Myth of the Clash of Good and Evil (Case Study: Bakhtiari Legend “Malek Jamshid and the Fortress of the Demon”)
Document Type : پژوهشی اصیل
Authors
1
PhD Candidate in Persian Language and Literature, Kashan University, Kashan, Iran.
2
Associate Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Kashan University, Kashan, Iran.
3
Associate Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Kashan University, Kashan, Iran
10.48311/cfl.2025.86486.0
Abstract
Mythology studies today represent a significant approach in the field of mythology that systematically explores the presence of myths in every text, especially literary texts. Based on this, it is now applicable as a method in myth criticism. This method, through thematic analysis of the narratives of the present myths in the texts and examining their potential transformations, investigates the psychoanalytical and sociological dimensions of this transformation, thereby revealing the intricacies of cultural identity reproduction. Folktales, particularly among the Bakhtiari people, are part of cultural heritage and reflect collective identity, psychological structures, and social beliefs that enable an understanding of the hidden layers of culture through symbolic narratives. This research, utilizing the approach of mythology studies, examines the folktale “Malek Jamshid and the Fortress of the Demon”; a narrative arising from the oral tradition of Bakhtiari, as a branch of an Iranian tribe, where the fundamental clash of good and evil, magical elements, the hero’s journey, and the symbolic functions of characters are intricately woven together. The research method is based on qualitative content analysis, using both written and oral local sources. The findings indicate that this tale not only represents a moral confrontation between good and evil but also reflects the psychological and social structures of the Bakhtiari people in encountering fundamental concepts such as salvation, deception, redemption, and the reconstruction of moral order.
Keywords
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