By Dr Soraya Feili, for the 13th Commemoration Day of Ferdowsi in Manchester. #Frinends-of-Shahnameh///////Throughout the history of mankind, the position of women was disregarded. In the eyes of men , they were considered animals for pleasure. Even in ancient Greece, they were inferior beings, in all dimensions of life, and their souls were considered immortal. This attitude towards women continued until the 19 century. At this time philosophers, poets, musicians, and writers such as Nietzsche, Hegel, Schopenhauer and Kant wrote many articles against women and called them the second sex. In Iran, this was the same, except in ancient times and especially during the recorded period of the Sasanian dynasty. At the time when even the men of Iranian science were slaves of foreigners who attacked them, we should know how the conditions of women were. Since the language, culture and dignity of Iranians were being forgotten due to the invasion of foreigners, Ferdowsi decided to reorganise and develop by collecting khodaynamegan and ancient Zoroastrian's texts, so that once again the honour and dignity of women and men should revive. He brought women on the stage of his show alongside the Male fighters to talk about their emotions, love, courage, loyalty, knowledge and wisdom , to make them understand that they also have equal rights like men and to be proud of their existence. After that historical humiliation and the boring silence that was inflicted on women, Ferdowsi' used the theme of women and love in the epic genre, but it should be noted, that the form of the epic was not a suitable place for the expression of emotions and love and lyricism. The style of Ferdowsi was simple and clear, and it was not a wide container for imagination and romance of a writer who could talk about love, like the works of Sadi, Hafez , and Rumi, because more than anything, an epic is a description of battlefield, bravery, wars, victories and defeats. If Ferdowsi describes love in the scenes of fighting , his work should be admired.
He brought women to the stage to make his work beautiful and attractive. The female characters in his work are beautiful , kind, wise, powerful and knowledgeable. Women fall in love, fight, wisely turn war into peace, and are loyal to their husbands, and if necessary leave their home and parents for the sake of their husbands. Firstly, they fall in love when they hear the description of their beloved in terms of strength and knowledge from others, then they freely choose their husbands. They take the first step in choosing a spouse and ask their lovers to meet at their houses. They welcome their lovers beautifully and imaginatively. When chatting with their beloved, they speak from a position of power, integrity , grace , warmth and passion.
The character of women in the Shahnameh is based on the historical facts and civilizations of ancient Iran , as the presence of two queens Irandokht and Azarmidokht during the Sasanian era is the proof of this statement. Therefore, Ferdowsi had tried to show and point out the real status of women , their beauty , strength, wisdom, knowledge and power . That's why Ferdowsi himself was the most loving love of a beautiful woman named Iran.
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