Examining the Influence of the Shahnameh on Persian Proverbs in Dehkhoda’s Amsal-o-Hekam

جستارهای نوین ادبی

Article 1, Volume 46, Issue 2 - Serial Number 181, September 2013, Pages 1-28   

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.22067/jls.v46i2.27622

Authors

Abbass Vaezzadeh^* ; Mahammad jafar Yahaghi

Abstract

Due to its unique features derived from ancient Iranian history and culture, Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh has captured the attention of all Iranian social classes including the folk. The interest of the folk in the Shahnameh can be witnessed in the common proverbs they use. The hemistiches, couplets and themes of this great masterpiece used as proverbs, or the proverbs including allusions to the epic stories and characters as well as the very word “Shahnameh” and the poet himself all bespeak its widespread and profound influence on the Iranian folklore. The aim of this article is to investigate the role and contribution of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh to Persian proverbs as they appear in Dehkhoda’s Amsal-o-Hekam (i.e. Proverbs and Aphorisms) and to further examine such proverbs. For this purpose, proverbs derived from the Shahnameh are considered in terms of typology and themes using work-based and proverb-based approaches. Finally, it has been considered why there are so many proverbs and paroemiac verses in Dehkhoda’s Amsal-o-Hekam derived from the Shahnameh.

Keywords

Shahnameh; Amsal-o-Hekam; proverb; proverb genres; proverb themes