mysticism.

A) Manifestation of Simurgh through Godlike and Evil Imagery;
1. The birth of Zaal with white hair; 2. The birth of Rostam and Zaal’s desperation; 3. Manifestation in the fifth Khan; 4. Appearance to rescue Rostam.
B) Manifestation of Angha in Meydani’s Amthal;
“Taarat bi-hem al-Angha”, “Halaqat bih Angha Muqribon”, and “Aeiz min Angha Muqrib” as well as anecdotes by Hanzilah bin Safqan, Khalid bin Senan al-Abasi, and Suleiman.
C) Similarities between the Symbols of Simurgh and Angha;
1. Birth: it has been said, “al- Angha tatazavijon fa iza kaana fi vaqte beiadhiha yadh’haro bi-ha alam o osh-sadidon”; Ferdowsi says: Simurgh took flight after the children’s hunger. 2. Symbols of death and survival: Both birds are symbols of creatures’ deaths for the survival of nature, proof of survival, and immortality; 3. Physical power and strength: labels such as the ruler bird, the greatest of birds, etc. refer to the birds’ power, their scarcity and absence of any competitors with a variety of dimensions; 4. Life in the mountain: due to its sheer strength, the symbol of mountains such as Alborz and Qaaf as living places of Simurgh and Angha involve external or mythical realities; 5. The element of fire: fire involves aspects such as disappearance and manifestations of realities and burning in the fire which is the secret to freedom; 6. The element of physical description: both birds have mixed imageries and dissimilar structures, as a combination of human and animal. The cause behind the emergence of the forces of good and evil lie within changes of behavior and the integration of their earthly and heavenly origins; 7. Lifetime: both birds’ survival and immortality are manifested in three stages for Simurgh and the Arabic proverb, “Aezzon min Angha muqrib” for Angha; 8. Flight and ascension through heavens: Angha and Simurgh’s flights involve both mutual and different secrets and motifs; 9. Type of existence: real and imaginary existence can be considered for both. According to the scientific principles of evolution and discovered fossils, these fantastic birds were considered as real in historical foundations of ethnicities; through imagination, different ethnic groups have regarded the birds to be real; 10. Vengeance; the purpose behind vengeance is the survival of nature or the influence of spiritual and mental states.

D) Differences between the Symbols of Simurgh and Angha;

As the totem of Zaal household and its presence in an epic, the purpose behind Simurgh is to support and give life to Zaal family. Its purpose was to show the godlike dimension of the gods. However, the bird’s face of evil has specific reasons as well: it is the manifestation of the power of death via evil forces; 2. Language element: the conversation between Simurgh and Zaal is the very commonality between nature and culture which was not seen in Angha; 3. Form of texts: Simurgh is manifested in an epic, poetic text behind masks such as the mother, the key to secrets of the unknown, etc., while each mask made the epic process more beautiful and attractive. However, Angha is manifested in prose behind the mask of a hunting bird, the character of which became more frightening throughout the story. Subsequently, symbols of death and hope, magic, wisdom, and fury were dominant in both cultures; 4. Content: in the epic, Simurgh has a magical character and incredible powers and became the hero of an exciting body of contents. Yet, Angha in Arabic Amthal was the descriptive aspect and the hero of wisdom and edification. 5. Insights and type of action: firstly, affection, thoughts and awareness are dominant in Simurgh’s character. Nevertheless, Angha is a bird devoid of any emotions and any signs regarding the search for justice and reform. Secondly, Simurgh showed humanlike behavior and characteristics while Angha had features only in the form of a human. Third, is the awareness over the unknown; expressing Esfandiar’s vulnerability showed Simurgh’s knowledge of the unknown, holiness, and connections to the undead plant, with godlike origins. Meanwhile, Angha’s actions are driven by instincts. Fourth is the result of actions: Simurgh returns a grown child while Angha did not.

Themes such as flying through skies, i.e. the ancient dream of humans, along with disappearing into horizons and bringing unknown information and the secrets to immortality are manifested in birds. The origins of symbols of Simurgh and Angha come from the ancient Persian culture (Avesta) and Semitic anecdotes in Hebrew, respectively. Ibn Muqafa’, Tabari, etc. have translated the Pahlavi Simurgh as “Angha”. Today, both words are used as synonyms in translations. Despite their different origins, there are many similarities between the two myths.
Sometimes, certain symbols such as Angha appear to be secondary and insignificant; however, detailed examinations into texts show that they are used as contexts and tools to draw upon the main events. As a result, despite their individual characteristics, all humans have similar beliefs and intentions which has led to the creation of similar symbols such as Simurgh and Angha. Regardless of their non-Islamic origins, both Simurgh and Angha have influenced the culture and literature of the nations throughout history; later, religious and political affairs resulted in the mutation of their meanings, characters and increased similarities. Due to their relevance to today’s man, they are also reflected in works of contemporary poets such as Mousavi Garmaroudi, Iylia abu Madhi, etc.