Literary Arts (Dec 2016)
The analysis of Rostam’s personality in “Seven Khan” story based on the views of Jung and Freud
Abstract
Abstract Psychological critique is one of the new areas of literary criticism which essentially reviews a work of literature as an expression of states of mind and structure of the existing characters. Corresponding seven Tariqat in mysticism, no doubt Rostam also in the symbolic passing of these symbolic stairs, is a mysterious and symbolic presence and is in a fight with evil forces in his unconscious layers that appears in the shape of lions, wolves, dragons, magic and a Magician woman, and in addition to the fight with his evil forces, is also in a fight with his own conscious and unconscious. Therefore in this article first we defined the conscious and unconscious and their characteristics, interpretations of Freud and Jung in connection with these cases, separate recognition of all the Rostam’s Haft Khan, or seven stages, and finally implementation and explanation of Rostam’s moods in each Khan compared with the conscious and unconscious. Introduction Proportionality or balance achievement that becomes possible during the process of individuation for the individual, depends on the exploration of different layers of the unconscious. In this process, one should first face different ways of his shadow as the first part of the unconscious to achieve deeper layers of mental gradually and to close their individuality. Since singularity is the process of unreasonable life that is expressed through certain symbols, uunderstanding these symbols is essential, bbecause it is thanks to them that harmony and unity among the contents of the conscious and unconscious contents is implemented. Statement of the Issue Haft Khan and trips morphology of this genus (e.g. Achilles amazing trips incident, Esfandiar, etc.) that are difficult (i.e. to tolerate and experience austerity for refinement and evacuation) reflects the archetype of renaissance and another birth.But this inner journey has steps in psychology and subjective. The most recognized Freud's analysis of the structure and workings of the mind, is entity pattern, ego and super-ego. Entity includes our congenital conscious trends. Although mental processes of ego are unconscious sometimes, they are generally semi-conscious and self-aware.Meaning that, under conditions, they can turn into self-conscious again. In fact, the superego is the opposite of identity and opposed to it. This step can include the wishes and aspirations which makes a person evolve. (R. k. Freud, 1385: 46) Haft Khan also can’t be devoid of the conflict of these three steps in mind and body. And undoubtedly this hero also has passed states from the first Khan threshold to the last one. The analysis of these psychological stairs makes us more familiar with the psychology of this athlete. Research background Among notable books, these ones can be mentioned: Ancient letter by doctor Mir Jalal al-Din Kazzazi (1379), Rostam and Sohrab’s Epic by doctor Mansour Rastgar Fasaee (1373) and among the articles, these ones can be noted: morphologic study of Rostam’s Haft Khan in Shahnameh based on Vladimir Propp's theory by Hamid Reza Farzi in Journal of Persian literature (1392), an analysis of the narrative structure of Rostam’s Haft Khan by Alireza Nabiloo in the Journal of Persian Language and literature (Gohar-e-Gooya) (1390), Then, I’m going to bring Haft Khan from now on ... (Psychological approach to Rostam and Esfandiar’s Haft Khan) by doctor Mohammad Reza Nasr Esfahani and Tayyebeh Jafari, and so on. Discussion In the ordinance of the hero’s pass, the fundamental role belongs to the Khans that he must leave behind worldly or spiritual journey and during this pass, any difficulty or struggle in the cause of the goal of the ordinance that appears in front of him, is a Khan that he passes through it. Haft Khan is for Rostam’s inner refinement. Khan I Rostam enters subconscious arena with the entry into every Khan. But before entering the subconscious, he must gradually come out of consciousness (from the external entity) and take steps toward the super-ego. Rostam is, first, in the initial phase of psychologic entity. But when he hunts a zebra and roasted it and ate it, do as following: He saw plants down and removed the harness from Rakhsh and let it be in the plain. He knew a hazardous place, safe and in the canebrake, made a bed. In that canebrake, there was a lion stand wherein an elephant didn’t dare take a rest. In the verses that have passed, in the first two verses, the hero spends the entity stage. In the third verse, the first line that is appearing a canebrake and making a bed of Rostam in it, is the sign of hero’s consciousness and his presence in the entity stage. But in the second line, one can be a witness of one of the characteristics of the unconscious (dreams). Among the features of the unconscious and dreams is contradictory. (Jung, 1359: 521 and 522). This paradoxical that Rostam makes a fear and panic gate, a safe place for him, that even an elephant dare not enter, includes this conflict. The canebrake is here the symbol of the unconscious. The lion is here the symbol of the shadow and Rostam’s negative aspect and it shows his pride and egoism that Rostam must leave it as a seeker. After a while passed, the furious lion come bravely to his hole. He saw on the canebrake a dormant robust athlete beside whom saw a lion disturbed. Midnight, the lion returns to the nest. Night is related to a female principle and unconscious. Fierceness of the lion refers to the negative aspect (shadow) and mental darkness. Rostam’s being dormant refers to his sinking in the subconscious and dream. The unrest of Rakhsh (lion) also points to inconsistencies and confusion of the degree of superego. Rakhsh is a symbol of the unconscious and as long as Rostam (symbol of wisdom) does not sleep, it doesn’t appear. But among other characteristics of the super-ego in this Khan and other Khans is the lack of exact time and location. Khan II The Second Khan is passing a desert without water and grass and Rostam’s searching for a spring. Rostam goes from entity to ego: A state arose in front of him that he had to go in an astounding manner. Following the horse, as if the rider’s tongue stopped working from heat and thirst. According to being dilemma of ego it must have the characteristics of both sides. In the first verse in that the way ahead Rostam inevitably comes, is a sign of self-awareness and individuality but in connection with the adverb برخیر خیر,in the second line, Kazzazi says:" برخیر خیر" or "خیر خیر" means confused and deceived and dizzy.So, being confused and deceived and dizzy of the hero, is a sign of the upwardness of ego(i.e. the superego, the unconscious of ego). In the following verse: Rostam’s getting off the horse and taking the arrow, is still a sign of the aspect of consciousness of ego. But in the second line, his going enchantedly and languishingly, is a sign of the subconscious aspect of ego and the upward aspect of this stage (ego). Next verses show Rostam’s entering the superego. He said this: Oh! Fair Referee! You are the cause of all sufferings and weariness. If you are, in this way, satisfied with my tribulation, fill up the whole world with my pain threshold. I try constantly until God punishes Shah Kavoos. These verses are the interior monologue which is among the characteristics of dreams and the unconscious. But this desert can be, according to Ferdowsi himself, Rostam’s symbol of the shadow and negative psychological sensuality: And the benign king of the universe free the Iranian from the Deev’s clutch. Demon can be a symbol of concupiscence having paws confirms his negative after (shadow).But in the realm of consciousness, ewe is suddenly placed on his way that is an iconic face of the Iranian awe. The water that Rostam is in its wake is a symbol of purification and rebirth. Water is also a symbol of fertility and secondary production (in order to purify) The robust athlete’s body got living due to you, if not, he was worried and worthy of death. This act that Rostam wash his horse in it, is also a symbolic manner and behavior. Here the analogy of Rakhsh to the sun is not unpleasant. In Mehri ceremony, horse is a special sign of the sun god. Khan III He came to the fountain of clear water. When he was watered, he was going to sleep. Here we observe the hero’s taking steps to the unconscious. The valiant athlete said to the chanter Rakhsh: Don’t struggle with anyone and do not make friends with anyone either. If an enemy comes, gallop towards me; do not fight with Deev and lions. Rostam’s speaking with Rakhsh can also indicate the same issue. One of the qualities of ego can also be seen in the following verse. In the ego, because of mixing two steps of conscious and unconscious (entities and super-ego), the person’s mind and individuality remain in a doubt. At the beginning of this verse also, the conjunction if, and the verb comes (If the enemy comes, hurry to me) that is subjunctive present verb, indicates the existence of the poet in ego. Because "one of the most important uses of subjunctive present verb is the expression of action with skepticism" (Farshidvar, 1382: 395).But after this introduction and Rostam’s passage of the entity, and ego he gets now ready to enter the third Khan. He slept and took a rest and didn’t open his lips; while Rakhsh was grazing and cantering until the midnight. A dragon came from the plains from that an elephant couldn’t find relief. In the same place was his resting place. Deev couldn’t approach him due to his fear. Plain in the second verse is a symbol of the unconscious. The dragon also is a symbol of Anima and Rostam’s female aspect. The determiner to indicate a far way, (it), that come in the verse also refers to the super-ego and unconscious arena thereof Dragon has come to Rostam’s mind. Being the tomb of the Dragon in the dark plain also indicates the existence of the anima (the female aspect of the Dragon) in the superego.On the other hand Rakhsh’s help to Rostam in the third field, to overcome the dragon, is a symbol of assistance of the superego and the unconscious to Rostam’s mind. Khan IV Khan IV is killing the witch. Rostam: He sat in the saddle and took his way. He proceeded towards the magic house. He constantly went a long way; since the shining sun returned from the top. Rostam’s walk to the witch’s home refers to the greatness and turmoil of the unconscious. Evening (since the shining sun returned from the top) may have the state of being dilemma between light (self-awareness), unconscious (Super Ego) and the darkness. After passing the stage of ego, the hero’s mind enters the superego: He saw trees and vegetation and running water; it was likely a young man’s place. He saw a fountain like pheasants’ eye; a golden cup full of wine on the side. The tree is a symbol of being the archetypal example mother. Water is also a symbol of the archetypal example mother. Alcoholic beverage or wine is another symbol of the unconscious. The witch is a symbol of the Anima (Young, 1383: 271). In fact, Rostam takes a major step forward in achieving individuality by defeating the witch that holds biological and instinctive aspect. In Khan V He constantly went vibrant and reached a place where it didn’t see lighting in the world. In this verse, Rostam enters the second degree in psychology, the ego. But from the dilemma of this stage, we see the hero’s vibrant going ahead. That is itself a sign of the consciousness and brightness of the ego. Then Rostam enters the superego and his inner world gets totally unconscious: A dark night as the hero, black; No stars, no sun and the moon were found. As if the sun’s prisoner; and the star’s in the curvature of the lasso. He gave the harness to Rakhsh, proceeded and for the black, saw neither elevation nor streams. Night, refers to the unconscious and the female origin. Among the indicators of unconscious that is turmoil here, are these two cases: A) the Sun’s being prisoner B) the star’s being in the curvature of the lasso that is a gateway from the logic and far from usual life. In the following verse, giving the harness to Rakhsh (according to being of Rakhsh or horse a symbol of the unconscious) is a sign of this that Rostam leaves himself in the subconscious. Rostam’s entering in the absolute darkness (unconsciousness) is a symbolic entry into mother’s womb and leaving is a symbol of rebirth. Another point is important in this Khan and it is that Rostam keeps his name conceal from the children. Predecessors, in a magic and introverted way, have known the name as the topest landmark and a celebrity’s representative and they thought that all human existence can be summarized and held in his name (Kazzazi, 1381: 415). Another feature that can be seen again in this Khan is the lack of accurate time and place. Khan VI “Olad”, here plays the role of sheikh that is the appearance of some moral traits. This way, after imprisoning Olad: He wrapped children on the tree; and grappled with him in the curvature of the lasso hard. He put the staff in the saddle; constantly went with a heart full of faith. In the first two verses, it is clear that Rostam spends the entity stage but in the third verse, he enters the stage of ego. And to maintain the balance between the entity and the super-ego, from both steps, holds features and characteristics. Putting the staff in the saddle, points to the first pan of ego, consciousness. Then, Rostam enters to third stage i.e. the super-ego. Once he bellowed among the group; as if the sea and the mountain was torn. When Arjang, the Deev, heard the cry, came out of the tent. In these verses, Rostam enters the super-ego. Tahamtan’s outrage can be seen as a symbol of the unconscious. Mountain is among other symbols of the example mother. "Tent is a symbol of the unconscious. Arjang, may be the last symbol of the efforts and struggles of ego, for durability. Khan VII Rostam, after killing Arjang, decides to kill The White Deev: With a head full of hatred and war and taut belt, came out of that position. When Rakhsh came to those seven mountains, robust Deevs were gathered there. It arrived near the endless cave; it saw around itself, Deevs’ army. In this verse again, the balance between the mind brightness (consciousness) and its darkness (subconscious) is placed. On the one hand, Rostam’s leaving and arrival, is a sign of consciousness. On the other hand, Deev’s being seen around the caves and wells (which are also the symbol of the unconscious) is the subconscious characteristic of the ego. Next verses are all full of super-ego and complete unconsciousness: From there, came like the shining sun to The White Deev. It saw a cave as a hell; Deev’s body disappeared from that darkness. Here, the determiner (that), refers to the entity. That is mentioned as “distance” due to being in the super Ego. But in Mirjalaleddin Kazzazi’s version, we read: He came with a heart full of fear and hope. Having a heart full of fear and hope is among other features of subconscious and dream. Cave is also another symbol of the unconscious. Deev’s disappearance of body from darkness is a pointer to its negative side (shadow) as well as the subconscious space: (Deev’s body disappeared from the darkness), filling the cave with Deev also shows the full control of shadow on this part. Deev’s hard battle against Rostam also is a pointer to the difficulty of one’s fight with his sensuality and evil forces. After that Rostam overcomes The White Deev and the sensual forces, comes out of the cave of unconsciousness and again takes steps toward self-awareness and goes to the Olad: He came and opened the strap from the Olad and fastened the twisted lasso to the saddle. Conclusion Haft Khan is, in fact, Rostam’s battle of existential ego with different aspects and negative shades and Anima, to achieve being and perfection. Thus, to enter into his unconsciousness arena, he is forced to get away from the secular world and his conscious entity to the ego and from there to the superego. Obviously after every Khan (In fact, after leaving behind a test in the discharge of their belonging and demonic forces), Rostam returned to the entity and self-aware state again. And again before entering the next Khan, by providing the necessary conditions, he gradually leaves the entity and takes a step toward the superego and the coming test.
