Crystallization of Iran in Shahnameh: The Fusion of Wisdom and Love in Persian Identity

Shahnameh has been divided into three mythical, heroic and historical periods. As much as the heroic and historical characters are semi-real-semi-imaginary, Iran’s nature is also changed in the elixir of Shahnameh. Ferdowsi’s view of the homeland arises from the monotheistic worldview and the idea of cosmopolitanism. His artistic changing of limited Iran to a bridge to reach unlimited truth is the outcome of fusion of wisdom and love and is derived from the temperance dominating his thinking. Although Ferdowsi loves Iran, he maintains the justice and does not go to extremes. Hence, the Iran he depicts is neither like the utopia of the philosophers and mystics is an imaginary place and nor like the nationalists’ Iran is restricted to the racists. From Ferdowsi’s perspective, hometown is holy; however, the holiness of Iran in Shahnameh is not because of the land but because of reverence for the innocence of its residents. This fact has made the protection of true values holy in the world he thinks is not worth loving, and without rejecting the material world, has made him pay attention to its spiritual aspect, which protects the dignity of human being. The present study was aimed to prove this claim.