In the Shahnameh

CEU eTD Collection GEMMA Gender, Monstrosity and Nationalism: A Comparative Study of Two Two of Study Comparative A Nationalism: and Monstrosity Gender, Plays by Bahram Beyzaie with Beyzaie by Bahram Plays

–

Erasmus Mundus Master’s Degree in Women’s and Gender Studies

Department Gender of Studies Central European University Supervisor i Ghazaal Bozorgmehr n T he Shahnameh he Submitted to 2014 s By :

Adelina SánchezAdelina Espinosa Jasmina Lukic

the Legend of Zahhak Zahhak of Legend the

CEU eTD Collection

Gender, Monstrosity Nationalism and GEMMA

–

Erasmus Mundus Master’s Degree in Women’s and Gender Studies Bahram Beyzaie with the Legend of Zahhak

University Institute for Women’s Studies

Mobility: CentralHost: European University Departme Supervisors: Jasmina Lukic Ghazaal Bozorgmehr i n University ofGranada T he Shahnameh he nt of Gender Studies

2014 By ii SánchezAdelina Espinosa : A Comparative Study of Two Plays by

Approval signature:

Jasmina Lukic

CEU eTD Collection analysis I attempted toforeground the possibilities feminist of a reading thetexts. of from Zahhak the performing t was investigation minor this of purpose of performance and recitation the with associated performance solo a is which storytelling dramatic or Naghali of art Iranian traditional the explored also I inquiry, minor a As I Inaddition, usedcritical. theories onstorytellingalso theo and Beyzai thu has and has of reading feminist a and subversive a offer to managed playwright the how discover to is study this of purpose The century. eleventh the in poetry appears which in myth of Zahhak titled are plays The Iranian Playwright. contemporary Beyzaie,the Bahram by written plays two explores Thisthesis Abstract in Abstract e ’s theory on the connection between connection the on theory ’s s s given voice voice given s English

Azhdahak

to (1959) and and (1959) the characters characters the The Shahanmah The

The Shahnameh The Shahnameh The Thousand First Night First Thousand The that

and one performing one and the aaye w promne b to oe one women two by performances two analyze o

were silent in silent were Zahhak legend and and legend Zahhak or i

Th e Book of Kingse Book of The Shahnameh The The Shahnameh The (2003). Both plays are based on the on based are plays Both (2003). ries onmonsters. The Thousand and First Night First and Thousand The , the classic book of book Persian epic , theclassic The Thousand and One Nights One and Thousand The

version of the legend Zahhak legend the versionof . To analyze these plays, these analyze To .

The Shahnameh The

. In this In . . The .

was CEU eTD Collection losde textos. femin lectura una de posibilidades las en énfasis hacer fue intención mi análisis, este En noches. una y mil Las interpretando otra la y Shahanmah del Zahhak el interpretando Una mujeres. dos de inda esta de intención La Shahnameh. del representación y recitación o la con asociada Naghali individual actuación una del es que dramática iraní narración tradicional arte el explorado he también secundaria, indagación una Como sobre monstruos. de noches.Asimismo, Las una ytambié y usado Zahhak mily he teoríasleyenda denarración Beyzai de teoría la crítica fue obras estas analizar Para Shahnameh. ley la de Shahnameh es estudio del versión la este de feminista y subversiva lectura una ofrecer logrado ha dramaturgo el cómo descubrir de propósito El XI. siglo el en persa épica poesía la de clásico libro el reyes, los apa que Zahhak de mito el en basadas están obras Ambas (2003). Night) First Thousand (The noche primera milésima La y (1959) Azhdahak titulan se obras Estas contemporáneo. iraní dramaturgo Beyzaie, Bahram por escritas teatrales obras dos explora tesis Esta Abstract in Spanish:

na e ahk h aí ao o a esnjs u n l tna e el en tenían la no que personajes a voz dado así ha y Zahhak de enda gación secundaria era analizar dos representaciones por parte por representaciones dos analizar era secundaria gación ii

rece en el Shahnameh o El libro de de libro El o Shahnameh el en rece e

or l cnxó ete la entre conexión la sobre n teoría ista CEU eTD Collection A To Dedication nd nd

the the loving heart of the encouraging presence of my

my Mom my Mom

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CEU eTD Collection friend, and me with research this of process the of day try there Campbell Jean Hamidi, grat be cannot I booksIarticles not and when could Omidsalar, am I Beyzaie. Bahram on for asked I source any almost e schedule tight his of spite in comment Talajooy, Saeed Dr. to goes gratitude sincere My inthecity.through difficult time my alone Sanchez Adelina support indebted am supervisor my to with people of number a are There Acknowledgment pca tak g t M. Hamid Mr. to go thanks special to stay

for find words to words find Hossein A

ed with ed for me since the very beginning very the since me for

me any time of day or night that night or day of time any me s and Shahnameh not only only not

the reso the

me fl nuh to enough eful , ,

kbarzadegan, who made who this for possible us.kbarzadegan, Professor Jasmina Lukic Jasmina Professor wh

th thank my selfless friend selfless my thank

o provided me with invaluable invaluable with me provided o s expert, r ough to her academic academic her to urces urces

, and Janet Garret Janet and ,

. To him I owe a great deal of the academic path I have chosen. M chosen. have I path academic the of deal great a owe I him To . all all that and Dr. and

the Mahm

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out ma who Amjad ups and down and ups access generously Firoozeh

u, ea ad ai Bozorgmehr, Ramin and Negar oud, whom this thesis would not be possible. I owe great thanks great owe I possible. be not would thesis this whom generosity .

I needed them needed I

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them online. them online. who

in the past two years two past the in whose presence was priceless was presence whose ,

Sahar Sahar

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provided provided patiently iv kindly kindly s

bt also but , a long time teacher and friend, for friend, and teacher time long a ; my deep gratitude deep my ; Modares i sources -

and and . And finally, it will be an attempt in vain to vain in attempt an will be it finally, And . Sabet Sabet

supported me from miles away and were and away miles from me supported also me

n lot no almost in with, with,

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immensely grateful to Dr. Mahmoud Dr. to grateful immensely Mousavi who

, read every page that I that page every read , n comments and

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CEU eTD Collection References Conclusion Chapter Three: A Chapter Two: Elements of Subversion: Chapter One: Introduction Contents Appendices WhyMonsters? to End an Beginning a Azhdahak: First Night and Thousand The and Azhdahak Introduction Wives,Snake the Sisters,the Actress,the The Shamsaei: Mojdeh Storytelling or Dramatic Naghali Performance: The Treated? How Villain is the Zahhak: vs Brain Brain Excellence: Divine the Storytellers Arnavaz; and Shahrnaz Drama versus Epic Introduction Naghals Women and Naghali Beyzaie, First Night and Thousand The and Azhdahak Beyzaie, Shahnameh The in Women Era Constitutional the the after Iran and Shahnameh of the Idea a Nation and Shahnameh Historiography The Introduction Acknowledgment Dedication Abstracts

......

...... The

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......

Shahnameh

......

...... , Zahhak and its Interpretations ......

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...... The Thousand and First Night First and Thousand The

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64 50 25

76 61 52 51 50 45 41 35 32 30 29 27 25 20 16 12 71 iii

9 8 6 6 1 i

CEU eTD Collection 2 tothesis. this appendix anas ofthestory summary one page a enclosed 1 not longbefore that. of tales recounted frequently most Shahnameh the of one is Zahhak king monster the of legend The ofthemonstervoice Zahhak himself. h rarely legend;infact, we this in theforced to periphery iswhich voice thefemale only not is itHowever, exception. an not is Zahhak Theof2013). story heroes (Amjad, male auxiliaryto as only Kings of Book The years, (940 Ferdowsi Abolghasem by written lines) (50,000 length Shahnameh The offeredfeminist these how have performances a uncover of reading to aim the with women two by performances two between comparison a draw will I purpose this as both Zahhak of legend the of aspect performative the on marginalized the to of voice characters giving through Zahhak of legend the of reading feminist subversive mode two Beyzaie’s how study to is analogy this of purpose Beyzaie, Baharam by written legend poetry, epic of book Persian famous Zahhak king monster the of legend the between analogy an drawing at aims research This Introduction

To avoid repetition I will interchangeably use the Persian and the English name theEnglish and thePersian use will interchangeably I repetition Toavoid Since the legend of Zahhak comprises about 500 lines of lines 500 about comprises ofZahhak thelegend Since

which

in different cultural, artistic, and political occasions at least in the recent history of Iran if if Iran of history recent the in least at occasions political and artistic, cultural, different in

recounts stories of kings of Iran before I before Iran of kings of stories recounts The Shahnameh The

or ,

in most of its legends its of most in h Bo o Kings, of Book The

I n order to avoid assuming continuity to the interpretations of this legend since legend this of tothe interpretations continuity to assuming avoid n order

version of the legend. legend. the of version

Azhdahak

s rnltd no English into translated as The Shahnameh The ,

either ignores the presence of women, or refers to them to refers or women, of presence the ignores either

(1959) and (1959) The Shahnameh The 1

In this study I have also considered a brief focus brief a considered also have I study this In

(1010 AD) and two major adaptations of this this of adaptations major two and AD) (1010 slam. As Beyzaie in an interview points out, points interview an in Beyzaie As slam.

The Thousand and First Night First and Thousand The

rn plays have managed to put forward a a forward put to managed have plays rn , in order not to take much space, I have Ihave space, much not to, inorder take - in 1020 AD) in the span of almost 35 35 almost of span the in AD) 1020

, the epic epic the

is s of the book softhe the texts. an epic poem of extraordinary extraordinary of poem epic an and

the play the throughout this thesis. this throughout

versions. (2003). The (2003). 1

ear the ear in the in

Fo The

r CEU eTD Collection ( 3 and translated was later toArabic what Persianof tobetheolder version historical evidence, book Persian ancient an with connection Tales? Thousand researcher a as published and worked his for wr famous Besides works. his been in tales folklore has and myths 1950streating of way the subversive in playwright a as career his started who Beyzaie Bahram this inhis at looking legend plays. Beyzaie Bahram Iran. destroying monster evil an but anything as himself Zahhak see ever Arnavaz we do nor Iran, conquering after marries and Zahhak whom Shahrnaz women, two the of trace any there is neither story, the of interpretation Caliphs outside from Iranians on imposed tyranny of symbol in did they as Shahanmeh. roles same the assumed generally have figures three these used, was legend h is He force. male its of Iran depletes thus Fereydun by confronted and night every men young two kills who tyrant constitutio the since nationalist Zahhak of story the of interpretation dominant The was prominentdiscourse ofnationalism the when 1905 in Revolution Constitutional the after era the century, twentieth the of beginning written, was it 2013a

To learn more about Beyzaie’s life and works refer to Talajooy’s “Beyzaie’s Formation, Forms and Themes” and Forms Formation, “Beyzaie’s to Talajooy’s works refer and life about Beyzaie’s more Tolearn ead of the protest which of which theprotest ead ) which offers a brief but comprehensive article on Beyzaie. on Beyzaie. article comprehensive but brief a offers which -

and confronting him confronting and

one s h ol kn o Ia wt a Aa oii, ahk hs hs perd o e the be to appeared thus has Zahhak, origin, Arab an with Iran of king only the As

i (Ansari 2012) (Ansari ti study this n is the result of his many years of research on the legend of Zahhak and its its and Zahhak of legend the on research of years many his of result the is

who overthrows him by the end of thestoryof theend by him overthrows who helps Fereydun come to throne. O tothrone. helps come Fereydun , fcs n h mjr l major the on focus I

was considered was n hc ahk a awy sae i hs oe f h vcos Arab vicious the of role his in stayed always has Zahhak which in

3 . His book titled book His . ( Ansari, 2012 e n titled hwvr pooe a atgte dfeet a of way different altogether an proposed however, , an admired act of nationalism. I nationalism. of act admired an 2

h Tosn Tales Thousand The ) n o itrrtto o ti lgn sne the since legend this of interpretation of ine - .

particularly the Arab tyranny in the time of time the in tyranny Arab the particularly Hezar Afsan Kojast? Afsan Hezar n different occasions where where n different occasions -

or the blacksmith Kaveh, theKaveh, theblacksmith or which iting plays, he has also has he plays, iting (2013) or (2013) ,

he argues, based on on based argues, he a ea a be a been has era nal n this major line of line major this n Where is The The is Where the Zahhak en titled The CEU eTD Collection between makes he connections the on details more nationalist B which in the context the understating on for grounds more focus will I the provide to century twentieth the Then of beginning the since Zahhak of legend the formation. of interpretations nation with connected be to came brief a present will at look I historical chapter, first the In chapters. body main three into divided is thesis This the notionof “monsteprotests tohisdictator leads a becoming the tyrant against whose cruelty of victim a but king cruel a not is play, this of protagonist the Zahhak, or Azhdahak Azhdahak Night First and Thousand The king monster the to tales thousand one recount who storytellers Night First and Thousand the of interweaving this through is in appearing of version older the Beyzaie to According stop him from cruelty book the of version today’s in Dinazad and Nights One and Thousand One b to came later which plot basic major a of transformation the traces he which through documents different in appear who storytellers women two of presence the notices particularly He women. been always have storytellers ancient that argues he research Thousand One

is another adaptation of the same story which places the monster Zahhak in the center. the in Zahhak monster the places which story same the of adaptation another is The Shahnameh The the and monster as an evil being. evil asmonster an The Shahnameh The n Nights One

and thusand thenation. save

is born. The first scene of this play features Shahrnaz and Arnavaz as the as Arnavaz and Shahrnaz features play this of scene first The born. is , had these two female storytellers as the major characters characters major the as storytellers female two these had , . In this fundamental plot the two female storytellers female two the plot fundamental this In .

tog, s o Byaes ny dpain f h lgn o Zahhak. of legend the of adaptation only Beyzaie’s not is though, , and still later known in known later still and

and the context in which it was written to to written was it which in context the and udmna po of plot fundamental

manage to influence a king through their stories and stories their through king a influence to manage

the 3 eyzaie wrote the two plays. I will also delve into delve also will I plays. two the wrote eyzaie

ahk eed ulk te aoie version canonized the unlike legend, Zahhak The Thousand Tales Thousand The its English title English its h Tosn Tales Thousand The e known as the fundamental plot of the of plot fundamental the as known e Zahhak for one thousand nights. thousand one for Zahhak r”. In this play Beyzaie challenges Beyzaie r”. Inplay this

, as One Thousand and One Nights One and Thousand One The Arabian Nights Arabian The clarify how and why it why and how clarify

and and - Zahhak

called Shahrzad called in

the story. It story. the that , In . The his , CEU eTD Collection of women the on article his in on researchers renowned most the of one As Jerome subve is monstrosity of notion the but monster a as Zahhak only not how see to be will aim my and monstrosity and monsters on theories from benefit will I chapter this In view. of point monster’s the from angle, different a from Zahhak play the in Zahhak monster the of transformation of process the to dedicated be will body the of chapter third The offerwomen to Beyzaie’s of tales the Naghali publication. earlier its play other the in happens which monster the of transformation the of process from borrowed is which plot master the of suitable. more is order this storytellers is which purpose my better suits analyze I chronological Beyzaie’s examine will I chapter body second the In inthefollowing chapter. topic appearing of associated art performative the to introduction brief a with chapter the end will I Zahhak. and

Cohen Cohen traditionally exclusive to men. I will study thstudywill I men. traditionallyto exclusive The Thousand and First Night First and Thousand The The Thousand and First Night First and Thousand The with the performance of the legends of legends the of performance the with h Shahnameh The order ( 1999 the texts they are performing spite are in ofthe differencesintheirthe texts they performances.

Azhdahak in which in )

remarks, source notcauseofevil. a of a becomes creation In this chapter I will enter into more details about the performative art of art performative the about details more into enter will I chapter this In

as a traditional traditional a as . I will try to depict how Beyzaie has seen the eve the seen has Beyzaie how depict to try will I . the two the The Shahnameh The

the development of the character of Zahhak thro Zahhak of character the of development the

. My attempt will be to depict the feminist readings that these that readings feminist the depict to be will attempt My .

plays are written are plays

first because, a because, first rted in rted I believe the voice given to women in this play play this in women to given voice the believe I

The Thousand Tales Thousand The Naghal The Shahnameh The Azhdahak

that research on this topic has been very scarce and scarce very been has topic this on research that 4

The Shahnameh The e performances by two women; one performingone two women; by performances e

s I will discuss in more detail more in discuss will I s and the other performing the first scene of of scene first the performing other the and

( The Thousand and First Night First and Thousand The

Azhdahak and and , Mahmood Omidsalar Mahmood , how

and thus it thus and

the monster in this play, as play, this in monster the was written much earlier in 1959) in earlier much written was to prepare for more detail on the the on detail more for prepare to can be connected to the to connected be can Azhdahak

nts of the legend of legend the of nts ( I sie f the of spite In .

2003 later, ugh the female the ugh becomes part part becomes )

, mentions , in spite of of spite in this order this Naghali Jeffery

CEU eTD Collection performative arts tothese related propose texts can forfemini a Shahnameh The of characters marginalized the on done studies the to significant opinion, my in but minor, a add to story the of performance traditional the connect to also is study this in attempt my addition, In proposedstudy. this in have I that order the in and plays particular these in women the of help the with monster the of which research any encounter not did I However, Amjad. Hamid and Samini Naghameh playwrights the or Talajooy Saeed Dr. as such theater and drama of area the in experts have There himself pushedking has toperiphery who also been through demonization. of women ignored but important most of parts” “unwritten the at look deeper a the of adaptations Beyzaie’s believe I characters. these of analysis the in deep dive not do exist which those

legend of Zahhak are two instances which have managed to present, as he himself points out, points himself he as present, to managed have which instances two are Zahhak of legend of Zahhak as it appears in appears it as Zahhak of been several analyses of Baharam Beyzaie’s plays, particularly by famous researchers and and researchers famous by particularly plays, Beyzaie’s Baharam of analyses several been te a Byae a scedd o oaie hm an them vocalize to succeeded has Beyzaie way the ,

The Shahnameh The The Book of Kings of Book The The Shahnameh The 5

and its adaptations by Beyzaie. With this, I hope I this, With Beyzaie. by adaptations its and , but also about the character of the monster the of character the about also but ,

( Amjad, 2013 Amjad, st texts. of reading these ) ; not only about two of the of two about only not ; te oetas ht the that potentials the d

follows the evolution the follows Naghali

with CEU eTD Collection to possible was it when transition” Shahnameh first of tales the understand to able be To The Historiography of Zahhak rare Beyzaie by written plays the of significance the understand help should hope, I This, stories. the interpretations Iran’s pre in interest” “renewed a for incentive the became tendencies as scholars many 20 the of beginning the mean wrote Beyzaie context whose in Iran modern the in received w discussions. feminist and nationalist both Iyears. recent in particularly implications different many had has for reasons the and context the and context know to necessary is it Beyzaie, analyze and understand to able be To Introduction One: Chapter hich hich works know briefly about about briefly know h Shahnameh The - , Islamic past

and themonsterand himself king in which in Dick Davis Dick

of Zahhak and and Zahhak of

h ruh tr o the of start rough the

The Shahnameh The not only not

itself was written was itself ( ( Dabiri, 2010 Dabiri, 2006 the time the

) argues that argues women are gaining voice in the discourse of nationalism of discourse the in voice gaining are women th The Shahnameh The

century, since the Constitutional the since century, in which which in

the record the end of an era and era an of end the record ) .

My attempt story of Zahhak on which these two plays were were plays two these which on Zahhak of story The Shahnameh The

Azdahak

and and are Ferdowsi, the author of of author the Ferdowsi,

it was written.was it it o the of birth To do this I will first briefly review the background in background the review briefly first will I this do To

, Zahhak Zahhak , looked uponfrom different a angle , women are totally ignored in spite of their presence in in presence their of spite in ignored totally are women , then move to the legend of legend the to move then which this story was canonized. The story of Zahhak of story The canonized. was story this which

and 6 will

The Thousand and First Night First and Thousand The and particularly the tale of Zahhak, one must must one Zahhak, of tale the particularly and be to be

oen Iran modern I n his introduction to the translation of translation the to introduction his n Story

show inalmost how The Shahnameh The these have a perspective of perspective a have Revolu am going to focus on its impact its on focus to going am

The Shahnameh The and its Interpretations its and

w plays two and a time when nationalist nationalist when time a and tion

Zahhak,

and its connection with connection its and (1905) is considered by considered is (1905)

as well . , lived in a “time of “time a in lived , all By modern Iran I I Iran modern By

the two plays two the

of thenationalist and how and

, but the story story the but , . the beginning the

based

it its , was The The

on by as

CEU eTD Collection of Silence Years TwoHundred 6 127 that adds he instance Inanother culture. Iranian to harm the theenormous which stopped bridge a Islam, theIran after and before 5 4 to claimed they that to attempted they Islam, before kings Persian Sassanid B power. to coming Buyid the century tenth the Abbasid The Iran. C Iran conquered Arabs the when AD 660 around From along and wi language was it discourse, same this to according Nevertheless, disappearance of verge of fall though some disagreed historians contemporary respectable before happened conquest Arab The of thisview transition today and Iran ofhistory recorded of the thebeginning between Iran. of history the in another of

Later in his life Zarrinkoob said he was too young and too passionate at the time when he had written the book written thebook had he when thetime at passionate too wasyounghe and too said inZarrinkoob his life Later of editor famous themost Motlagh, Khaleghi Refer to Refer aliphs came to power in Baghdad in power to came aliphs )

the Ferdowsi

The Poetics and Politics of Politics The Poeticsand n tu truh encouraging through thus and The Shahnameh Sassanid dynasty Sassanid dynasty in the W the in dynasty ’s

, however, , that Shahnameh oth of these dynasties claimed claimed dynasties these of oth descend from descend

th it thePersian civilization

( tied together the rope of Iranian nationality which was almost worn out. worn was almost which nationality ofIranian rope together the tied 6 4 Davis, 2006 Davis, The Shahnameh The .

, yet many N ot all historians all ot

The Shahnameh and the Arab invasion was about to bring to about was invasion Arab the and

est and the Samanid in the East of Iran of East the in Samanid the and est

was written were were

oad te n o te eet century seventh the of end the towards

were ofthesame were opinion kinder ) In addition since addition In

. , (

Davis, 2006 Davis,

there were ma were there

was written, was h To ude Yas of Years Hundred Two The The Shahnameh

( Omidsalar, 2011 Omidsalar, ,

the two and more attentive more and h ceto, olcin n poeto o literature of protection and collection creation, the share establish

the same view on view same the ) . - . 7 hundred

In this In , compares , compares when the Abbasid the when ny ny

tha Shahnameh ) revolts against Arab rule in different parts of parts different in rule Arab against revolts

t they had descended had they t until a link between themselves and the history the and themselves between link a

h Shahnameh The effort - year which was called by one of themost byone called was which year 5

The Shahnameh

with Abdolhossein with Zarrinkoobthat to the Persian the to 750 AD when the Abbasid dynasty of dynasty Abbasid the when AD 750

was written approximately half way half approximately written was

it can also give the modern r modern the give also it can to distinguish themselves distinguish to Silence

th e introduction of Islam to Iran. to Islam of introduction e - were the Persian civilization Persian the

wher

( to a bridge between the Iran betweentheIran tobridge a

hc rvvd h Persian the revived which arnob 1999 Zarrinkoub, bu to ude years hundred two about civilization; gradually weakened and weakened gradually edwi lived Ferdowsi e

rmte pre the from ( Afshar, 2001, p. p. 2001, Afshar,

but it was in was it but fro ) . - Islamic eader aeader

The m the m to the to

Ev were

the on en

CEU eTD Collection 1924 ofToos in thecity in birthday ofhis one thousandth anniversary ofthe theceremony in Ferdowsi for tomb building a 7 back Kashani identity, Iranian of formation century eighteenth Iranian Shahnameh The Shahnameh others literature. as formative Shahnameh and Islamic the of combination a present to account written many unlike that, in lies uniqueness its But Shahnameh The Shahnameh called prose in written kings of books important most the of one of version versified the is thelivesof kings. on bookwrittento anytitlegiven a was one only the not in book this However, to Persian hi literature and literature. Persian Samanid the Davis, to according Caliphs, Arab

from a letter written by Mohammad Ghazvini to Hassan Taghiz Hassan to Ghazvini writtenMohammad by letter a from

the composition of composition the (

Afshar, 2001, p.124 2001, Afshar, in -

deal of deal or society of class any form Iranian, Any es s dniy Ee tog svrl etr scholars Western several though Even identity. as ness history , is ,

of Abu only only

tales on the history of Iran connect this book to the formation of Iran as a nation and nation a as Iran of formation the to book this connect Iran ofthehistory on tales Iran.of heroes historical kingsand and themythical livesof the of span wide coversa

their nationality totheir nationality Fe and the I than the eighteenth century eighteenth the than - Mansoor

The dealing with the ancient Persian cosmology Persian ancient the with dealing the time when Iran started to be recognized as a country, in her book on the on book her in country, a as recognized be to started Iran when time the )

(my translation) (my story

several books on the kings of Iran of kings the on books several even changed even

whose is text dea ofdea a Nation first by the Abbasid and then first and bytheAbbasid

. rdowsi

- lost the court language court the S of its kind. kind. its of abet . . 7

. In her argument among the many sources, she draws draws she sources, many the among argument her In .

(

the ancient Persian legends and creation myths, creation and legends Persian ancient the 1999 promoted the ancient Iranian culture and supported supported and culture Iranian ancient the promoted 8

any status, based on their situation, owes a great great a owes situation, their on based status, any

) Shah

traces the idea of nationality to much further much to nationality of idea the traces adeh, two editors of editors two adeh, -

nameh literally meansbook literally nameh The Shahnameh The by theSamanid by from Arabic to Persian. to Arabic from

s o s one of which is which of one n and this makes it stand out among among out stand it makes this and the -

ie dad Browne Edward like history of the time, which tried tried which time, the of history The Shahnameh , as Feas ,

obviously

Ferdowsi r dowsi himself writes, himself dowsi

on the occasion of occasion onthe This interest in interest This ,

of kings and it it and kings of paved thewaypaved ’s

Shahnameh -

consider The The .

CEU eTD Collection 9 in this alive land 8 him to According media. popular when instances I trac Re Constitutional Shahnameh The be will and era, constitutional the Iran, in period particular a to study my different i However, composed was it after years hundred one Omidsalar to According Sh the in reference today Iran call we what of formation the in role some played which time. that names dynasty suggest East Middle the on thewhile, all that, Iranian and Iran upon

n his n e.g. On this topic also refer to “ also refer topic On this ahnameh e

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(my translation) (my

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and t discourse ofnationalism - h Shahnameh The a notion of “Iranian” as a people existed much much existed people notion of asa “Iranian” ness existed in Ferdowsi in existed ness volution of 1 of volution d h priua soy f ahk ee ca were Zahhak of story particular the nd

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Parvaneh Po Parvaneh as the most important and important most the as cholars and many more many and cholars

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The Shahnameh The

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u . Since then it has influenced many thinkers and writers. writers. and thinkers many influenced has it then Since . Ali Ansari Ali Shahnameh rshariati

Let my body perish if there is no Iran/ Let there Let Iran/ is no there perish body if my Let

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and thus an important point of of point important an thus and - back back Sabet

( why and how on focusing Dabiri, 2010 Dabiri, . than the than

and Ansari and I am therefore, am I the

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( 2012, p. 2012, 58

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is the supernatural authority bestowed to the kings of Iran. The Divine Divine The Iran. of kings the to bestowed authority supernatural the is ( 2003

from gods and is thus deprived of this heavenly gift heavenly this of deprived thus is and gods from

king into being his accomplices in the crime of killing young men young killing of crime the in accomplices his being into king ) ,

in his article on the women of women the on article his in The Shahnameh The in

The Thousand Tales Thousand The where Shahrzad and Dinazad were the storytellers, instorytellers, the were Dinazad and Shahrzad where 30

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is through them that this divine authority is transmitted to the futu the to transmitted is authority divine this that them through is : Do you not heed my sister that if we are taken by force, we will be seen as one of of one as seen be will we force, by taken are we if that sister my heed not you Do : a vaz. Listen, my sister my Listen, cause they fall under his spell, in spell, his under fall they cause

argue that the Divine Excellence is transferred to the daughters of Jamshid Jamshid of daughters the to transferred is Excellence Divine the that argue

in — er their own bodies totheir enemy: er theirownbodies

The Shahnameh The if that beast becomes aware of our spite, and learns that we that learns and spite, our of aware becomes beast that if ( Beyzaei, 2003, p.9 31

who seem ignorant of this fact and who are said are who and fact this of ignorant seem who The Thousand and First Night First and Thousand The

) .

( Beyzaei, 2003, Beyzaei, secret hiding place and place hiding secret s Zahhak, marry these marry Zahhak, s

the sisters are not are sisters the re kings and it is is it and kings re farr p. 7

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this story, like the Shahryar of Shahryar the like story, this Shahanemh The Te edr dsoe ta te ae aig w pos newvn te lt f ahk s it as Zahhak of plot the interwoven; plots two facing are they that discover readers The . will teach him humanity. teachhumanity. will him Shahrnaz that thereisalsobountyintheworld justiceand We became your wives to diminish the burden of your tyranny on the world, world, the on tyranny your of burden the diminish to wives your became We The The Shahnameh

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The Thousand Tales The Thousand Shahrnaz answers: “With toil and resolution, my sister” my resolution, and toil “With answers: Shahrnaz his , as said as , 32

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in place of the second youth. Each night I will make some make will I night Each youth. second the of place in the latter Shahrnaz is aware that her brain is being put into use use into put being is brain her that aware is Shahrnaz latter the

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, puts her life at risk to tell stories. Her creative power of storytelling of power creative Her stories. tell to risk at life her puts , h

functions here. Shahrnaz of Shahrnaz here. functions version of the story which has been abundantly used since the constitutio the since used abundantly been has which story the of version Zahhak

stories, particularly their role is the story of Zahhak, the traditional way of way traditional the Zahhak, of story the is role their particularly stories,

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by Beyzaie subverts at l at subverts Beyzaie by , functions as if one has drawn the curtain off a scene a off curtain the drawn has one if as functions , The Shahnameh The 34 The Thousand and First Night First and Thousand The

east three conventional notions. T notions. conventional three east , could actually be only what has been has what only be actually could ,

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h ae led fmla wt te rdtoa itrrtto o te tr d nt exp not do story the of interpretation traditional the with familiar already are who

and inBeyzaie’sand seemtrivialbutlong might goa play way. can ( Beyzaei, 2003, Beyzaei, , -

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Zahhak im as: “Oh! My close kin, Zahhak, the son of my father’s sister, say, did you not send not you did say, sister, father’s my of son the Zahhak, kin, close My “Oh! as: im

is referred to as a stranger, a foreigner who comes from the land of the of land the from comes who foreigner a stranger, a as to referred is

p. 5 p. however, he is referred to by Shahrnaz as a cousin; a cousin who is related to related is who cousin a cousin; a as Shahrnaz by to referred is he however, - thirsty Arab king, who is depleting Iran from its youth, to be in any any in be to youth, its from Iran depleting is who king, Arab thirsty ) . O .

in an entirely entirely an in n make an impact on the inter the on impact an make n n another occasion Sharnaz talks more clearly about Zahhak’s relation Zahhak’s about clearly more talks Sharnaz occasion another n ful reading can shed light on darker corners which might have might which corners darker on light shed can reading ful f the beginning of the twentieth century of thetwentieth f inIran. thebeginning

different 35

manner manner

( Beyzaei, 2003, p.8 in the two accounts of the Zahhak Zahhak the of accounts two the in pretation of the modern version. modern the of pretation

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the by onZahhak otherplay Beyzaie. nd First Night First nd The Shahnameh The 36

claims that he is. He is not a foreigner foreigner a not is He is. he that claims es more the Shahryar of Shahryar the more es he is he not Zahhak is as much an Iranian king as king Iranian an much as is Zahhak

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(2013) Th cessive masculinity cessive e Shahnameh e

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, treats the snakes in an almost similar manner to the way it treats women; treats it way the to manner similar almost an in snakes the treats

of course of -

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is a point which requires deeper study but a brief hint can helphintcanbrief but a studydeeper requires point which is a 37

e ones for whose sake Zahhak kills two youngtwo kills Zahhak sake whosefor ones e

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( : I have butterflies: I have stomach inmy Warner &Warner, 14 1905,p. Warner : You did not get the mostsnakes didnotget your : You out did of it,Zahhak, sleeping. are snakes The : tiful “silver bodied” sisters not knowing which to choose to benefit the most, the benefit to choose to which knowing not sisters bodied” “silver tiful The f The , though, there are several occasions when the snakes seem to be givenbeto seem the snakesoccasionswhen severalthereare though, , ht when youfellht when asleep, snakes your embraced us.” hrnaz’s clever tricks to arouse jealousy in Zahhak towards his snakes his towards Zahhak in jealousy arouse to tricks clever hrnaz’s irst time we notice Shahrnaz and Arnavaz talking about the snakes the about talking Arnavaz and Shahrnaz notice we time irst

Arnavaz 6 )

38 — ( p. 17

— no and we’re awake. Come awake. we’re and navaz by telling her not to worry; the snakes snakes the worry; to not her telling by navaz — )

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readers noticed. seemto have

were not entirely playing tricks when they told Zahhak that his that Zahhak told they when tricks playing entirely not were prefer ( Beyzaei, Beyzaei, 2003, 18 p.

to obey Shahrnaz and Arnavaz and not the body to body the not and Arnavaz and Shahrnaz obey to 39

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40 which the snakes belong? If Zahhak’s snakes are are snakes Zahhak’s If belong? snakes the which

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CEU eTD Collection 362 t tradition; oral the from descend in both they something common; have drama and epic differences, their of spite in Benjamin, Walter to According The Performance: thiswith version ofthe story. om an by not himself by told traditional the subvert well monstrosity, of meaning as can which Zahhak in metamorphosis of more see to However, through questioning theseparat itself manifesting change a of beginning the as marked be can snakes, his from himself knowing not of terms in scene this of end the in faces Zahhak that perplexity The Arnvaz. and Shahrnaz of attribut human possess to come have they that in dynamic be to seem snakes his character, flat a be to appears he though even because evil as together all depicted not ha himself the changed, have to seem snakes the if words, other In white. and black as separated be cannot slayer dragon the and dragon the story the of version this in Similarly, ) . In Iran, theatre and dramatic art did not exist in the form they existed in the West and this was was this and West the in existed they form the in exist not did art dramatic and theatre Iran, In . analysis theoretical a than force critical powerful more a be can story a conditions, certain Under separated love and wisdom of praise in are which those with merged are dragon the slaying in end which legends the time, same the at happen reproduction and fertility s undergone some change as well. It can thus be argued that Zahhak, the monster king, is king, monster the Zahhak, that argued be thus can It well. as change some undergone s ( Disch, 1993, p. 665Disch, p. 1993, (2013, p.192) (2013, Naghali Azhedehak

niscient story teller not even by his wives. The next chapter chapter next The wives. his by even not teller story niscient .

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or Dramatic Storytelling , offers a step further. It suggests It further. step a offers , ) .

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re can be some hope that Zahhak that hope some be can re

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which are essentially monologues and not dialogues dialogues not and monologues essentially are which . Needless to say this form of storytelling was an art exclusive to men since it since men to exclusive art an was storytelling of form this say to Needless . s reasons reasons s

tyd mostly stayed Naghali

, in return, became the tool for the stories of stories the for tool the became return, in , ( eze, 2012 Beyzaei,

in h Shahnameh The as coffee modern theatre Iran. in or netimn ni smnind n h previous the in mentioned as until entertainment court a e. It was then that Ite. was then after Islam dates back to two hundred years after Islam after years hundred two to back dates Islam after

23 houses were mostly men gathered to watch. houses towatch. mostly were gathered men Tu, vn huh rmtc rs i nt develop not did arts dramatic though even Thus, . ) 22 42 . According to Beyzaie, reciting stories (Ghavali) (Ghavali) stories reciting Beyzaie, to According .

rvdd suc fr trtles te r of art the storytellers, for source a provided Naghali hat is, very briefly, how briefly, very is, hat ks in which he argues how Iranian dramatic dramatic Iranian how argues he which in ks (

Amjad, 2007 Amjad,

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eae h dramatic the became The Shahnameh The Naghali

to be be to came CEU eTD Collection of verses exact the follow not does century, a of performance the chapter, previous the in mentioned already As ofas theenemies theirhomeland. wa the imitate maybe and about talk afterwards but to listen and watch only not to together people brought It socializing. for event an well; as function another props. no using out them act simply could he or cloths book the of paintings from the or performer The storytelling. between differences story the of characters the embodies he words, other in words; the and hand the and eye, the soul, the of coordination the calls In imp sermons and lectures from itself differentiated was it because important through as was body Beyzie, to according however, role; prominent a played in element important An Naghali ortance of the body in ofthebody ortance storytelling aswell: The Shahnameh The expressed hundred a ways its in gestures trainedbywork. is what supports which part a plays hand the storytelling genuine in Rather, alone. voice the a Storytelling they determine itsanother, practice... in sensory one with Interacting connection. into brought are hand and eye, soul, words, these With the movements of the body that this performance assumed a dramatic tone and and tone dramatic a assumed performance this that body the of movements the , too, the storyteller goes further than simply recounting the story; he does what Benjamin what does he thestory; recounting simply than further goes thestoryteller too, ,

. Apart from the body movements, he would accompany his performance with performance his accompany would he movements, body the from Apart . Naghali

which could be painted on the wall of the of wall the on painted be could which Naghal Naghali

y o ol uig i vie u hs oy s el Tu, n o the of one Thus, well. as body his but voice his using only not by

, n a ly efre o te tg i that is stage the on performed play a and

would speak for all characters of the particular legend of his choice his of legend particular the of characters all for speak would

was the body of the of body the was

The Shahnameh The

43 ( eze, 2012 Beyzaei,

Naghal

ys of the kings and of the heroes as well well as heroes the of and kings the of ys ( Coffee Page, 1979 Page, . Clearly in the absence of music, voice music, of absence the in Clearly . ) ( Wle Bnai pit ot the out points Benjamin Walter . coffee B enjamin, 1977, p. p. 1977, 377 enjamin,

Naghal houses provided provided houses aspect

) house or on huge pieces huge on or house . Every . Naghali

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of CEU eTD Collection societythem tothe patriarchal right path.Can a body accept female such a in powerful position?a the to lessons life teaches who leader a master, a advisor, an teacher, a as also but performer, story and storyteller the of only not position the said, already coffee a in probably most is, that space, religious dominated male social a in body female a for defined limitations by chained not is and freely move to permitted is which body male a requires drunkards threatening the movements, rash the gestures, the voice, the and body the on focus the also but space the only Not upon. frowned traditional children. and wives their to home go then and rest and joke and smoke A women. for space c there outside space the in place took performance the If audience. as sometimes even performers as which in conditions the all Almost of an theaudience “needs” in appeared which tale the of plot entire the affect and fundamental sometimes are changes The commits. hero the that errors the out points of hero the advises or “unjust” as considers he what “corrects” or of verses the perform only not does who Shahnameh the two, or page a than more not is “ or scroll own his down writes ould be women and children among the audience but a a but audience the among children and women be ould

house somewhere in an Islamic Iran. Above all, all, Above Iran. Islamic an in somewhere house . Page . coffee

(1979) says that in this role the role this in saysthat (1979)

house even in a modern Tehran in some particular quarters of the city can still be be still can city the of quarters particular some in Tehran modern a in even house coffee d what heperceives hisd what audiencelistening would enjoy to.

house is a male dominated space where men usually gather to drink and drink to gather usually men where space dominated male a is house “tumar” Naghali hus f the of shouts Naghal ” on the basis of which he performs. In this In performs. he which of basis the on ” The Shahnameh The The Shahnameh The

is performed prohibits women from entering its domain domain its entering from women prohibits performed is

includes observations which are not referred to in to referred not are which observations includes Naghal 44

Naghal . In so doing the doing so In .

, but in some cases freely changes the storiesthe changes freely cases some in but , wellmaster as a teacher and a lessor more is Naghal coffee

audience, corrects the errors and leads and errors the corrects audience, impersonating warriors, villains, and and villains, warriors, impersonating

cuis psto o pwr as power; of position a occupies os hs ee be a friendly a been never has house the tale to do differently, or or differently, do to tale the Naghal

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which which The

CEU eTD Collection and her on BBC by broadcasted documentary short the because Habibizadi about write to chose I masterin first female the became nagahli of master a from diploma her received who Iran Naghali kn to came Habibizadi Fatemeh that academia, the is, that medium, this through was It tothisstudents attracted startedperformance. have tobe humanities and art academia in nevertheless, it; on written be still can lot a and educated the among to art this for way long a still is There less. or more heritage cultural a as known be to come gradually has it chapter, previous the in to referred reasons political and cultural to due space of practice the though Even Storyteller Mojdeh Shamsaei: The woman? a by performed both written and ( of spite Naghal of male space invincible apparently limitation the all with body, female a if what So, performer perform the transform. and Arnavaz create, Night First and Thousand ar women modern that roles very the transformers, as finally and advisors and teachers storytellers, as sister her and Shahrzad features story, Zahhak of version older the be to claims Beyzaie (2013). female been always have storytellers oldest the that argues Beyzaie

, started research on it and finally became the first publically announced female announced publically first the became finally and it on research started , be simply repeating the patriarchal notions already present in present already notions patriarchal the repeating simply be or maybe on account of) the limitations offer the audience a feminist “ feminist a audience the offer limitations the of) account on maybe or ?

reclaim this position for the legend of Zahhak; Shahrnaz the storyteller, and storyteller, the Shahrnaz Zahhak; of legend the for position this reclaim Actress Naghali Naghali Naghali ,

, the n t taiinl om hs lot id u fo is public its from out died almost has form, traditional its in . There a There .

? What feminist implications can it have? Will this femalethisWill it have? can feminist implications What ? The Thousand and One Nights One and Thousand The Sisters 45 re of course several other famous female female famous other several coursere of s e prohibited from in from prohibited e

moe o hr n oen rn ocpe the occupies Iran, modern in her on imposed , the

Wives who was a man of course of man a was who , the The Shahnameh The

Naghali and a variation of an older an of variation a and Snake The Thousand Tales Thousand The . The women of women The . “tumar” - man, or the , or will she in she will or , - ow the art of art the ow

”, this time, this ”, and herself and be known known be Naghal Naghal

,which The

in s. CEU eTD Collection character the all embody to voice and body her from benefits storyteller the Naghal/ ways. several in Naghali of solo to herself limit not does she of performances is, that naghal, traditional a not is Shamsaie before said As differences both these performances can women’s perspectivefeminist a fromperformances two two under placed different are performances their thus and professions different two have women two these Although actresses. becoming and acting studying in limitations no have women Iran in since has and job her in one only the been not job her ac an is MojdehShamsaie Habibizadi, Unlike spaces where a being dominated male in her upon frowned frequently was of presence whose researcher female a account as or woman, on government the by canceled still are performances whose of some of student female only the as suffer can woman a hardships the of full is story Habibizadi’s apprentice. and student their as her accept to them ask and men, all were who masters, several to go to had she tradition, Followi quest. her started Habibizadi when space academic any in possible not was course of warriors female few the of one after Gordafarid not has Fatemeh grasp.Habibizadi to easier here argument my makes this and everybody to accessible is work her The Thousand and First and Thousand The at the university the at

categories of professional acting and Naghali, in my opinion my in Naghali, and acting professional of categories Naghali The Shahnameh The Naghali

ny en ie te il of title the given been only was performed.

and has worked with famous directors; she has been one of bests but has has but bests of one been has she directors; famous with worked has and Night Firstly, t Firstly,

who was rejected for long for rejected was who

and I believe that her performance is very close to what we know as know we what to close very is performance her that believe I and

stories, yet in March 2013 she performed a solo act of the first scenefirst the of act solo a performedshe March2013 in stories,yet his performance is a one person show in which the actress/ the the actress/ the which in show person one a is performance his

not faced the limitations that Habibizadi has go has Habibizadi that limitations the faced not tress who, like many other female actressesfemaleother many like tress who, is possible and and possibleis 46 contribute

Naghal The Shahnameh The

by many many by bt lo en ie te ik name nick the given been also but ,

a grea a can lead us to learn that in spite of spite in that learn to us lead can Naghali t deal to t deal a feminist research. . Learning the art of art the Learning . , a comparison between the between comparison a ,

masters, also as a a as also masters, s of the play. the of s , has learned learned has , ne through ne Naghali Naghal g the ng

the

CEU eTD Collection right. up standing Habibizadi and her before spread text the with desk a at sitting Shamsaie the use They Zahhak. king monster the particular in and characters male the also but characters female the only not personify both that is chapter, next the in particularly focus my to Significant ifnot, and performance, Sh The Tales Thousand The women of tradition the by teacher, advisor an a preacher, a theaddresseeof are but show a of a watching who, audience an of company the tothe andthus authority asserts assumes the thestoryteller butalso herself corporeality, as her through story the in roles the of all impersonates only not who performersolitary the of significance “tumar” of art the of malleability The been menwrittenhave by performance. intheir nationalist know been has which poetry epic of book a to them connect indirectly, more maybe other the directly, quite one works, of versions different two performing are women two these though Even Shahnameh t Secondly, The Thousand and First Night First and Thousand The ahnameh s written by by written s Naghal

because is it of a Zahhak. ofthe legend modern adaptation tendencies. In my opinion both o both opinion my Intendencies. he he - oi o te performance the of topic

s and storytellers of stories written by men by written stories of storytellers and s ol hv t ly hi cam a te et f hs vrhlig oefl female powerful overwhelming this of feet the at claims their lay to have would . When encountering these performances these performances these encountering When . Naghali Naghal n a lat ic te osiuinl r, s soitd wi associated as era, constitutional the since least at , they they

r ocs ter ad, hi bde ee tog i dfeet manners; different in though even bodies their hands, their voices, ir s discussed as themse s would joyfullywould Naghali

and and lves, The Shahnameh The , the potential it offers for change through the flexibility of flexibility the through change for offers it potential the , - a aray ecie i ti catr i rltd to related is chapter, this in described already as , al of all ;

h peec o a oy hc cnur te et the text; the conquers which body a of presence the f these women offer their own re own their offer these women f these position reclaiming their women Naghali

hs fcos blee fe a oefl ol for tool powerful a offer believe I factors these

version , are aware that they are not merely spectators merely not are they that aware are , to reclaim their position as Shahrzad of Shahrzad as position their reclaim to

of Zahhak these two women naturally women two these Zahhak of in impersonating the personages of personages the impersonating in stories -

the role bestowed to the to role bestowed the

if if the the they are are they - reading of texts whichtexts of reading Zah h araca and patriarchal th as hak legend, their legend, hak patriarchal

storytellers. Naghal stage; stage; -

like The The

CEU eTD Collection this in g general, performance Shamsaie’s in where performer case the particular to freedom more offers Naghali that seems it though Even of these performances offer two afeminist analysis. for th However, itself. performance the of and performing are they texts the of readings feminist for points significant many uncover cases, both in Iran. Islamic the in regulated is body veil a how to limitation the past step a takes also she this in warriors; and kings women; and men both impersonates which body female veiled her but body, female her only not is It Iran. University Stanford at audiences study this for chosen have I which however Shamsaie, education. of level any with society of class any and parks, places, public in stories her perform a as Habibizadi, Besides, text. the of writer the also r is performance, own her writes Naghali signific is which work Shamsaie’s and Habibizadi’s in point common the to arriving before texts two the of performances two the between differences of study separate differences significant are there However, thecharactersimpersonate all of thetext. n stage; on performs traditional a as herself presenting is Habibizadi

ie Hbbzd mc mr fedm n feiiiy eas, s a as because, flexibility and freedom more much Habibizadi gives “tumar” equired to stick to the text and she is supervised by a director who in this case is case this in who director a by supervised is she and text the to stick to equired in an altogether distinct research from this one. It is worth paying attention to the to attention paying worth is It one. this from research distinct altogether an in evertheless, /scroll based on which she performs. Whereas, Shamsaie, in her her in Shamsaie, she performs.whichWhereas, on /scrollbased . In addition, Habibizadi has to be veiled in these public spaces in spaces public these in veiled be to has Habibizadi addition, In . hy both they -

All these points of divergence require deep study which would, which study deep require divergence ofpoints these All is performing before a limited number of academic educated academic of number limited a before performing is

between the two performances two the between e focus of this study is on the potentials that similarities that potentials the on is study this of focus e

use coffee 48 Naghal ets close Naghali, in my opinion, both women women both opinion, my in Naghali, close ets

h cpblte of capabilities the

ant to this study. For one thing, traditional traditional thing, one For study. this to ant Naghal houses before a beforehouses

wie hmae s moder a is Shamsaie while , , can perform and traditionally should traditionally and perform can , -

n audience which can be from from be can which audience n in this particular performance particular this in their

as well which encoura which well as

bodies Naghal

, it is she who who she is it , n voice and actress n Naghali ed female ed

who who s - ge a ge like

to CEU eTD Collection otherplayin Beyzaie’s the notionofmonstrosity and Zahhak king monster the of deconstruction the trace to continue will I good. called so the and bod the in metamorphosis a undergo monstrosity, of notion the it with along and Zahhak, king monster the theirperfor in demarcateddomains previously the blending in stories versionsofown their create who storytellers stage as the on up stepping by performing are more even an to us introduce performances their thus and itself process transformation the to addition in perform the storiesthey of “evil” the “good” and the of merging realize a they this in and foe, the interpretations is and was who Zahhak, monster the regarded is, that man, and snake of hybrid the and man, the and but epic, the in silenced are voices whose women, of only not embodiment the bodies, female their in offer, thus, They, other. the and self the least not but last and Arab, the and construc biologically and culturally socially, few a dismantle to manage Habibizadi and Shahmsaei Zahhak, texts. their beyond go to manage

complex reading of the story; to female narrators who manage to transcend the texts that they that texts the transcend to manage who narrators female to story; the of reading complex ies of these women storytellers. women these of ies ted binaries; t binaries; ted -

in both the classical version and the modern play as well as in the traditional and modern and traditional the in as well as play modern the and version classical the both in -

as the other and the enemy. enemy. the and other the as hey manage to blur to manage hey n efrig hhnz n Anvz ln wt te monster the with along Arnavaz and Shahrnaz performing In

They

the borders between the male and the female, the Iranian the female, the and male the between borders the These women performers embody embody performers women These

melt and mix and transform the so called monstrous called so the transform and mix and melt 49 Azhdahak,

ming body. It is thus that, in my opinion, my in that, thus isIt body. ming

in thenext chapter.

both even of the snakes the of even the friend and friend the CEU eTD Collection in sources older other from 24 dominating time ancient some in setting the establishing to fr reference time in back further a play the moving through is if as looks It slaying dragon drought, of dryness symbol the is dragon since multi the at hints much very this both; slayer dragon the and dragon the name his in combines he as hybridity monster’s complex the to add can which slayer dragon the mean also can Azhdahak play, this in later Beyzaie to according but dragon means “Azhdaha” root the from Zahhak. to changed and Arabicized later is which name Zoroastrian older the actually pronuncia of way In century. tenth the of end the before long created was which scriptures, Zoroastrian Tales? Thousand monologue dramatic and narration poetic of combination pla religious perform to used was in Zahhak Azhdahak Introduction A Three: Chapter

As any other myth myth other any As The Avesta

( Balazadeh

is a dramatic piece written in 1959 by Beyzaie based on the legend of the monster king king monster the of legend the on based Beyzaie by 1959 in written piece dramatic a is The Shahnameh The and Beyzaie has referred to these traces in his in his to thesetraces has referred Beyzaie and “They [monsters] ask us why w [monsters]“They why askus , Beyzaie traces the roots of many of many of roots the traces Beyzaie ,

tions recorded in recordedtions the the ) .

myths inlcuded myths and of course cha course of and

- layeredness of the of layeredness . Beyzaie in this play has created the form of “barkhani” or recitation which recitation or “barkhani” ofform the hascreated play this in . Beyzaie zhdahak the Monster zhdahak the

Azhdahak

in The AvestaThe

nged some parts; some nged The Shahnameh The s before ys

Beyzaie changes the names of characters to their ancient their to characters of names the changes Beyzaie the notion of monst of notion the 24 e have them”e have created , hence the name Azhdahak instead of Zahhak which is which Zahhak insteadof Azhdahak name the hence ,

the audience is offered a window to what could have could what to window a offered is audience the h Shahnameh The

were not created created not were 50 Hezar Afsan Hezar

traces of the legend of Zahhak, specifically, can be followed followed be can specifically, Zahhak, of legend ofthe traces

The The Shahanmeh The

Shahnameh

Kojast? Where is The Thousand Tales? The Thousand is Where Kojast? ( aaoy 2013b Talajooy,

by Ferdowsi from scratch; scratch; from Ferdowsi by r was written. Thus this piece is a a is piece this Thus written. was om the time of time the om osity (

legends in legends p. 1996, 20 Cohen, (

. 2013 was composed by Ferdowsi in Ferdowsi by composed was

Balazadeh also mentions that mentions also Balazadeh ) , and also as we will see will we as also and , The Avesta, The ) . In his his In . h Shahnameh The he collected collected he )

. Where is The The is Where

the ancient ancient the Azhdahak ity of this of ity

them and

CEU eTD Collection In plays. two his in Beyzaie by proposed eventually was evil and good of sides two the into story the divide simply not does which legend this of understanding complicated more a However, in thefirst to attended briefly reasons for influence Arab the especially influence foreign the off shake to trying was and country modern a as established being was Iran when afterwards and era constitutional victims invaders evil as Arabs represents who nationality his and body monstrous his of account on evil remain will always and stayed always has Zahhak which in evil and bina a proposes which reading naive a be to appears reading this However, AD. century in prince Arab the Zahhak, interpretation, c twentieth the of traditional the from different reading alternative beginning the since least at legend this of interpretation dominant the been an has which interpretation offer to managed has Beyzaie how for the and monster the deconstruct and transform voice, NightFirst with juxtaposition in study to play this chosen have I reason the before, said As Azhdahak charactermarginalized is themonster of kinghimself his onaccount monstrification. center Shahnameh The in Ferdowsi by transcribed was it before story Zahhak seeing of capable is audience the that thus is resembles in canonized became he before Zahhak Azhdahak/ to happened the characters the Ti itrrtto, huh ws rpr f proper was though, interpretation, This .

The Thousand and First and Thousand The is that these two plays together give voice to the marginalized characters and, through thisthroughmarginalized and, the charactersto voicetogethergive twoplays these that is chapter. chapter.

and I bt css hs ehiu hs en sd o rw pict a draw to used been has technique this cases both In . The Thousand and First Night First and Thousand The

nuy A eaoae i te is catr acrig hs ao ln of line major this according chapter, first the in elaborated As entury. that

would later would

Night

be where, similarly, the time of the first scene is a mythic time. Ittime. mythic a is scene first the of time the similarly, where, pushed to the margins in margins the to pushed h Shahnameh The 51

r h ntoait icus poiet n the in prominent discourse nationalist the or

notion of monstrosity. I am going to search to going am I monstrosity. of notion

rpeet h Aa ivso i te 7 the in invasion Arab the represents ,

and thereby Iranians as innocent innocent as Iranians thereby and The Book of Kings of Book The h Shahnameh The r that ure I hs te play the this, In . . In . The Thousand and Thousand The

eit i the in depicts Azhdahak ry of good good of ry

the th

CEU eTD Collection Shahnameh know to curious be would legend the knows who reader the that in suspension creates also but reading, alternative an thus and beginning new ofclosure Zahhak.This tothelegend t ends, version where is, that play; his starts Beyzaie where precisely is scene This snakes. own his by e be to Damavand Mount to him chain to but Zahhak kill to not Sorush or oracle the by ordered is Fereydun Iran; of king grand the Jamshid of child grand the Fereydun, by Zahhak Shahnameh The Azhdahak The Shahnameh in Zahhak of story the to layer different a to eyes our open thus and marginalization his see us helps b trapped cruelty of in out, points Talajooy as yet shoulders, his of Zahhak though Even understanding ofmonstrosity. Night First and Thousand studying opinion my In stories. Arnavaz’s and Shahrnaz to listening of poi the to shoulders Night First and Thousand in voice given were women once that chapter previous the in argued Iking. monster a of cruelty Azhdahak

end the legend end the of Zahhak e a atrae te mg o te ose o th of monster the of image the alternated has he :

. a Beginning toan End

Azhdahak version of the story of Zahhak ends with the over throwing of the monster king king monster the of throwing over the with ends Zahhak of story the of version y Eblis [the Devil] into cannibalism” anymore. In this play Zahhak’s monstrosity Zahhak’s play this In anymore. cannibalism” into Devil] [the Eblis y nt that the snakes assumed human attributes in response to the thousand nights nights thousand the to response in attributes human assumed snakes the that nt , their storytelling techniques transformed the snakes growing on Zahhak’s on growing snakes the transformed techniques storytelling their ,

Azhdahak eis I i tu ta te ly pn wa ws rvosy osdrd a considered previously was what opens play the that thus is It begins. opee te yl o tasomto o te ose ad f and monster the of transformation of cycle the completes

is still depicted as a monster in body with two snakes growing on growing snakes two with body in monster a as depicted still is .

echnique initselfechnique not puts is it because only a significant forth

Azhdahak what is going to happen after the point where where point the after happen to going is what 52

, “Zahhak is not a dehumanized embodiment dehumanized a not is “Zahhak , lgn ta peiul represented previously that legend e Azhdahak ternally tormented ternally

The Shahnameh The following urthers our our urthers The The The

CEU eTD Collection the awaken to queer. term supposed is here Azhdahak of surveillance. and control of shout the citizenship; and Azhdah Both created. has nation Yama that city homogenized of concepts the itself in inherent that angle the from at looked terrorist. also be can shout a into turned 26 Drama to refer please regard this in studies further any for However, chapter. previous the in characters 25 figure, destroyernegative nota buta dragon headed three a to compared was which drought to end an putting by land to fertility and life restore would he because dragon the society, agricultural Iran ancient in Beyzaei, fromto According springs.” flow rivers made and drought of dragon headed three the “slayed who land the of farmer monster.a Hecon into him turns and himself to happens what of foreshadowing a is later, see will we here, depicts he image The city.” sleeping the of shoulders the on “lash a like land further the hits cry his of sound a into turned shout has him in voice suppressed the sleeping; was feet his at city the shout” scraping In as drama to epic from change inthe theendows thecharacterexplained previous chapter withmore and authority agency and perspective; the changes view of point in change The scen first very This name. Avestan older his following here Yama called is who Jamshid King with encounter his of tale his recount to begins mountains, to chained Azhdahak, or Zahhak where scene the with starts play The

Even though there is no space for this discussion yet, I thought it is worth mentioning here that this voice which is is which voice this that here mentioning worth is it thought I yet, discussion this for space no is there though Even hv aray xlie ti cag i gne n hw t impac it how and genre in change this explained already have I terestingly enough the play begins with Azhdahak’s cry; he tells us that “before I shouted my sky my shouted I “before that us tells he cry; Azhdahak’s with begins play the enough terestingly

26 ( Culpeper, Short, & Verdonk, 2002 Verdonk, Short,& Culpeper, . From where he is chained, that is, on top of mount Da of is, that ontop chained, . From heis where This voice of voice This

tinues to tell us that he used to be an ordinary man, a farmer and even an honored an farmer even a and man, ordinary an tellusthat heusedtinues tobe to

the suicide bomber which is the roar of the bomb stands against heterono against stands bomb the of roar the is which bomber suicide the

In his In

e enables the reader to hear to reader the enables e

Byae 2013) (Beyzaie, Of Giants Of

) ,

Storytelling and Drama Drama and Storytelling ( savior of this land. savior of this land. 1999 ) ,

Cohen, too, associates the term monster with the anti the with monster term the associates too, Cohen, . We see, thus, Azhdahak, for the first time, as not a a not as time, first the for Azhdahak, thus, see, We . ak and Puar’s Queer terrorist, thus, go against the state practices practices state the against go thus, terrorist, Queer Puar’s and ak 53

a voice which was repressed was which voice a ( Bowles, 2010 Bowles, abr K. Jasbir

ts the flow of the story and the construction of of construction the and story the of flow the ts mavand, Azhdahak witnesses that the witnesses Azhdahak that the mavand,

Puar Puar )

and and considers Language of D Language

when discussing the queer queer the discussing when slayer was the savior the was slayer

Exploring the Language of of Language the Exploring rama rama in r mativity which has has which mativity ( The Shahnameh The Sanger, 2000 Sanger, 25 - . identity in the in identity

) .

. CEU eTD Collection thatrebel. they heavy it isas so anymore theburden cannot take hisinshoulders that par 28 themountains. him to chains and throws Zahhak over later who Fereydun, ofhis descendants, one ItZahhak. is by 27 out[offinally thebody]” materializesway onhis shoulders a “sought which pain the night; the through all pain agonizing in is Azhdahak day, this Following inroles:clarifies this change whip the of strokes the under crushing body his of provides Azhdahak that image The reading. oppres the and oppressed the of roles in subversion This father. his of murder the against protest his of account on citizens fellow his of eyes the before severely lashed be to Azhdahak orders that after immediately and father Azhdahak’s murders who Yama is it but father, own his kills who Zahhak it is neither Azhdahak, or Zahhak by killed is who Yama not is it when scene this in happens though, subversion, major The start. the from nature evil with a already always or essentially as here whil nature depicted evil with character monstrous not is Azhdahak well, as later out point will I As drinking.” was he wine red the than red deeper a is Kingblood his “if see the to just father Azhdahak’s Yama when day the until land this in life a living was and monster a not was he when past his remembers clearly now pain in and chain in Azhdahak monstrous The

Yama is the Avestan name for Jamshid who appears in the story of Zahhak as the king of king of king the as Zahhak of story the in appears who Jamshid for name Avestan the is Yama It is worth noticing the symbolism of shoulders here as the part of the body that both in English and Persian is the is the Persian and English that bothin ofthebody theaspart here ofshoulders symbolism noticingthe It isworth t associated with responsibility and the burden of life. oflife. theburden and responsibility with t associated the body and the body under thebody and thethe body lash wa there so and veins; thousand a in fire was there down coming in and blood; down; came lash the and fear; in watched people and snake a like curled and coiled lash lash the with man a and me, towards open wide mouth a with lash like serpent long a saw I And

in his fist […] and the lash in his claws scraped a black line across the sky […] and the and […] sky the across line black a scraped claws his in lash the and […] fist his in

e in e ( Beyzaei, The Shahnameh The It renders more meaning to the pain that Zahhak is tolerating tolerating is that Zahhak thepain meaning to more It renders 54

1959, p.5 28 :

Zahhak is presented as the Arab prince Arab the as presented is Zahhak ) sor has given birth to an alternative an to birth given has sor .

27 s of s

arrives and kills kills and arrives

Iran who is killed killed is who Iran s the lash andlash the s

CEU eTD Collection l the and history the written have who people very the by monster a into turned is but evil, begets nature evil an with born not as regarded be can he anymore; Zahhak Zahhak with associated evil the way this In Azhdahak. of imprisoning the scenes, later in observe will we as justifies, he doing so in and Zahhak repressing by monster a produces representing be could he culture the or Yama King which 13 p. production”culturalof matter a is “monstroussaysdifference Shildrick asIf hatred”. of snake the was this as eyes] my [from fell tears and me at looked I and pain and blood were which black s his on snakes two to birth give to serpent the After unfolds itself. play the as unfolded be will alterity this of nature the regarding meaning deeper a Azdahak; of body t on “alterity” this of materialization the with connection in course of is This monster. a into him turns and shoulders’ Azhdahak scourges that lash like serpent the through Zahhak of body the to i Yama King or Jamshid by body, Zahhak’s bod monstrous the through) (constructed across inscribed his in Cohen like”. “serpent as depicted is it shape; in snake a to compared is lash the that is significant be also can opinion, my in What, egends againstegends him. ) , then in these series of scenes we are witnessing the birth of a monster, a of birth the witnessing are we scenes of series these in then , wrath two snakes, roaring and growling emerged twogrowling snakes,wrath roaringand and scream sharp a with existence, my in abyss the from me, from then and me; inside went sh body my and body whole my shook and pain] [in curled and coiled I Suddenly

- like lash which scraped the sky falls upon the body of Zahhak and causes his body his causes and Zahhak of body the fallsupon sky the scraped which lash like

houlders he goes on to describe the snakes as “one red and one and red “one as snakes the describe to on goes he houlders in The Shahnameh The Monster Theory Monster s the snake which is pictured as, figuratively, transmitted figuratively, as, pictured is which snake the s 55

can be seen as not essential to the body of of body the to essential not as seen be can ( mentions Beyzaei, 1959, p. 6 p. Beyzaei, 1959, y” y” ( 1996, p. 7 p. 1996,

that “any kind of alterity can be can alterity of kind “any that -

as Ferdowsi recounts Ferdowsi as ) ; the alterity inscribed on inscribed alterity the ; ) .

the process through process the ook; and I and ook; -

( which 2001, he he CEU eTD Collection return and lands in different home for looking situation hisown of awareness coming to his later and hisby monstrosity justified unwillingly own land his from thatis heexpelled fact 29 decides He escaped?” toreturn to his city. “ha has escaped: that he Yama; of tyranny the to surrenderedfact in has he that realizes he point some at home, new a for search this In snakes. his for and body monstrous his th and blind the of land “the lands, many passes He does. never he which lands other in refuge find might he that hope the ab this with Naturally, wi I consequences whose on fluidity more of privilege the with “other”body Zahhak’s provides also it Zahhak, to power the thus and king, the Yama for 64) 1994: (Braidotti, Self” the of normativity b female transgressive the approaches thus and body, male standard the from shape, in least at deviates, It female. and male between borders the crosses which genders of blend a is now, body, this creation, of source a origin, of point a as femal a assuming is body Zahhak’s snakes, the to birth giving in that forget not us Let one men. young of depletion the is, that story, the in later Iran to happens what for blame of subject the is who foreigner, cruel a outside, from force evil as representing descent, Arab an from coming what with evil all of association the Azhdahak justifies Iran of King the by monster a into him turning heroic” act the rendering by extermination or his In

Many of the theories on immigration, exile and exile immigration, on ofthetheories Many ll elaboratemore in details later. -

since the beginning of beginning since century. the thetwenty Monster Theory Monster

r ahk s rep is Zahhak or This is also the line of interpretation that is used by nationalists by used is that interpretation of line the also is This

Cohen says that representing a culture as monstrous “justifies its displacement its “justifies monstrous as culture a representing that says Cohen - norm

e land of the silent” and in each he tries to find acceptance and tolerance fortolerance and acceptance find to tries he each in and silent” the of land e - eettv of. resentative al body al

, Azhdahak ,

“home” and transnationality, I think, are relevant to this scene. The scene. relevant to this are Ithink, transnationality, and “home” 29 ody. At the same that this transformation establishes “the establishes transformationthis that same the At ody.

h Shahnameh The

56 ( is not accepted in his own land, so land, own his in accepted not is 96 p 7 p. 1996,

ing to his land where nobody recognizes nobody where land his ing to

nrdcs ahk a a Aa prince, Arab an as Zahhak, introduces ) te c o rpesn Ahaa and Azhdahak repressing of act the ; ve I escaped? Why have IhaveWhy ve escaped? I -

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leaves with leaves

and he and CEU eTD Collection National Epic, refer Ithink, to suffice, would it in its own, study different entirely ofan thesubject be can this since However, Azhdahak. and exile intellectual and drain brain for countries notorious ofthemost is one whentime Iran in a especially political implications have anyone, can not does recognize that matter for and woman of figure the from itself create to been has then society patriarchal a of mechanism matter” the of heart the at “dwells us within is monster, the of, scared are we what that add to on goes she However, norm. the deviate they horroras produce they because repressthem orderto in patriarchy by women ofmonstrification the is that anxieties and Braidotti fears monsters on article her of In Zahhak. of presence monstrification the in materialized everlasting the to alluding be could here image same chained be to but killed be to not oracle the by ordered is Zahhak in Zahhak of legend the to back fore is it that him informs Yama reign, tyrannical Yama’s under agony in citizens fellow his of sight the bear cannot he and handedly single Yama fight cannot he as him kill to Yama asks Azhdahak When i see himat trivial” “smalland look Azhdahak makes On dried. now are roots whose trees the replacing land, Y his was once. which of land ishe piece standing ona that realizes and stands he castle unconquerable and high Yama’s of foot the At next. pass to going is what know shall he for palace Yama’s to go to yourself” than you to closer is “which nowhere hanging chain a by advised is He him. recognizes nobody and anybody recognize not does He Yama. of tyranny the from agony in and agitated people finds and land his to returns Azhdahak seen in the oracle that as soon as he kills Azhdahak his own life will come to an end. Referring end. an to come will life own his Azhdahak kills he as soon as that oracle the in seen the readers to readers ts the topof foot andfrom Yama thecastle looks down. The Shahnameh of all that deviated normof that its all masculine white into “other”. her an bymonstrifying Ansari’s

The Politics of Nationalism in ModernIran in ofPolitics Nationalism The

(2011) which view which (2011) The Shahnameh The The Book of Kings The Book ,

also regarding Yama is standing. Azhdahak shouts and the castle turns to turns castle the shouts and Azhdahak standing. is Yama

, we need to remember that as mentioned before, mentioned as that remember to need we , 57 ( 94 p 243 p. 1994,

from a more political angle. political more a from the huge number of number thehuge ama’s frighteningly tall tall frighteningly ama’s his hasgrownin castle

(2012) and Omidsalar’s Omidsalar’s (2012) and

the

top of this castle this of top ) se ute comments further she ;

to mountains. Repetition of the of Repetition mountains. to

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e Poetics and Politics of Iran’s of Iran’s Politics Poetics and e ,

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CEU eTD Collection “DĒW” thetwo entries under English) (in Iranica in Encyclopedia also explained are term ofthis roots The othereventually. becau presumably Indiangods with then associated was term this and prophet outa as came Zarathustra whentime to theback theterm traces He 31 country. inevents the ofthepart as ourselves considering and look ourselves at critical casting from a us prevent will “othering” and alienation passing 30 moner and show, monstrare “both to referring rich also are it puts Shildrick as ‘monster’ word the of roots Latin divine the to connected is which dieu or deus term a are and evil for word Zoroastrian the in roots their have Dīvs, meaning. paradoxical double a to allude can etymologically equivalent, English its to similar Persian, in monster meaning “div” term The aboutyouagain.” hear s word a be not there May away! Go [monster]. Div you of like the call would fathers Our shoulders? your on grown those are “what grimaces: he snakes Azhdahak’s this for Azhdahak meeting when reaction Yama’s storytellers the female transform to impossible and evil inte this to stick of theArab specifically foreigner the of fear the repress to been have tendencies nationalist Iranian that assume we to If“horror”. ofobject an be that can anythingfrom; ourselves estrange like would we that anything to applied is that strategy a is says, she as argues, Braidotti What

In many of today’s texts we still tend to associate the people in power presently with the figure of Zahhak. I am not not Iam ofZahhak. thefigure with power presently in thepeople to associate tend still we texts Inoftoday’s many Mirzaye Nazer in his article mentions that the Old Avestan term daēuua Avestan term Old the that mentions in his Nazer article Mirzaye ssociated with the dark and are demons against the light; however, “div” is also related to the the to related also is “div” however, light; the against demons are and dark the with ssociated any judgment as whether this opinion is right or wrong; however, I am proposing that the practice ofself thepractice that proposing Iam however, wrong; or right this is opinion whether as judgment any ( Williams, 1994 Williams, rpretation of the Zahhak legend which regards Zahhak as inherently and essentially and inherently as Zahhak regards which legend Zahhak the of rpretation e

– )

to warn” to and “DAIVA” “DAIVA” and 30 -

within should us literaturemedia in thenitisthatthenationalist natural only se Iranians and Indians, which were one, were at the time in war and separated from each each from separated and war in thetime at one, were were which IraniansIndians, se and (

2001, p. 12 p. 2001, -

unlike the king of king the unlike ( Herrenschmidt & Kellens, 1993 Kellens, & Herrenschmidt ) .

The existence of conflicting meanings of the marvelous the of meanings conflicting of existence The 58

second time is one of repulsion. of one is time second The Thousand Tales Thousand The ( ae, 1991 Nazer, )

. comes from Sanskrit root deva meaning god. meaning root deva Sanskrit from comes

; aid about you and may I never I may and you about aid aeiTbtbi 2012 Tabatabai, Saeedi

following what Braidotti says Braidottiwhatfollowing who eventually surrenders to surrenders eventually who

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CEU eTD Collection isaninteresting one:people, f Azhdahak’s after and storm the after Yama by delivered monologue The eyes. thisall but “living”,are they which under Azhda them. over ruling “chain” the discern even not do who bodies dead moving into turn storm this after people but safe stays castle The land. his to storm fatal the who Azhdahak, Yama, with meeting After Zahhak. a other. cannot ofeach exist independent the “evil” interdependent, are sides both of lives the dies; also him against is in nor playthis in neither him; within” sinner me these of juxtaposition the yet ( “separated be cannot mentions Shildrick as which mixture a creates monster word the languages both in that shows Latin and Persian both in repulsive the and p. 16 p.

) ; for, even though the marvelous is usually attached to “us” and the repulsive to the “other”, the to repulsive the and “us” to attached usually is marvelous the though even for, ; signs from heavens; signs of gold scrapes, and signs of black lashes! In these signs it passe it signs these In lashes! black of signs and scrapes, gold of signs heavens; from signs you brought have I that. than deceitful more yet or magic [black] is speech his and poison, y and descent serpent a from and hideous is who you to appear will man a that signs these in presaged is it And deeds. good to go which rewards of sign the heavens; the from signs you brought have I

( p . 17 . )

all humans. Yama, for that matter, cannot escape Azhdahak; he cannot kill cannot he Azhdahak; escape cannot matter, that for Yama, humans. all a tis o ak hm no rts ad o ep hm elz te tyranny the realize them help to and protest into them talk to tries hak

our brains will be his food. His tongue is with poison, an unremitting an poison, with is tongue His food. his be will brains our The Shahnameh The nns n n wr cnim “h etra mnfsain f the of manifestation external “the confirms word one in anings to no to cannot even die now die even cannot

- is Azhdahak’s life put to an end, forend,an to put life Azhdahak’s is

which I presume to be the symbol of harsh tyranny harsh of symbol the be to presume I which

avail. Their ears are deaf and there is no look in theirin look no thereis and deaf are ears avail.Their 59

For Fereydun or Jamshid to exist,there mustFor to exist or Fereydun Jamshid

entirely , is forced to witness the attack of of attack the witness to forced is ,

from the nature of man himself” himself” man of nature the from

in other words, the “good” and “good” the words, other in utile attempt in awakening awakening in attempt utile if he dies whoeverdies he if s -

CEU eTD Collection according monster people; a 32 cr monster the identity, particular any in pinned be to thereof, impossibility, the and liminality” “ontological its Because of death. to put be things of order his also but features, corporeal Zahhak’s merely not is a demands opposition”binarymerely a or hierarchy on built classification any “resists he category”, mixed “a is Azhdahak monster, any like However, c and scene next the in orders Azhdahak. his follow people that thus is It Azhdahak. against oracle the turn to dichotomy this through attained has he power the uses Yama deeds”. “good the award deceitful too oracle the to right his justifies he Thus happened. has that of none while brains their devour to going is who man of job the facilitates a “deceit” and thus, “magic” of him accusing he, and Azhdahak condemning monster; the abnormal, the Azhdahak, “other” the in one and “norm” the self, the him, in one positions; two only creates Yama opposition, binary the creating In here. dichotomy the of end “good” the in himself position to order in constructed has he which quo status the protect to trying is he believe, I doing, so In sides”. hidden two are there word, spoken Y is argument my to important most The points. interesting several are there city the of people the to addressed is which monologue this In

This term is used by Cohen himself and as far as I understand it means an order forced from outside to categorize from to outside categorize forced order anit means Ias understand far as and himself Cohen by Thisis used term far like twoseas!far like areand twoseas, like similar are sides, hiddenwhich two are spoken there word every in that and evil evil and

system which appreciates appreciates which system ”,

in this bina I think I ;

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to him cannot be put into such order. suchput into be himcannot to , that ,

ry opposition,

makes Zahhak a monster. And this is why he is not dead and cannot cannot and dead not is he why is this And monster. a Zahhak makes

“polyphony” where there is “resistance to integration” integration” to “resistance is there where “polyphony” eates a “third term that problematizes the clash of extremes” of clash the problematizes that term “third a eates ( Cohen, 1996, p. 6 p. 1996, Cohen, ama’s attempt to keep the binary oppositions: “in every “in oppositions: binary the keep to attempt ama’s he

is the one who has access to divine magic and who can who and magic has todivine access one who the is 60

the

“magic” “magic” rfsl opriiae n the in participate to “refusal ) ; he questions dichotomous thinking andquestions thinking dichotomoushe ; of the monster Zahhak Zahhak monster the of nd scaring people of the snake snake the of people scaring nd classinatory hc is which ( p. 6 p. hain ) . It It 32

CEU eTD Collection state modern building a for ofthe nationalism royalist 33 himself answers:Cohen as with, chapter this opened I which question own his to reply In Monsters?Why forever inhistory inus and the And re tyrannical and tyranny of victim a is Azhdahak/Zahhak brains. people’s with Jamshid, Yama/ lives.as Yama long as for live to Damavand Mount to chained is Azhdahak/Zahhak where beginning the in ends finally play The the ofworkstools reveal ofcomplexity art. can monstrous the and monster tothe sides tosee themultiple able time that at existence” of phenomenology the or brain human into “tapped yet not had poets space third was which a from comes He good/norm(al). the of side the or evil the of side the into pinned di c the to in give not does He Ferdowsi. by created Div monster/ the from different in Zahhak ( Cohen, 1996, p. 6 1996, Cohen, onstruction of the nationalist the of onstruction

Talajooy briefly writes on the political implications of this play pointing out that this play challenges “ challenges play this out that pointing play ofthis implications political the writes on briefly Talajooy we have attempted to place. They ask us to reevaluate our cultural assumptions about race, about assumptions cultural our reevaluate to us ask They place. to attempted have we what misrepresented have we how and world, the perceive we how us ask monsters These cyclical plot cyclical The Shahnameh The conceived but conceived -

since he is an Iranian himself Iranian an is he since )

and it isand

of this play play this of Pahlavi period (1925 period Pahlavi ”

( 2013b, p. 698 p. 2013b,

was not conceivable at the time of Ferdowsi; Ferdowsi; of time the at conceivable not was is play this in appears which Azhdahak The play. this in created been has 33 . on the basis of this “third term” that a different reading of the legend ofthelegend of different reading a that “thirdthisterm” of basis the on

In this version of the legend of Zahhak, Azhdahak/Zahhak never k neverAzhdahak/Zahhak of Zahhak, legend the of versionthis In

interpretation of the legend of legend the of interpretation emphasizes the e the emphasizes ) .

– 79) which promoted the monarchical model themonarchical promoted 79) which

he never conquers Iran, and never feeds the snakes the feeds never and Iran, conquers never he 61 ndlessness of ndlessness

The Shahnameh The . This shows how the Thisshows this process this to for, just as Saeedi mentions, Saeedi as just for, h mntr ae created are monsters why . He cannot be as easily as be cannot He . s ofancie s which can be repeated be can which - writing of ‘history’. of writing

nt modern critical modern critical the diktats ofdiktats the Persian empires empires Persian chotomous

to be be to the the ills

CEU eTD Collection the “other”. to consequently and monster the to matter that for and shoulders his on snakes to birth gives before, said as which, body male excessive tri a him make which phallus of emblematic snak two the with masculine excessively is He female. and male both is Zahhak of body The Of Giants XIII). (Cohen, suggest” might form male excessively his than maternal, the with specifically and feminine, male of disav a state as functions pure body some his identity…because to reducible “not monsters considers Cohen men. to auxiliary again as storytellers female the of role the changes also but undergoes he that change the universalizes th of body genderless The transformed. be will and be can but Iran, century l be cannot which layers multiple of Tales Thousand of women the that creature this is It of themonsterinterpretation ofand thelegend of Zahhak himself. an disgust recognition, the and identification” “always arouse denial can but of other;” the responses of place contradictory the to confined be “cannot it that fact the s Shahnameh The in appearing character evil always flat the than rather roles multiple with him endow and character Azhdahak avior, the dragon slayer, and the protestor. It is this fluid nature of the monster and the monstrous, the and monster the of nature fluid this is It protestor. the and slayer, dragon the avior, 20 expres its toward tolerance our difference, of perception our sexuality, gender,

) thus manages to use the multi the use to manages thus .

. The Zahhak of Zahhak The . or ( Shildrick, 2001, p. 17 p. 2001, Shildrick,

One Th One ousand One Nights One ousand Azhdahak imited to a single nationalist single a to imited )

The Thousand and First Night First and Thousand The that enables Beyzaie to write a piece which subverts the major the subverts which piece a write to Beyzaie enables that -

layeredness of the monster to reevaluate a previously flat previously a reevaluate to monster the of layeredness assumes the roles of the oppressed, the marginalized, the marginalized, the oppressed, the of roles the assumes are facing. They are facing a monster; a complex creature creature complex a monster; a facing are They facing. are - cephalic monster. At the same time, it is this apparently apparently this is it time, same the At monster. cephalic

Regardless of the causes mentioned in the legend inlegend the in mentioned causes Regardlessthe of 62 wd on o oii [ht sae mr wt the with more shares [that] origin of point owed

interpretation of the early twentieth early the of interpretation , the Shahrzad and Dinazad of Dinazad and Shahrzad the ,

epty ecuin and exclusion empathy, d is monster not only only not monster is sion ( 1996, p. p. 1996, es as es The

CEU eTD Collection previouslythought we of what tobemonstrous evil. and understanding and sympathy on but hatred on based more any not is which relationship a “other”, to managed has Beyzaie definition, the changing By “other”. the as themajor his in do manage to managed has Beyzaie opinion, my in what, is That 244). (Braidotti ‘other’” the to difference to relationship its in subjectivity human of aims and structure the being “i need we what monster the confronting In to change. potentialtheirstoriesthe storytellers and renders the that Zahhak,of thefluidity is, that monstrosity, loses it fixed, in Zahhak Azhdahak different a witness we as him deconstruct do eventually stories their and repeatedly, cannot notion, layered multi changing ever an as monster, a for, change; imminent an of assured simply but hopeful, only not always, nights, “thousand” for To element.his In monstrous fact,this feminine with body inone. isthecreated body and thecreator Shahnameh The this body the storytellers have been telling their stories in an endless cycle of “thousand” tales, “thousand” of cycle endless an in stories their telling been have storytellers the body this s to offer this redefinition and to make the readers ponder on what has so far been defined defined been far so has what on ponder readers the make to and redefinition this offer to s . A monster can neither be fixed in the position of self nor in the “other”. As soon as it is is it as soon As “other”. the in nor self of position the in fixed be neither can monster A .

interpreta its function; it is not a monster anymore; it is turned to normal. It is, thus, precisely the precisely thus, is, normal. It to turned is it anymore;monster a not is function; its it

or in Beyzaie’s Azhedehak, still Zahhak’s body is a source of creation which renders which creation of source a is body Zahhak’s still Azhedehak, Beyzaie’s in or tion of the monster king Zahhak and has thus and tion of theirrelationship determined themonster to kingZahhak s a redefinition of what we have learned to recognize as recognize to learned have we what of redefinition a s 63

be constructed unless it is deconstructed is it unless constructed be

offer a new relationship with the with relationship new a offer Azhdahak He .

CEU eTD Collection publishing and studying been has he myths, the ofparts unwritten is He art. dramatic and myth both with himself engaging researcher a also but playwright a only not is he as Zahhak of legend the on research own Beyzaie’s ignore to chose I if insight of deal great explorat this that realized I questions, these to answers find to striving While performances. creators Night First play modern Beyzaie’s of both reading feminist a presenting in performers women of role the out find to attempted thus I thesis; this in investigation of issue main the to query minor Naghali storytelling, dramatic or performance dramatic Iranian traditional the resembled opinion, my in of F and scene Thousand first the of performance solo a across came I thesis, this writing of process the In their faces in showbarely who legend the of women two the Arnavaz and Shahrnaz and Zahhak king monster the in marginalized previously were that characters to voice giving in succeeded writer the which by tools poetry bookofepic Iranian and byB twoplays, explore waswrittenThisthesis to Conclusion The Shahnameh The Azhdahak -

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that is, two different adaptations of the story of Zahhak which appears in the in appears which Zahhak of story the of adaptationsdifferent two is, that hahnameh released very recently, by a famous Iranian actress. Since the performance, the Since actress. Iranian famous a by recently, very released

version ofthe tale. The Shahnameh rightly called by Amjad as the “teller of stories untold” stories of “teller the as Amjad by called rightly . I was curious to know if these women could be considered the the considered be could women these if know to curious was I . . The andfind purpose outthe ways analysiswasto ofthis

64 aharam Beyzaie aharam

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CEU eTD Collection Walter.Benjamin, (1977). The storyteller. Kavous. Amir Balazadeh, M.(2012). Ansari, Ali Amjad (2007). Hamid. Tarikh: Goftegoo" Amjad, ba (18 Hamid. Amjad, Khaleghi by Afshar, Felicitation WordsEdited Iraj. Few A Motlagh: onThe (2001).A Shahnameh (2006).Abshenasan, Saeedeh. Piramoone NadorostNegahi Goftan NagoftanNist Dorost (Nim References , Hamid. (2013)., Hamid. From of theLost theLandofPure, inSearch with Interview Origin: An 2009). 2009). CriticismSuffering: Mythological of Beyezaie's University Press. Roots. onSiyavushBahram Beyzaie Work]. Bondarbidaksh; History:with Karnameye Reflection Banooand onTwoofBeyzaie's A Aui Bokhara, 11 darbareyeShahnameh chape Khaleghi [Sokhanani KhsohMotlagh: innikbakhti]. bad 271 (A Brieffrom Right Saying Shamlou'sView Look ontheMythof at Zahhak)]. Ahmad Is Shamlou [ToNegahe wrong Astooreh tobe Say Not Equal Zahhak) To Decline - 293.

Iranian Studies, 46 Iranian Simia, Simia, 2

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Goharan [An Interview [An Interview (Spring (11) , CEU eTD Collection (1988).Downes, William. Discourse Lear’s King Drama: “Question” tohis and Daughters’. Disch, Lisa Truth J. More (1993). th Shahnameh. (2006). Davis, Dick. Between The the (2010). Ghazzal. Shahnama: Dabiri, theGhaznavids. and Samanids Jonathan,Short, Peter.Culpeper, &Verdonk, Mick, (2002). Jeffrey (1999). Jerome. Cohen, Jeffrey (1996). Jerome. Cohen, Braidotti, Rosi. (1994). Bowles, Hugo.(2010). Bahram. (2013).Beyzaei, Bahram. (2012).Beyzaei, Bahram. (2003).Beyzaei, Bahram. (1959).Beyzaei, Azhdahak Bennison, (1998).Accessing Neil. character through Tom conversation Professional Stoppard’s Peer, W.(ed) Arendt. Hannah 43 context University ofMinnesota Press. UniversityColumbia Press. John Benjamins Company. Publishing Tehran:Motael ed.). Roshangaran va Text to Co Peter Verdonk(Ed.),Foul. InM. JonathanCulpeper, S. (1), 13 : Routledge. - ntext 28. .

(pp. 67 Storytelling Drama:Exploring Narrative EpisodesPlays and in Nomadic subjects: Embodiment differenceand sexual Nomadic incontemporary theory feminist Political Theory, 21 Hezar AfsanKojast?Hezar tales?] [Where isThe Thousand Iran in Drama eHezaro Yekom[TheShab and FirstThousand Night]

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: CEU eTD Collection Women, Mahmoud.Omidsalar, and (2003).Waters Might:Maidens The and Passage of Royal Mirzaye. Ebrahim Nazer, (1991). A Najmabadi, Khaleghi. Djalal Motlagh, (2012). Hossein Mohammad Najari, Senfi.(2012). Naghali Jafar.(1991).Tahavol GhessekhaniMahjoob, Mohammad Tarbiate va va Ghessekhanan Kashani DAIVA (1993). Herrenschmidt, Clarisse,Jean. &Kellens, Mohammad. (2003)Hanif, Suzanne.(2007). Gauch, Frye, Northrop, Robert &Denham, 1800 Authority theShahnama.In in L. B. (Ed.), GuityNashat 9 Chista, Possess, To and Protect. Publishers. MedievalFramework Sources of and Ancient Scrolls]. [Evolution Storytelling,Toomarhaye Naghali and Training ofNaghali Storytellers, The University Press. Shahnameh] az Eghtebas of Minnesota Press Minneapolis. University Press Princeton. - Sabet, Firoozeh. Sabet, (1999). . Chicago: University. Chicago: ofIllinois Press fsaneh. (1997). The Va Erotic (1), 187 Iran Nameh, 9 Nameh, Iran

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Liberating Shahrazad: Liberating feminism, Islam postcolonialism,and . A Historiography of. A ontheAdaptations The Shahnameh [Tarikhcheye

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Studies, 46 Studies, doi: 10.1080/00210862.2013.789734 propaganda http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/asian 752. of Voyage Sinbad TheEighth and OneThousand First and Night. of'Beowulf','TheStudy Shahnameh'and'Tristan'. th Shahnameh 12 Macmillan. Naghmeh. (2013).Naghmeh. or ofNarration: Bahram Narrationof Violence TheViolence Beyzaie's e Arab conquestofe Arab Iran (3/4), 195

. (2001). . (2001). (5), 695 . Tehran: Alzahra University Press.

- - for 215. doi:10.2307/4310320 215. Language of Drama - world - 719. Embodying the Embodying selfmonster: vulnerable withthe Encounters Roodabeh and Soudabeh: and MoralRoodabeh Portrait inThe Politicaland ofWoman The - : IB Tauris. war Poetics and Politics of Iran's National Epic, Shahnameh National the Poetics Politics of and Iran's

Decline and fall oftheSasanian and theDecline fall empire: Sasanian Zahhak - Corporeal Configurations ofHeroicMonstrous: the the AComparative and ii.html . Tehran: Behnegar. . Florence, . Florence, USA: KY, Routledge.

- 74 and

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- 05 - 2013). 14 2013). Retrieved Iranian Studies, 46 Studies, Iranian : Routledge.

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New Literary History

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, 159 - CEU eTD Collection to flag own his devises even and Zahhak against protest a starts sons his of revenge in blacksmith, y released the however, time, this During duringmisery. and poverty from suffer people and ruins into years falls country the time which thousand one for way this in continues rule Zahhak’s works. plan Their free. man w brain the mix and two the of out man one kill to is which plot their out carry they palace; the of cooks as work to palace the enter to manage cooks two though, youn two night every advice Iblis’ following So shoulders. his on snakes the for provide to means the and power the has he land, abundant more even an in king, a and monster a Now Persia. of king the daug his of both marries Jamshid, throws over He moment. the seizes Zahhak and strong, be to famous is who Zahhak seek to go they so ruler new a to land their submit to ready are they that rule his under much so suffer People people. gods from away turns Persia, of king the Jamshid, time, same the about At snakes the calm:brainskeep themwith tofeed of young day; one every men for each. to remedy only the prescribes who physician expert an of guise the in time this and again appears Iblis back. grows another off cut is them of any as soon as removed; be cannot snakes The away. right vanishes Iblis and spots the on grow snakes black two shoulders, king’s the kisses Iblis after favor small a for asks Iblis him, for liking a grows king the when andking crowned newly the for cooks He kitchen. Zahhak’sKing in employed be to cook skillful a of image the in again once appears Ilblis patricide, into him deceiving After at killer a and king a becomes thus He throne. his seizing and father own his killing into Devil) the for word (Arabic Iblis by deceived is He king. Arab an of son prince; a is Zahhak Appendix 1. Appendices mn f esa r kle fr hi ban t b fd o h sae. n scesu attempt, successful a In snakes. the to fed be to brains their for killed are Persia of men g

A Brief Summary of Storythe of Zahhak asIt Appears in

ug e gt oehr n fr a am aant ahk Kvh a Kaveh, Zahhak. against army an form and together get men oung hters, Shahrnaz and Arnavaz, and thus becomes officially becomes thus and Arnavaz, and Shahrnaz hters, : to kiss the king’s shoulders. Zahhak agrees. Immediately agrees. shoulders.Zahhak king’s the kiss to : 76

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n sat t torture to starts and

the same time. same the

CEU eTD Collection https://www.youtube Appendix 3.The You Tube link to the BBC movie on Fatemeh Habibizadi, the Female Naghal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7Ts13OvrQQ Appendix 2.The You Tube link to Mojdeh Shamsaie’s Performance (refer to the 22nd minute) throne. the conqueres he when daughters marriesJamshid’s too, Fereydun, snakes. his by tormented forever cha instead and monster, the murder not does he Heavens, the of Voice the Soroosh, following but, power, from Zahhak removes and revolution the leads Iran of Fereydin to flag the gives eventually He protest. the lead -

and helps him to lead the army of young men. With the help of suffering people, Fereydun people, suffering of help the With men. young of army the lead to him helps and .com/watch?v=pSrZ - Jmx7Qw&hd=1 77

a grandson to Jamshid, the previ the Jamshid, to grandson a

ins him to the Alborz Mountains to be be to Mountains Alborz the to him ins ous king ous