Rostam's personality analysis in Seven Station based on Maslow's psychological theory

The world of story is considered as an extensive realm in which the presence of personality and human behavior can be the subject of psychological criticism and a suitable platform for conducting research in this respect. In the meantime, the stories of Shahnameh with multiple characters are among the works in which a good connection is established between the world of fiction and the real world. Rostam, the mythical character of Shahnameh, is the physical and spiritual model of Iranians. A person who is not surrounded by the aura of holiness and is not like ordinary human beings. The behavior of this character encompasses all personal, social, and human concerns. One of the ways to know Rostam's personality is to deal with his mind and behavior based on his performance. In his theory of personality, Maslow, an American psychologist, deals with the psychological dimensions of man holding a diverse perspective of psychoanalysts and behaviorists. In his theory, both physical and spiritual issues are considered. Rostam's personality from birth to death can be evaluated based on Maslow's theory of personality pyramid to determine what stage of self-fulfillment he has reached. In this research, an attempt has been made to examine his personality based on this theory and with regard to Seven Station. Rostam's behavioral characteristics in this story show his movement from material activities to self-fulfillment. Passing through physical issues, feeling of security and self-confidence, love for the homeland, mutual respect, and tact and discernment, which are the tools of self-fulfillment, are obtained from examining Rostam's character in this story. Rostam's ability to convey a mythical thought, which on the one hand indicates the relative evolution of his personality and on the other hand leads to general acceptance, is proved by using the Maslow pyramid.