A Comparative Study on Stories of “Siyavash” and “Othello”

Our different perspectives towards the world increases the necessity to investigating literary works in order to know humanity and recognize cultural–literary bonds among all nations. One of the ways to affect these issues is through comparative literature. Ferdowsi and Shakespeare are considered as literature heroes among their own nations as well as other nations in the world. They have created unique masterpieces to the West and East’s views. Although Siyavash’s story does not seem a tragedy like Othello in the beginning, investigating it shows tragedy characteristics that need to be studied upon. The present study aims to investigate the theme Siyavash from Shahnameh-e-Ferdowsi and Shakespeare’s Othello via an analytical-comparative approach. In addition to analyzing the stories and the themes, their similarities and differences were revealed. The results show that both of these poets have established a foundation of their stories based on moral values. Similarities between the two are more than the differences and the common factor causing the events was “envy”. Moreover, the results reveal that the hero’s battle reflects humane characteristics such as honesty and affection more than anything else. Nevertheless, the main difference is that the characters do not precisely resemble their double ganger in other tragedies; in a sense Siyavash is similar to Desdemona’s in terms of moral state and occasionally resembles Othello’s characters.