Patriarchal Norms and Divine Retribution: A Gender-Based Analysis of Sin andPunishment in the Arda Viraf Nameh

The Arda Viraf Nameh, an influential Zoroastrian text from the Sasanian era, vividly depicts theafterlife punishments awaiting sinners for transgressions against societal and religious norms.Through its detailed depictions of female suffering in hell, the text reveals the patriarchal valuesthat shaped Sasanian society, where women’s roles were strictly defined and regulated topreserve family honor and uphold community standards. By presenting cautionary narratives thatreinforce these gendered expectations, the Arda Viraf Nameh serves not only as a religious guidebut as a reflection of the era’s social framework, emphasizing the constrained position of womenwithin a patriarchal culture. This study explores the cultural and moral implications embeddedwithin the text, shedding light on the social dynamics that governed women’s lives and theirprescribed roles in Sasanian Persia.

Patriarchal Norms and Divine Retribution: A Gender-Based Analysis of Sin andPunishment in the Arda Viraf Nameh Keywords:

Arda Viraf Nameh , Zoroastrianism , Sasanian era , gender roles , patriarchal Norms