The Cultural Message of “Sohráb and Rostám”
Abolqasem Ferdowsi’s Iranian epic, The Shâhnâme, does for ancient Iran what Homer’s Odyssey does for ancient Greece, gives the nation an identity by means of literature. An epic poem captures the essence or “ethos” of a people, setting down in verse important parts of the tradition and culture of the people. The Shâhnâme is no exception. Contained in its length are images and episodes providing a window through which one is able to search back through time and see Iran as a land of warriors, led by even greater warrior-kings, like the legendary Rostám. To contrast such awesome heroes and give the nation a history of triumph over evil, the Shâhnâme tells the story of Sohráb, the son of Rostám, who in his youth becomes a warrior of might, one an opponent is loathe to oppose. While establishing such fiery characters, Ferdowsi incorporates minor characters into the story and, through them, introduces nuances of Iran’s past into the story, such as the legacy of the Shah. However, the primary message of “Sohráb and Rostám” involves the conflict between father and son, with the son’s untimely death.
Sohráb effectively dooms himself from the beginning of his quest to overthrow the Shah. According to Fate, Sohráb has no chance whatsoever to succeed. This becomes apparent through his battle with Rostám, as Sohráb fails to take advantage of the opportunity he has to end the battle when Rostám outwits him: “The brave youth bowed his head and yielded / To the old man’s words, and said no more” (The Second Day, 77-8). The futility of attempting to overthrow fate is the important cultural message the Shâhnâme presents to Iranians. As seen by Sohráb’s death, no good can result from countering fate.
In addition, Ferdowsi sends a message that Iran, through its great warriors and kings, is able to feast and fight like no other, serving as a display for the strength and might of Iran. After a day of war and sorrowful death, Sohráb returns to camp and engages in revelry with a great feast, “And on that side Sohráb with all his friends / Had passed the night with wine and minstrelsy” (The Interval, 131-2). It is not enough that the two great warriors had lived through an entire day of fighting. To show how mighty and powerful Sohráb and Rostám are, they had to endure pain and struggle and then, in Sohráb’s case, indulge in wine. A battle of only one day simply would not have been sufficient to expose the greatness of these two warriors. By having characters of such magnitude in the epic, Ferdowsi assures his contemporaries of the greatness of ancient Iranian culture.
Whether Ferdowsi’s audience found greater importance in the message of countering Fate or in the repeated exhibition of Iran’s power and strength, it is clear that both instances in the story of “Sohráb and Rostám” reveal important characteristics of the culture of ancient Iran. As an epic poem must, these episodes leave readers today with a better understanding of the traditions and cultures of time long past, as well as a grasp of the importance the traditions had to the peoples of these past times. In both aspects, the Shâhnâme provides a vehicle by which the great span of time can be shortened enough to allow the successful discovery of cultural messages of long ago.