A Comparative Study of the Hero Archetype in the Haft Paykar and Khosrow and Shirin of Nizami Ganjavi (Based on the Theories of Joseph Campbell)

Abstract

Archetypes, which constitute the structure of the collective unconscious, possess a latent potential that becomes activated in response to external stimuli, and their various manifestations are reflected in dreams and works of art. Campbell (1949) enumerates seventeen stages for this pattern; however, most myths do not encompass all of these stages. Some focus primarily on a single stage, while others may contain several of them. These seventeen stages are subsumed under three overarching phases: “Separation,” “Initiation,” and “Return.” In the phase of Separation, the hero journeys from the ordinary world into the realm of the unknown. In the phase of Initiation, the narrative recounts the hero’s experiences and events within that unfamiliar world. Finally, in the phase of Return, the hero re-enters his ordinary world. The heroes of both masnavis are kings (namely Bahram Shah and Khosrow Parviz), and the unconscious dimension of each is represented by women. Nevertheless, in accordance with conventional poetic tradition, the beloved of Khosrow Parviz is a single woman, whereas the beloved figures of Bahram are the women of the seven domes. The stages traversed by the heroes of the two masnavis—based on the theories of Campbell—ranging from Separation and Initiation to the attainment of their ultimate goal, largely correspond to one another. However, in the Haft Paykar, Bahram undergoes certain stages and trials that are not observed in the narrative of Khosrow and Shirin.