Ḥamza versus Rustam: Comparing theḤamzanāmawith theShāhnāma

Abstract

AbstractThis paper compares theḤamzanāma(Book of Ḥamza) with theShāhnāma(Book of Kings), the two most popular works performed by the storytellers of Safavid Iran (1501–1736), focusing on their heroes, Ḥamza and Rustam, respectively. Following an overview of theḤamzanāmathat helps to identify its main intertexts, themes, and narrative elements: theShāhnāma; the Islamic Alexander tradition; andʿayyārī(trickery); the paper re-examines how Ḥamza is modelled after Rustam by looking at his epithets and narrative functions. It then turns to their differences, which are most discernible in Rustam's epithet used as the name of Ḥamza's enemy, the split between the ideals ofjawānmardī(generosity) andʿayyārī, and Ḥamza's unheroic weaknesses. This latter serves to emphasize God's compassion at his martyrdom while giving storytellers an impetus to continue their performances.