Analysis of Rostam’s Descriptions in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh (The Story of Rostam and Esfandiyar)

Abstract

Literature is the creative application of language. New linguistic sciences revitalize language, as words do not simply manifest with meanings that have existed for centuries. New ideas and innovative techniques explore the undiscovered mysteries of a literary work. One of the modern approaches to uncovering textual beauty is layered stylistics. Layered stylistics is a contemporary method for analyzing literary texts. In the present study, the descriptions of Rostam in the story of Rostam and Esfandiyar are analyzed based on layered stylistics. Stylistic features are examined across five layers: phonological, lexical, syntactic, rhetorical, and ideological, while the content of the text is simultaneously analyzed. Hakim Abolqasem Ferdowsi is a renowned poet associated with the Khorasani style; therefore, his poetry serves as a suitable foundation for identifying the characteristics of his era’s poetry as well as Persian epic poetry. In the phonological layer, Ferdowsi utilizes the music of speech, syntactic rhythms, and pronunciation techniques. In the lexical layer, he artistically emphasizes words based on the characters and their varying meanings. In the syntactic layer, he employs diverse word arrangements. In the rhetorical layer, he achieves the pinnacle of eloquence and clarity by employing principles from semantics, rhetoric, and literary devices, without artificial embellishments. In the ideological layer, both consciously and subconsciously, he reflects his personal perspectives, beliefs, and the fundamental values of the Iranian people.