The Metamorphosis of Giv: From the Shahnameh to the Naqqāli Scroll

Abstract

Giv, one of the prominent champions of the House of Gudarz, is a key figure in the mythological and epic structure of Iran. His character is reflected in two distinct contexts: the written epic tradition (Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh) and oral and popular literature (the Shahnameh naqqāli scrolls). The present study aims to conduct a comparative examination of the status and functions of this mythological hero in these two sources, seeking to answer the question of what transformations the character of Giv undergoes in the transition from the written text to the oral narrative, and which factors give rise to these differences. This article employs a descriptive–analytical method based on library research. The findings indicate that Giv’s character in both narratives—particularly in the mission to find Kay Khosrow—preserves its core structure. Nevertheless, in the naqqāli scrolls, in order to attract a general audience, his heroic traits and emotional dimensions are rendered more prominent and exaggerated, and new narrative details are added. This transformation, resulting from the dynamism of myth and the influence of cultural context, elevates Giv’s position from a purely epic hero to a popular and tangible champion within folk culture.