A Study of the techniques of dramatizing narrative texts in Bahram Beyzaie's Adaptations of Shahnameh

Shahnameh, as a great work in the field of Eastern epic literature, has a great potential for dramatization. This possibility, of course, requires a knowledge of the original text as well as a knowledge of the Eastern drama. Relying on his knowledge and awareness of Eastern narratives and Eastern drama, Bahram Beyzaie, the prominent playwright, pays special attention to the narratives of Shahnameh and their dramatization. The present paper focuses on four of Beyzaie's plays, all of which have been adapted from Shahnameh. More specifically, this descriptive-analytical study explicates the techniques used by Beyzaie in "Azhedahak", "Shab-e-Hezar-o-Yekom", "Sohrabokoshi" and "Siavashkhani" in his dramatization of the original narratives. The results show that in order to dramatize the stories of Shahnameh, Beyzaie has paid much attention to the tools of Eastern drama such as naqqali and tae'ziyeh. In addition, the playwright has deployed elements and techniques such as characterization, conflict, monologue as well as tools of metadrama such as play within the play and distancing in dramatization of the original narratives.