A classification of Persian traditional stories

جستارهای نوین ادبی

Article 2, Volume 42, Issue 3 - Serial Number 166, December 2009, Pages 23-45   

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.22067/jls.v42i3.4194

Author

Hassan Zolfaghari^*

Abstract

In every field, typology leads to a better, more complete and more precise knowledge. In spite of the importance and extent of traditional Persian stories, there is as yet no complete classification of these stories. Most of the present classifications are imprecise, mixing the different kinds of stories. This paper merely deals with an analysis, criticism, morphology and typology of Persian traditional stories. At first, the writers survey the views of the distinguished Iranian story experts and story tellers. This is followed by an analysis of the views of non-Iranian story experts. Based on the taxonomies presented here and by giving a special organization and some explanations, the writers proceed to give a complete classification of the stories according to eleven factors. This classification is claimed to facilitate criticism, analysis and comparison in classical narrative studies. The eleven factors proposed are the following: form, narration structure, theme, events, goal, origin, the end, literary level, characters, manner of expression, and size.

Keywords: fiction, classification, typology, story, structure, form, theme, motif