History Literature / TheShahnameh

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Not as common as you might think in an epic about kings, in the second part of the book there clearly is a difference between warriors and kings. Siavash is the crown prince but never shows any interest in the throne as he is more suited for the Heroic lifestyle. The kings often lead their military campaigns but very few are actually mentioned on battlefields. But there are some examples:

** Sahm Abandons his infant son Zal in the mountains because Zal was born with platinum white hair.
** Goshtasb Tries to get his son Esfandiar killed so he can remain king.

* BiggerBad: Ahriman, the source and representation of all evil.

* GoodVersusGood: Rostam versus Esfandyar. They are stuck in a fight to the death because Esfandyar's father, the Shahanshah (Emperor) is running a BatmanGambit on Rostam as a part of his UriahGambit on Esfandyar.

* TheUriahGambit: Esfandyar's entire adult life is just a series of impossible missions his father assigns to him to get him killed. During his seven labors, he faces two giant man-eating wolves, two giant man-eating lions, a dragon, a witch, two baby Simorqs (a devastating fight not only because the enormous mother bird shows up, Simorqs are sacred and ThePaladin Esfandyar really doesn't want to hurt them), survives a three-day-long storm and crosses a ThirstyDesert. Goshtasp then orders him to capture Afrasyab's castle Ruyin Dej (the name literally means impregnable fortress), which he does. Then, the desperate Goshtasp orders him to bring Rostam to him in chains, almost starting a civil war. Esfandyar is finally killed by Rostam but on his [[FamousLastWords last breath]] he tells Rostam not to worry about the {{Curse}} as his death can be blamed only on his father.

* TheUriahGambit: Esfandyar's entire adult life is just a series of impossible missions his father assigns to him to get him killed. During his seven labors, he faces two giant man-eating wolves, two giant man-eating lions, a dragon, a witch, two baby Simorqs (a devastating fight not only because the enormous mother bird shows up, Simorqs are sacred and ThePaladin Esfandyar really doesn't want to hurt them), survives a three-day-long storm and crosses a ThirstyDesert. Goshtasp then orders him to capture Afrasyab's castle Ruyin Dej (the name literally means impregnable fortress), which he does. Then, the desperate Goshtasp orders him to bring Rostam to him in chains, almost starting a civil war. Esfandyar is finally killed by Rostam but on his [[DyingWords last breath]] he tells Rostam not to worry about the {{Curse}} as his death can be blamed only on his father.

** Optimized in Rostam, a towering muscular man with a long beard, who wears tiger skin under his armor plates, and (according to tradition, not the Shahnameh) the skull of a Div he killed as his helmet while riding a huge horse and carrying a mace shaped like a bulls head.

** also the reaction of the whole world after Zahhak's revolution. Jamshid was arrogant enough to claim to be a god, but he never oppressed his people, and arts and sciences were flourishing under his patronage. The leader of the revolution who quickly crowned himself as the new Shahanshah turned out to be a [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil rapist]], [[TheSociopath completely incapable of love]], and the host of two snakes which had to be fed human brains every day.

** If you wanna get really nitpicky, In the Shahnameh the names "Ahriman" and "Eblis" are used interchangeably while the Zoroastrian GodOfEvil and the Abrahamic [[TheCorrupter corrupter]] are drastically different.

** The conception of Sohrab is somewhat weird. Rostam has been hunting for sport all day and decides to rest his weary head in the nearby castle of Semnegan. The Castellan's daughter, Tahmina decides to check the famous hero out, and even though Rostam is hammered its love at first sight for both of them. They elope the first chance they get, and then Rostam leaves. For ten years he never bothers telling any of his buddies or his King that he has a wife in a castle that is now behind enemy lines and that they were wondering if they had conceived a child together. In pre-Islamic Iran, the taboo against adultery was nowhere near as serious as the tradition of "Khoyduda" which dictated that the Bride and Groom must have known each other for at least two years before marriage. It really seems like the whole marriage thing was a late addition to the story

* ForegoneConclusion: At Least for Persian readers. One of Ferdowsi's main sources for his material was oral traditions. The stories were passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years (hence the hyperbole), so when people read the Shahnameh for the first time, they already had a pretty good idea how the stories were going to end. Ferdowsi was aware of this and has no qualms about spoilers.

* {{Curse}}: Whoever kills Esfandiyār is cursed to die and suffer in this life and the next. [[spoiler: Fortunately for Rostem it can take into account {{Uriah Gambit}}s.]]

* TheDreaded: Zahhak and Afrasiab are this to the Persians. Zahhak is an abomination in appearance and deed and Afrasiab's name literally means the 'the terrifying one'.

* BodyHorror: The devil, disguised as a young cook, asks Zahhak permission to kiss him on the shoulders and when Zahhak grants the request, the disguised devil vanishes and from Zahhak's shoulders grow two hideous snakes. They try cutting the snakes off but they just grow back and would only leave Zahhak alone if they are fed the brain of young men. Eventually, when Freydun defeats Zahhak, he decides the most fitting punishment for Zahhak is to lock him up in a cave in mount Damavand and let the snakes do the rest.

* CoolVersusAwesome: Rostam vs. Esfandyar. Easily the most badass character in the entire epic versus the invincible prince

* ChosenOne: Freydun. Destined to rid the world of Zahhak.