An Analysis of the course of the enemy's transformation in Shahnameh

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

mahmud rezaei dasht arzhaneh ¹

Mohammad ali Shiavi ²

¹ Shiraz University

² PhD student of Shiraz University

10.22067/jls.2026.97702.1799

Abstract

The present study explicates the evolutionary process of the "enemy" metamorphosis during the mythical and heroic eras of the Shahnama. Employing an integrated theoretical framework—incorporating Carl Schmitt’s concept of "the political," Chantal Mouffe’s "agonism," and Charles K. Ogden’s "semantics"—this research demonstrates that opposition in the epic is not merely a plot device but a structural necessity for identity production. To this end, the evolution of conflicts from the reign of Kiumars to Bahman is analyzed. This trajectory includes several stages: the era of "Absolute Otherness" and the battle against the Divs, analyzed as the origin of identity boundaries ; the "Law of Conservation of Conflict," explaining how the total elimination of external enemies during the reigns of Jamshid and Kay Khosrow led to the internalization of hostility; Fereydun’s strategy of "storing the enemy" (Zahhak) to maintain political cohesion; and the structural failure of liminal characters like Iraj and Siyavash. Finally, the battle between Rostam and Esfandiyār is examined as the zenith of internalized conflict, where the most familiar epic elements transform into the "Other," rendering the struggle profoundly tragic.

Keywords

Shahnameh

confrontation

enemy

antagonism

epic

Subjects

• Epic Studies

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