A Psychological Analysis of the Collective Functions of Religion in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh and Rumi’s Masnavi (Based on the Theories of Freud and Jung)

Abstract

The present study comparatively analyzes the collective functions of religion in two foundational works of Persian literature, Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh and Rumi’s Masnavi, based on two fundamental theoretical frameworks: Freudian psychoanalysis and Jungian analytical psychology. In both works, religion, beyond its individual effects, functions as a determining force in shaping social cohesion, legitimizing power, and confronting collective threats. The findings indicate that, in both works, the collective functions of religion can be classified into three principal domains: ethnic and national cohesion, political legitimacy, and confrontation with evil and demonic forces. Nevertheless, the nature, mechanisms, and ultimate objectives of these functions differ fundamentally between the two works. In the Shahnameh, religion, through its emphasis on shared rituals, the religious construction of the enemy, and the concept of “divine glory” (farr-e izadi), seeks to establish social order, regulate collective instincts, and consolidate national-religious identity. By contrast, in the Masnavi, religion, centered on the “inner unity of religions,” “tolerance and forbearance,” and the ritual of sama, seeks to heal the wounds of the collective psyche, restrain sectarian violence, and foster peace within a multicultural society. Employing a library-based research method and an analytical-descriptive approach, this article elucidates the theoretical foundations and examines textual evidence from both works. It demonstrates that the Shahnameh and the Masnavi, each in its own distinctive language, offer a model for collective psychological well-being in confronting the crises of their respective eras—namely, a crisis of identity and a crisis of meaning—and, from this perspective, retain enduring psychotherapeutic value for contemporary societies.