International Journal On New Trends In Education And Literature
Vol 1, No 6, Feb. 2015
http://www.ijnteljournal.com
The Comparison of Two Great Literary Epics of Samak-e
Ayyar and Odyssey: A Jungian Analysis
Akram Bosak1, Farzaneh Yousef Ghanbari2
1
M.A. Student, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Dezful Branch, Islamic Azad
University, Dezful, Iran, [email protected]
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Dezful Branch, Islamic Azad
University, Dezful, Iran
Abstract
The story of Samak-e Ayyar and Homer's Odyssey are among epic works of world literature
the former of which originated in the East and the latter in the West. Despite spatial and
temporal distance, there are many differences and similarities in these two works in regard with
the content of each as well as their characters, making their comparison and reflection on them
possible.
Keywords: Samak-e Ayyar, Siavash, Homer's Odyssey, epic works.
Introduction
The epic and heroic story of Samak-eAyyar has been penned by Faramarz ibn Khodad ibn
Abdollah al-Kateb al-Arjani in the 6th century AH and narrated by one of the famous storyteller
of the time; Sadaqeh bin Abi al-Qasem Shirazi. The celebrated hero of this long folktale is a
man named Samak, who serves Khorshid Shah and her son,Farrokh Rooz and help them reach
their goals.
Homer's Odyssey contains 24 poems describing the story of a Greek hero who decides to return
his homeland from the Trojan War but on his way home, he gets involved with a lot of
adventures and faces various dangers.
The mysterious world of human's thoughts is coherently and deeply united. It is the similarity
and alignment of these ideas which sometimes connects the whole world regardless of the
borders, race and color, and assigns a chain of light and dark thoughts to the life of human.In
order to create and deal with such dreams and ideas, human similar mindset naturally brings
commonalities in epic stories and characters of different nations as well. These commonalities
sometimes emerge naturally, which is the result of unity in ideas and life of human being.
Besides, the fact that nations are affected by each other in relation to borrowing some epic and
mythological elements due to historical reasons, leads to certain commonalities. Research into
similarities between mythologies and epics of Iran and Greece has long been done. However,
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International Journal On New Trends In Education And Literature
Vol 1, No 6, Feb. 2015
The Comparison of Two Great Literary Epics of Samak-e Ayyar and
Odyssey: A Jungian Analysis
37-45
it is important to note that the creation of these stories is temporally far distant. Scrutinizing the
personal and collective traits of Samak-e Ayyar and Homer's Odyssey's characters from a
Jungian perspective, one can identify a variety of similarities in these two mythological-epic
stories. The two main characters of the stories, Samak –e Ayyarand Ulysses, although both
male, are not the same in character in terms of typology and praxeology and even their
behavioral manners are totally different. But due to some of their shared traits especially in
regard with rationalism, they can be studied and compared. Other similar aspects like magic,
daeva (demon) and giant, and various journeys in these two works made us compare these two
great epics in this article.
Similarities in Samak-e Ayyar and Homer's Odyssey:
1. Similar Characters
The most prominent similarity in two stories is related to the characters which can be put against
each other.
1.1. Samak and Ulysses
Samak-e Ayyar and Ulysses are the main characters of the two stories, who seem to be different
but in the structure of the stories, they are very similar. In their nature, they have the same
personality traits, making them be against each other. These include rationalism and
individualism as explained below.
Rationalism
The first similarity between these two characters is rationalism. Lack of physical power and
using tricks to solve problems all display both characters' intellect. Samak-e Ayyar is weak but
shrewd and wise. Since he has a few friends and he is not physically strong to fight his enemies,
he resorts to playing tricks. He exploits tricks to solve problems. Although trick seems to be
disagreeable but against the tyrant it is regarded as a kind of astuteness which in turn
demonstrates wisdom. He, in this story, plays tricks such as burrowing, shooting arrows,
changing his face, using anesthetics, doing magic, trading and many other activities in order to
reach his goals.
Ulysses is not physically strong, either. Facing the problems in his travels, he uses the power
of his intellect. For example, when they visit the Sirens, he has all of his sailors plug their ears
with beeswax so as not to be deceived by the song of the Sirens and ties him to the mast.
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International Journal On New Trends In Education And Literature
Vol 1, No 6, Feb. 2015
The Comparison of Two Great Literary Epics of Samak-e Ayyar and
Odyssey: A Jungian Analysis
37-45
As can be seen, their intellect serve as their weapon in the fight. None of them surrenders to the
universe but they are active. By commitment to their jobs and drawing upon intellect, they go
through the stages of perfection.
Individualism
The other similarity between these two heroes is their individualism. In order to solve their
problems, they find a way on their own. They do not succumb to the gods or their
unconsciousness, activating their conscious and with the help of their wisdom, they fight
mythologies. Ulysses and Samak-e Ayyar, two shipwrecked sailors, turn their weakness;
personal weakness in being isolated, into their mental power. Abandoned and alone, they have
yielded to the fate. It is this isolation which makes them pray to God and resort to their
unconscious.
2.1. Rooz Afzoon and Athena
Rooz Afzoon and Athena are to a great extent similar. Rooz Afzoon and Athena are Samak-e
Ayyar and Ulysses' anima. Athena is the virgin goddess of war, industry and arts, symbolizing
wisdom and supporting Greeks (Dixon, 2006: 14).
In the Odyssey, she guides and advises Ulysses. She acts as a warrior in Homer's works. Martial
arts and dexterities, contriving, efficiency and concrete achievements show her specific
wisdom. Athena places a high value on logical thinking and gives priority will and reason over
instinct and nature. The goddess of wisdom is known for her contriving and finding practical
solutions. Athena helps Ulysses on his way home and supports him (Bolen, 2001: 102-105).
Like Athena, Rooz Afzoon is a warrior, being brave, wise and independent, and finding
solutions for the problems. She sometimes deceives men and in her absence, Samak in some
cases becomes helpless. And sometimes she says something and reveals her insight and
disposition. And sometimes, she takes on such tasks which make the king and other heroes
admire her and be surprised. Rooz Afzoon is a crafty woman, the most prominent feature of
unconscious level of Samak, the protagonist. She is an independent woman and plays a key role
in the story, Samak consulting her about tasks. They complement each other, Rooz Afzoon
helping him in making decisions. As if they have had a transcendental marriage and she elevates
the love to the stage of soul elevation. Thus, she can be described as Sofia; the wise woman.
The spiritual relationship between Samak and Rooz Afzoon is the same as the one between
Ulysses and Athena. Without having an emotional affair with men, they can be their friends
and confidants. They prefer men as their friends and masters and tend to compete with them.
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International Journal On New Trends In Education And Literature
Vol 1, No 6, Feb. 2015
The Comparison of Two Great Literary Epics of Samak-e Ayyar and
Odyssey: A Jungian Analysis
37-45
3.1. Penelope and Sorkh Vord
Penelope is the most outstanding female character in Odyssey and the wife of the main
character, Ulysses. She only plays the key role of a woman in the story. She is a nice and virgin
woman, her long wait for Ulysses to return being the symbol of faithfulness and devotion. To
fend off the stubborn and corrupt suitors, she pulls two clever tricks on them. In one case, she
asks her suitors to wait until her father's shroud is finished and in another case she uses a ruse
when Ulysses has returned but hidden. In this case, she invites the competitors to shoot arrows
while she knows that only Ulysses can do it.
Sorkh Vord is the wife and friend of Samak, the counterpart of Penelope. She avoids suitors in
the absence of her husband, too. They are similar in that they are both chaste and virgin and
they both love their husbands too much. They both wait for their husbands so long and are
looking forward to seeing them. In the end, both see their husbands.
From Jungian's psychological analysis point of view, Sorkh Vord and Penelope are the real
animas of Samak and Ulysses' spirits and in a way their counterpoints. These masculine and
feminine elements complement each other and there is nothing outside this relationship in the
world.
Chinese cosmology also defines the world with the two concepts of "Yin" and "Yang", which
can be understood as the two principles of masculine and feminine of the world. Tao shows the
constant and intermittent movement of Yin and Yang. There is a potential Yang within every
Yin and vice versa and when these two reach each other, their energy comes into being and one
turns into the other one (Hosseini, 2009: 128). As a result, by uniting this paradox and the rare
linkage,Samak and Ulysses reach a kind of perfection and soul elevation.
The Archetype of Journey and The Hero's Journey:
Both stories are based on the journey. Joseph Campbell, an American mythologist, examined
the tales and myths of the world and showed that how the archetype of the hero's journey repeats
itself anywhere and anytime in a new frame so that it ushers human into the inner journey and
recognizing self (Campbell, 2013: 98). Both journeys are external since Samak and Ulysses are
in search of ideals which they try to get. In order to unite their inner conscious and unconscious,
they should travel into their unconscious. Journey is the deep interest in inner transformation
and the need for a new experience which is very effective in forming the process of
individuality. They use special methods to convey the contents of unconscious. They also get
familiar with their psyche's collective archetypes through the journey. Journey is the symbol of
pains and difficulties which one has to tolerate in order to reach the objective, birth and
consciousness so that he/she is reborn.
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International Journal On New Trends In Education And Literature
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The Comparison of Two Great Literary Epics of Samak-e Ayyar and
Odyssey: A Jungian Analysis
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1. Guides Supporting Heroes
The presence of guides is another similar aspect of these stories. In Jung's view, all mythological
heroes share an important feature which is the existence of a supportive force which
compensates their defects and disabilities and enable them to do their tasks without which they
cannot. This divine character in fact symbolizes the complete psyche the wonderful role of
which shows that the main job of the hero it to identify his own consciousness; the awareness
of his weaknesses and abilities by which he could face his problems (Jung, 2013: 164). In these
stories, there is the essence of the old wise man (sage) for both heroes, which are archetypal.
The old wise man, who sometimes introduces himself as Khidr (a prophet) in some parts of the
story of Samak-e Ayyar, guides Samak in this path. And in Odyssey, Hermes guides and helps
Ulysses through his metaphysical journey. In addition to these helpers, two female elements
accompany and help these heroes; Rooz Afzoon accompanying Samak and Pallas Athena
helping Ulysses.
2. Supernatural Creatures and Phenomena
The supernatural and metaphysical creatures and phenomena are among the important
mythological elements of these two works of literature as explained below.
Were-Dogs, Lasso-Leg Creatures and Cyclopes
Supernatural elements can easily be observed in Samak-e Ayyar. Flying zebra, deceitful crow,
human-were, div-e-siah (black demon), were-dogs and lasso-leg creatures which are evil
creaturesin the story of Samak-e Ayyar somehow resemble Cyclopes(one-eyed monster). These
creatures are demonic, evil, dirty, strong, cannibalistic and to some extent human-like, living
far from the public and trying to deceive human beings. In dealing with these creatures, Samak
fights them and in some cases he destroys them.
Ulysses also, in dealing with Cyclopes, blinds Polyphemus (a one-eyed monster), which has
imprisoned him and her friends in a cave, using a hot olive club.
Fairies and Goddesses
Another type of fictional creatures in these two stories is fairies and goddesses which are good
and evil. Fairy, the goddess of water with a magical and miraculous nature, is aware of the
mysteries of the unseen world and can transform into another thing. The difference is that fairies
are male and female in Samak-e Ayyar and in Odyssey female. In Odyssey, the Sirens are
mermaids which, with sweet songs, try to deceive Ulysses.
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International Journal On New Trends In Education And Literature
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The Comparison of Two Great Literary Epics of Samak-e Ayyar and
Odyssey: A Jungian Analysis
37-45
Circe is a goddess of magic which attempts to deceive Ulysses and his friends and Calypso is
the goddess of the sea which detains Ulysses for several years. However, in the end these
goddesses warns Ulysses of the dangers on his way home.
In Samak-e Ayyar, fairies such as Shams-e Pari (the sun fairy) and Yektash-e Pari guide Samak
on his way to the land of darkness.
Magic and Sorcery
Magicians in the two stories is easily seen. Sorcery, magic and spell are the elements which are
common in folktales. In the stories of Samak-e Ayyar and Homer's Odyssey, these factors play
a key role in the process of the stories. In Samak-e Ayyar, magicians have a negative role. They
are male and female. Samak, knowing their tricks, kills them all.
In Odyssey, Circe is a witch who deceives men and transforms them into pigs. The witch, in
Odyssey, does not hurt human beings seriously but in Samak-e Ayyar, she easily kill a lot of
people.
Birds and Simurgh
Among other supernatural phenomena in these two stories are birds which help the heroes in
difficult conditions and talk to them.
Mysterious Plants
Mysterious and remedial plants are another category of supernatural phenomenon in these
stories the heroes use to reach their goals.
Main Differences Between Samak-e Ayyar and Homer's Odyssey:
In addition to the above-mentioned similarities between these two stories, there are also
differences as below:
1. Women as Instruments or Independent Characters
Odyssey is characterized by the fight (of men) for lust to own women. Except for Penelope,
other women in Odyssey are not valued for their moral virtues but for their beauty and physical
attractiveness. Even mythological phenomena of Odyssey are feminine. While they are
beautiful, they are evil and venomous, showing devilish and seditious viewpoint of women in
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International Journal On New Trends In Education And Literature
Vol 1, No 6, Feb. 2015
The Comparison of Two Great Literary Epics of Samak-e Ayyar and
Odyssey: A Jungian Analysis
37-45
Ancient Greece in the Homeric Age. Moreover, the presence of Greek goddesses all around the
story has made the presence of earthly women difficult (Abbasi & Ghobadi, 2010: 126).
However, in Samak-e Ayyar women accompany men and are not hidden or invisible the reason
of which may be behind the moral ideals of knighthood since these ideals give the priority to
the capabilities of individual and this is their abilities which are assessed and not their gender.
Accordingly, women emerge based on their deeds in the story (Rostami, 2010: 30). In this story,
there are intellectual and strong women for whose opinions men have respect and even
sometimes regard their wisdom superior to their own. In the story of Samak-e Ayyar, women
can be everywhere, playing a vital role and acting independently. They have a high character.
When it comes to describing women, the author speaks of physical and moral qualities and
features like wisdom, courage and loyalty. But in Odyssey, the character of women is
influenced by men's desires and seen as an instrument.
2. The Hero's Bravery or Gods' Power
Another difference between these two stories is that Homer, based on his beliefs, considers the
personal courage of the hero to be of no importance, believing that this is the gods' power which
leads to the hero's victory or failure and that he is powerless while the author of Samak-e Ayyar
regards Samak as an independent character, showing his courage and his value.
3. Belief in Gods VS. Belief in God
In odyssey, Ulysses believes in gods and asks for their help, gods that like human beings have
human traits and lust while in Samak-e Ayyar, people believe in God and regards their hero as
obedient to divine Providence, who obeys Him and asks for His help. He completely believes
in God and never forgets Him. In difficult times, he prays to God and asks for His help.
4. Moral Virtues VS. Self-Indulgence
In Samak-e Ayyar, Samak is committed to moral virtues. Of his worthy features is chastity and
virginity. But in Odyssey, self-indulgence and pleasure-seeking are prominent and Ulysses does
his tasks based on lustfulness. Generally, gods and heroes, in Odyssey, both call for moral
justification.
Conclusion:
Undoubtedly, the story of Samak-e Ayyar in Iran is a suitable counterpart for Homer's Odyssey.
These two epic and beautiful stories are somehow influenced by each other. The two main
characters of them, Samak-e Ayyar and Odyssey's Ulysses show the evolution of the hero's
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International Journal On New Trends In Education And Literature
Vol 1, No 6, Feb. 2015
The Comparison of Two Great Literary Epics of Samak-e Ayyar and
Odyssey: A Jungian Analysis
37-45
journey. Hearing the message, they welcome the call for playing a role and adventures. Samake Ayyar and Ulysses, by entering a difficult test, pass a variety of stages to reach their holy and
humanitarian objective and finally they notch up a phenomenal success based on their
capabilities. Meanwhile, they reach a spiritual consciousness and perfection as well. These two
stories in a way display the individuation process. Their similar theme suggests the uniformity
of collective unconscious of the human race. In regard with analytical psychology, supernatural
elements and creatures through the heroes' individuation journey can suggest the contents of
the authors' similar collective unconscious, which definitely reflect the authors' weaknesses and
fears. They consider their inner hero to be someone who can tackle all issues and transcend
them. These supernatural creatures indicate some parts of the human's obsessions that the hero
of the story, by suppressing the instincts and overcoming them, reach post-humanism's ideals;
ideals which free him of spatial and temporal limitations. The two heroes' removal of these
obstacles and reaching their objective reveal their transition and the individuation process;
something which is related to the evolution of the humanity and this evolution is in line with
Jung's ideas. On one hand, the examination of archetypes in Samak-e Ayyar and Odyssey show
the writers' perfectionism and on the other hand, they display the uniform collective
unconscious of the human race. However, the hero's evolution and journey can more easily seen
in Odyssey.
References
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[2] Arjani, F. (2006). Samak-e Ayyar. Edited by Parviz Natel Khanlari (6th ed.). Iranian
Culture Foundation. Tehran: Agah. 5 Volumes.
[3] Bolen, Sh. (2001). Mythological Symbols and Psychology of Women. Translated by Azar
Yusefi into Persian (2nd ed.). Tehran: Roshangaran and Women Studies Publication.
[4]
Campbell, J. (2013). The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Translated by Shadi
Khosrowpanah into Persian (5th ed.). Mashhad: Gole Aftab Publication.
[5] Dixon, K. M. (2006). Encyclopedia of Greco-Roman Mythology. Translated by Roghieh
Behzadi (1st ed.). Tehran: Tohouri.
[6] Homer, (2008). Odyssey. Translated by Saeed Nafisi into Persian. Zavar Publication.
[7] Hosseini, M. (2009). Roots of Misogyny in Persian Classical Literature (1st ed.). Tehran:
Cheshmeh.
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International Journal On New Trends In Education And Literature
Vol 1, No 6, Feb. 2015
The Comparison of Two Great Literary Epics of Samak-e Ayyar and
Odyssey: A Jungian Analysis
37-45
[8] Jung, C.G. (2013). Man and His symbols. Translated by Mahmoud Soltanieh into Persian.
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[9] Rostami, F. (2010). A female-oriented reading in Tārīkh-e Bayhaqī and Samak-e Ayyar.
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© 2014 International Journal On New Trends In Education And Literature