The examination of deceit (trick) of Rostam based on Shahnameh

One of the most widely used terms in societies is deceit . It has long been a focus of interest among different scholars, having been regarded in literature and studied by Iranian and foreign literati and many books having been written on this subject. Deceit or cunning which is called keria in Sanskrit refers to a deceitful behavior which is far from reality and influences the environment, being expressed in a way which is accepted by the society as the truth. That is how deceit has emerged in Persian poetry and literature so that many poems have composed in this regard. Of the Iranian figures who has shown a great interest in this phenomenon is the highly revered Persian poet, Abu ʾl-QasimFerdowsiTusi, who has dealt with this subject in Shahnameh , an immortal work which is still of high value after many years. Deceit in Shahnameh has been used against the hero of the story and in battles in a way that the hero, at his own discretion, has drawn upon deceit to defeat the opponent. This article attempts to analyze all kinds of deceits especially those found in the story of Rostam. Of the deceits are Fort Mt. Sepand, the deceit used against Akvan –e- Div (the demon Akvan), sorceress, the deceit against Sohrab, saving Bijan, against Esfandiar, and eventually the one used in Rostam and Shaghad.

Keywords:

deceit , poetry , Ferdowsi , Shahnameh , the hero , Rostam