فصلنامه ادبیات عرفانی و اسطوره شناختی
سال یازدهم شماره 39 (تابستان 1394)

Looking at the story of Siyāvash with some myths that are ethically and structurally unfit to this story turns a blind eye on the reality of the story that has a firm connection with the character of Rostam. If we notice to views of European fair minded scholars about the antiquity of Avestā as well as some Iranian scholars who study the subject phenomenologically, then we will know the Iranian themes in the story and how it differs from myths of fertility. First time, Afrasiab appointed Siyāvash as ruler of a fertile region called Kangdezh. Siyāvash made a guard wall around it with the help of Farre Kiyani (the gift of Divine grace); according to Bundahishn, it had 15 gates and the distance of each gate from the other was 15 days trekking time. For the second time, Afrasiab wanted Siyāvash to make another region near his capital; then Siyāvash made another city called Sharestane Siyāvashgerd. The present article wants to show that new archaeological researches are needed in Dushanbe and Bukhārā for these reasons: Narshakhi (ca. 899–959) points that the tomb of Siyāvash is located in the gate of Bukhārā; and there is a refurbished gate in Dushanbe and probably another gates in the city; and finally Siyāvashgerd is situated in limits of a wall.

In oral and written literature, one of the most enduring archetypes is the archetype of hero's journey that is proposed by Joseph Campbell based on Jung’s views. According to Christopher Vogler, this universal archetype can be found in many films and stories all through the world. In other words, we can see the common structural elements in stories, myths and tales; the stages of archetype of hero's journey can be seen in them. By analyzing Zoya Pirzad’s novel Cheragh-ha ra man khamush mikonam (I Will Turn Off the Lights) the archetype of hero's journey can be seen. The first character of the novel, like the mythic heroes, begins a journey to her inner world and finally returns to her married life and those close to her while holding elixir of consciousness and self-examination. The present article tries to consider the novel from this view.

Archetype is a hidden structural tendency that shows the contents and dynamic processes of a collective unconscious. Archetypes can be studied in different contexts: dreams, myths, religion and literature. The present article, based on the concept of "pragmatic meaning", tries to study the most prominent archetypes - such as anima, land, city/home, water - in the poems of Ahmad Shāmlū (1925-2000). So, the ideological layers of the poems are considered as an outer-context factor, showing their mythological and epic function.

Myth, as subjective truth of the primal man, is reflective of his/her ideals and desires and has shown itself in different forms up till now. Myths have an idealistic aspect which makes the hero appear not as a normal but as a powerful entity and god. Every woman has an archetype of a goddess in her inside that guides her morality and character, which is the symbol of her ideals. By employing descriptive-analytical and library methods and considering the myths of matriarchy, the present article tries to show the archetypes that are effective on the behavior of heroines.

Humanism, a philosophical and literal movement, is rooted in ancient Greek. It holds man in high esteem and believes that man is the measure of all things. The Renaissance, which was the peak of humanism, opened a new way for confronting despotism of the Middle Age Church. Humanism emphasizes freedom, autonomy, self-guiding and recognizing human talents; and here lies the common grounds of humanism and mysticism. The present article tries to compare some mystical subjects with Humanistic ones by using descriptive and analytic method.

Language is the only means of depicting the sense world. Everyone understands the world in his/her own way and describes it with a special language. In the same fashion, the language used in Sawāneh, written by Ahmad Ghazālī, expresses the unique experiences of him. Based on the Jakobson's communication theory, the present article tries to consider the aesthetic message of Sawāneh, and show that despite using language as a means for communication, the meaning expressed in the language and the understanding of it are delayed in the text. The meaning and understanding are delayed because the writer tries to employ aesthetic means of language. At the same time, for considering the literal content of the text we refer to anecdote, allegory, simile, personification and metaphor as the most important means used to change language to literature.

Buddā and Khayyām have a prominent place among thinkers who have seriously meditated upon "passing of time" and the concept of "instant". The present article tries to study the concepts of time and universe and to interpret the notion of instant, regarding to subjects like death, pain and pleasure, in their thoughts. Khayyām inclines to escape from consciousness in order to overcome destiny; he seizes the day and treasures the present moment and leading to hedonism in the end. But Buddā has a deep interpretation of "the instant" and "the moment" that is rooted in his ideas about consciousness and whole reality. Although both of them believe to decreasing pain and suffering, but they choose different ways to achieve it, because they have different view about pain resulting from passing of time and instability of instants.

Scholars believe that man has two kinds of birth: 1) formal and 2) the second or spiritual birth. The spiritual birth, which is also called divine birth and wedding of eternity, is one of the foundations of mysticism of Mulānā Jalāl-al Din Rumī. Like the mystics who believe to expansion and intoxication, he speaks about loving death and considers it as a state of human evolution, in which one moves from realm of multiplicity and world of nature to realm of unity and world of divine. According to Rumī, the spiritual birth depends on faith, spiritual fatherhood and love. On the basis of the anecdotes of Masnavi Manvi, the present article tries to explain different kinds of birth, factors affecting volitional death, state, features, ways and benefits of this kind of death.

The mystical language of Mulānā Jalāl-al Din Rumī is distinct and special. He utilizes linguistic signs, significants, significances and signifieds for expressing his mystical ideas. One of the most applied signs, in his poems, is sun. He relates it, as a significant, to different signifieds or different features of a signified. In mystical texts, sun is one of common linguistic signs, but Rumī uses it according his own mystical experiences and doesnt imitate his predecessors. So, sun, as a linguistic sign, includes a widespread field of significance and suggests different ideas to readers in different poems. The present article tries to show applications of the term of sun, its meaning and its various significances in the works of Mulānā Jalāl-al Din Rumī; in this way it is possible to have a better interpret of some of his poems.

The structure of the story of Fereydun shows that Ferdosi has narrated it with a dualistic view and in the form of fictional royal stories. By considering the deep structure of the story it shows clearly that Fereydun has a dualistic nature: a divine nature as well as an evil one. His divine nature is manifested in his illuminated face, sense of justice, rationality and pacifism; afterwards these features are transferred to Iraj and Manuchehr who brings the evil age of Salm and Tur to an end. But Fereydun’s latent evil nature that is hidden beneath is suddenly revealed after returning his sons from Yaman. The evil nature appears in the form of dragon and has the following features: greed, avidity, treachery, irrationality, corruption and chaos. Afterwards, these features are transferred to Salm and Tur.