The hero archetype in the Conversations of Shams of Tabriz

One of the most important, obvious and varied characteristics of mysticism, mystical works and lyric prosaic works is hero archetype. Hero’s development is an important issue in mysticism and lyric prosaic works so that hero archetype approaches personality evolution through an intricate process. In mystical and lyric prosaic works, and more specifically in the Conversations of Shams of Tabriz, the evolution of personality is revealed in various forms. The mystical hero in the Conversations of Shams of Tabriz, like the hero of the epic genre, has a variety of tools at his disposal but at the same time, he is distinguished from an epic hero. In the Conversations of Shams of Tabriz, hero’s mystical journey complements his personality traits. He must begin this journey to reach the evolution or get to the joiner but in the Conversations of Shams of Tabriz, starting the journey is contingent to pass other stages. These stages call the hero through the inner voice in a way that he lapses into unconsciousness. After passing the aforementioned stages, the hero sets foot in a difficult journey full of barriers, while these barriers are varied in the mystical journey of hero and appear in various forms to the mystical hero. Sometimes the hero’s own steps are barriers for him; the variability of the barriers brings changes in the hero's personality. This study employs descriptive-analytical methods based on structuralism, uses the Conversations of Shams of Tabriz, and intends to study the hero archetype in the evolutional process and formulate theories of repeating the hero’s starting point at the end of the journey and moving out the stagnation of the hero’s variable character in the evolutionary development.