اسب؛ پرتكرارترين نمادينه جانوري در شاهنامه و نقش آن در تكامل كهن الگوي قهرمان

Horse: the Most Widespread Animal Symbol in Ferdowsiʹs Shahname and Its Role in the Evolution of Hero Archetypeʹs Sublimity

For athletic clans and Indo-European warriors, horse was an ancient widespread totem. Therefore, horse is the most widespread animal symbol in epic poetries such as Ferdowsiʹs Shahname. Hence, we must analyze the symbolism of horse in connection with the ancient hero archetype. This animal symbol is related to water and sea, and the full force of the earth and nature. This animal is a symbol for the unconscious instinctive power of the hero who strives for perfection, victory, and sublimity by taming it (i.e., by restraining his ego). For this purpose, this symbolic view of Shahnamehʹs horses in conjunction with the ancient hero pattern can be divided into four parts: 1. mythic interpretations of taming horses, 2. the totemic horses in athletic clans, 3. the human like character of the horses and their complementary roles in heroʹs sublimity, and 4. the horses which symbolize charisma.