Father and Son Epic Function in the Myth of Iran and the World

In view of the fact that the existence of similarity among different works is a natural thing and the fact that many of the meanings and themes are common among the writers in the world, Iran’s national epics in certain fields have common grounds with the epics of Iranian, Asian, Greek, Roman, and Mesopotamian peoples in personalities, religious rituals, beliefs, aims, etc. Many common grounds are seen between our old epic narrations with Vedas, Upanishads, Mahabharata and Ramayana in India as well. These similarities can be a result of historical, geographical and cultural relations of nations with each other or a historical experience which are near or even the nations’ mental trade in storytelling.”

Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods ISSN: 2251-6204

Vol. 8, Issue 2, February2018

Page 122

Usually, the nations which have active lives having a sort of peace and war adventures have heroic epics like the Greek and the ancient Iranians; however, the nations with no foreign and extraterritorial activity have more religious and philosophical epics like the Chinese, the Egypt and the ancient India” (Shamisa, 2004: 69). Among the epic themes to be seen in the literature of Iran and the world is the epic function of father and son in relation to each other. Two of such functions include interactive and confrontational functions which are to be investigated in this study. These contents do not belong to a specific country as its trace can be seen all over the world.

3-1-Confrontational Function

“Father and son struggle is one of the most repetitive motifs in world myth. The high frequency of this theme in stories and the myths of nations since past has put forward this function as an all-inclusive pattern at the level of Iran and world literature. In the symbolic field, the most important theme of stories under the influence of this sequence is death in prime of life and, more clearly, a struggle between old and young and the superiority of old over young. This struggle and superiority has constantly been accompanied by the young’s inexperienceness and idealism and the old’s experience and realism (father) (Jafari, 2010: 239). In such stories, a common ground exists, homogenizing some with some others with some differences separating some from others. If this common ground presages cultural homogeneity and close historical experiences or, probably, mental trade of nations in storytelling, then it will reveal the various phases of differences, features of mental and social structure of each nation and the internal tendencies of their position in approaching such a question (Mokhtari, 1988: 211). This mythical theme has been in focus in national epics expansively. In Shahnameh, this theme is manifested in a struggle between Rostam and Sohrab and in Borzunameh, Shahriarnameh and Faramarznameh and Jahangirnameh, also, this theme has been repeated under the influence of Shahnameh (Sattari et al, 2016: 363). Anthony Potter regards this tragic event a result of the rituals of mythical marriages including exogamy and nurturing child in a matriarchal society believing that a society dominated by matriarchal system is more appropriate for the creation and development of such stories (Potter, 2005:130). Another type of confrontation between father and son is their struggle for throne, generally, seen among royal families. In Zervani myths, the oldest example of father and son struggle is for obtaining royal throne and monarchy (Sattari et al, 2016: 363). This theme is not specific to a especial nation and can occur in any society. Despite great similarity in some examples, this can be considered an extraction from other stories (Kamali, 2009: 128). As Mokhtari writes: “such stories profit from a matriarchal space at the outset of the story and a patriarchal relationship at the end as if they are stories born of the period of transiting matriarchy to patriarchy and their intertwinement; however, each is at a different condition of a society’s internal struggle and existing contrariety in its life system expanding on a general worldview foundation of its nation (Mokhtari, 1989: 224-5). Some researchers do explain this struggle between father and son with Oedipus complex. Some conceive the tragic event of father and son to belack of understanding. A group of researchers look at this subject with a western-eastern attitude believing that in the east, the son is killed by his father while in the west, it the father that is killed by the son. The stories of Shahnameh are suggestive of filicide. Fathers have constantly risen against their sons, be they good or bad; however, the form of this filicide is different. One thing is common in all these stories and it is the satisfaction of the father in killing his son (Mokhtari, 1989: 227). Mohammad Snati conceivesmisunderstanding to be the absolute relationship of filicide with Iranian culture emphasizing that inPersian culture and literature, many examples of patricide can be seen. As an example, he points to the story of Zahhak in how he destroys his father to be enthroned while the critics have taken the question of Zahhak’sfilicide into account (Amiri & Bezdude, 2013: 33). Below is an example of two cases of father and son confrontation. 3-1-1- The Story of An and Drisa

Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods ISSN: 2251-6204

Vol. 8, Issue 2, February2018

Page 123

This story is a Norwegiantype of father and son example. When An was exiled by the king of Ingliad, he spent a period of time in the abode of an old man becoming a close friend of Drisa, his last daughter. In one of the first days of spring, An said to Drisa’s father: “your daughter is pregnant and I am his father. If it is a girl, then you bring her up here and if it is a boy send him to me. This golden ring should be worn as a sign. Then An headed for east. The next spring, An reached a city in which a rich widow named Jeron lived. At first he worked as a servant in Jeron’s house and, gradually, attracted her attention and made her in love with him. Finally, he got married with her becoming an important and rich person. Years after, one night he saw that smoke was rising from afar from an island near the beach thinking the people of the king or the thieves have gone there to steal his belongings. So, he went there straight ahead. As he reached the island, he saw an anonymous man sitting by the fire eating out of a silver plate. In order to scare him, he shot with an arrow at the piece of meat the man wanted to put in his mouth. The stranger did not budge. He removed the arrow and brought another piece of meat. He shot one more time with the plate breaking in two. The third time, he broke the man’s haft. The man raised and said: “he is destroying my things, so, he should be punished and put an arrow in the arch. An was after a refuge behind a tree. As he stood by the tree, three arrows fell right before him. Then, the two men struggled. An was the first to need rest. He asked his name realizing that he was fighting with his son, in fact, the son born of Drisa. The two returned to An’s home (Potter, 2005: 63-4). In this Norwegian example, like many other narrations, the confrontation of father with son has been of an exogamous type with the son brought up in a matriarchal society. In this story, unlike many stories with this theme, the son reveals his name to his father. The end of the story is not tragic.

3-1-2- Arjoona and Chitrangada

Arjoona reached a city named Manipoora. There, Chitrangada saw the daughter of the king of Chitravahana and asked for marriage. When the king heard his demand, said: “only one child from my next generation of my strain will be born. All my ancestors, each has had only one son while I have this only daughter. So, my daughter should have a son in order to continue this custom. You can marry her on this condition. Arjoona accepted the kings condition and got married with her living with her for three years. When she gave birth to a son, Arjoona embraced him kindly and left the king and headed for trips again. After the end of the great war between Pandus and Kurosh in the holy land of Kurukshetra, Arjoona went to Manipura city. The governor of Vabheruhana was notified that a more high-ranking official has arrived in the city. He went to meet him humbly. Arjoona yelled at him angrily for his ill behavior saying: “certainly, you have forgotten your duties as a warrior and that I have come here as a guard of Yudhishthira’s horse.” O boy, why do not you fight with me? You treat like a woman. Ulupi, Arjoona’s wife, heard her husband’s words ordering Vabheruhana to fight with him next to his father. The son wore his armour slaying Arjoona in the ensuing fight. When Ulupi, resuscitated the dead man with Nagas magic stone, Chitrangada and Vabheruhana’s severe grief ended (Potter, 2005: 70). In this narration, the child grows up in a matriarchal society without the presence of his father who rose against his father and killed him.

3-2- Interactive Functions

Father and son interactive function is another function seen between father and son. In this section, two of such functions are addressed.

3-2-1- Cooperative Functions

In this function, father and son interact and cooperate in different fields. In the following section, two of such functions are mentioned.

3-2-1-1- The Story of the Rise of Kaveh, the Ironsmith

Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods ISSN: 2251-6204

Vol. 8, Issue 2, February2018

Page 124

Zahhak was the son of a devout, one of the emirs of Arab. Iblis tempted him to kill his father to replace him. Zahhak who had an impure inner self acquiesced to this deed. After a while, the satan appeared in the guise of a cook kissing him on the shoulder. The place of each kiss becomes an incurable snake. In order to be got rid of their agony, these should be fed with the brain of man. Each day, one young man was killed for this reason. Finally, Kaveh, the ironsmith, whose seventeen sons were killed at Zahhak’s order, revolted (EslamiNodushan, 2015: 123). Kaveh rises with the cooperation of his last son and, also, the oppressed people and made Fereydun sit on the throne (Hinzler, 2009: 117).

3-2-1-2- The Story of Odysseus and Telemachos

Odysseus, before going to Trova, knew that it would take twenty years to get back to his homeland, i.e. the rocky island of Itaka and seeing his son Telemachos and his wife Penolope, he was in Trova for ten years and more ten years stranded at seas being shipwrecked. Fainally, at the twentieth year, his ship run aground at the coast of his homeland’s island. Odysseus, during the twenty years he had spent outside his hometown, and the people of Itaka, except his wife, and his son Telemachos and some of his faithful friends, had come to this conclusion that he had been killed either at Trova or on his way back home. As Penolope was wealthy, she was at bay by her suitors from aristocratic family who wandered around his husband’s palace. Penolopewould while away her time as she could and did give hope to all of them not promising even a single person for marriage. A little before the arrival of Odysseus, his son, Telemachos, who had grown up and could play a role in his father’s return, decided to go on a journey inspired byAtna to figure out what had happened to his son. Telemachos went to Polus to seek advice from the old Nastur. Nastur guided him to Menlaus’s palace. Menlaus explained how he had heard from the old man how Odysseus had been abandoned in a mermaid’s island all alone. When Odysseus got off at Itka, Telemachos was on his way home. The suitors who had become angry at the mature behavior of Telemachos, had planned to capsize his ship on his return home. But, Telemachos entered Itka safe and sound with the help of Atna. Atna had advised Odysseus not to enter the palace and go to the hut of Iomaius, the swineherd. The next day at sunset, at lunch time, Odysseus said at his hut that he intended to go to the city and beg at the palace. Iomaius asked him to wait so Telemachos may return from the journey. The next day, Telemachosentered the hut of the swineherd with the guidance of Atna. As Iomaius headed for the city to inform people of Telemachos’s return, Atna transformed Odysseus into his real shape recommending him to reveal his identity to his son. Father and son embraced each other ,then, planned together and could destroy the unlucky suitor after a series of event that had happened at the palace (Burn et al, 2005: 69-71).

3-2-2- Vengeance Function

Another function repeatedly occurred in Iran and the world literature is vengeance function. Since this function is accompanied by interaction and the son being with his son, this function is in interactive function. In this type of function, the murdered is the father with vengeance carried out in the hand of the son. In case the son is not present, vengeance is assumed by the grandchild of the murdered or the king’s errants (Jafari, 2010: 180). Jafari has mentioned twenty one stories under the influence of this theme in Shahnameh in his book entitled “ NameyeBastan Dar ButeDastan”. We come across revenge as an old epic subject in different national myths (Shamisa, 2004: 39). In the Egyptian mythology, Horos, the son of Izis and Oziris, rises against his father’s revenge (Burn et al, 2005: 374-80). In Shahnameh, many examples of father and son revenge are seen. At the time of Kiyoomars’s monarchy, Hooshang gird himself in his father’s reverge, i.e. Siamak taking his revenge from the devils. Fereydoon mutinied against Zahhak in his father’s revenge who, finally, captured him (Sarami, 1984: 656).

3-2-2-1- Sigmund and Sigurd

Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods ISSN: 2251-6204

Vol. 8, Issue 2, February2018

Page 125

This story is a Skandinavian type in which the son rises against his father’s revenge killing his father’s murderers in a military campaign. The story is so that Sigmund got married with a king’s daughter named Hiurdis. His unsuccessful rival in this love was one of the sons of Hunding named Laniguy. Laniguy felt being stuck in a situation in which he should take action. So, he killed Sigmund. He attacked Hunland proclaiming war to Sigmund. The struggle with Sigmund-who had now become old, but, bravely defending himself-was a difficult one. During this struggle, a one-eyed man named Udin appeared wearing a black cape, a soft hat and an arrow in hand. This man becosted Sigmund with hoisted spear. Sigmund’s sword became shredded as it stroke the spear with Sigmund receiving a deadly scar. Hiudis who was pregnant lay in ambush in a safe place in the jungle with the imperial treasures. She, while searching in between the wounded, found Sigmund in a state that was grappling with death. Sigmund predicted the position of the son born by her advising Hiuris to keep the pieces of the sword for his son. Sigmund died after conversation with Hiuris being protected by a group of wikings while the son of the king of Denmark assumed their leadership. Sigurd grew up honourably in the court of the king of Denmark and his trainer was a blacksmith named Regin, the discontent brother of Fafner now protecting the wealth he had stolen in a committee of a dragon. Regin trained Sigurd as a prince; however, trying to make him discontented of the position he held in court. Regin tempted Sigurd to obtain money telling him that he knew where treasure layby a dragon named Fafner protecting it. However, Sigurd needed a sword with which he could kill the dragon. The made several swords, but, they all turned into pieces after being struck on the anvil. Sigurd went to his mother asking her to give him the pieces of the sword of his father she had kept so many years. Sigurd made a well-made blade using the pieces of the sword and, before attacking the dragon; he launched a military campaign against his father’s murderers and killed them (Burn et al, 2015: 322).

4- Conclusion

Myth has a long history in the literature of Iran and the world embracing an important part of a country’s literature. A search in epic and mythological themes reveals many of the hidden and unconscious layers in the legends. The existence of similarity in such works is a natural thing with many of the meanings and themes common among the writers in the world. Iran and the world’s epic literature are filled with stories showing the types of father and son function in the myths. These functions do not just boil down to confrontational types. Cooperative and vengeance functions in which the son rises in order to take revenge of father can be among the interactive functions between father and son. The most common and frequent type of function belongs to confrontational one and the most frequent type of interactive function is revenge function.

References

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