The Reflection of National Identity in the Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh

Abstract

Ferdowsi stands as one of the cornerstones of Persian poetry, and his Shahnameh is widely regarded as one of the most significant literary and cultural works associated with the national identity of Persian-speaking people. Drawing on both Iranian cultural heritage and Islamic traditions, the Shahnameh provides an important literary space in which these historical and cultural dimensions intersect. This study aims to examine the major indicators of national identity represented in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh and to analyze how the epic contributes to the preservation and transmission of Persian cultural identity.The study employs a qualitative descriptive-analytical approach based on library research and textual analysis. Selected narratives, characters, themes, religious references, historical representations, and linguistic features of the Shahnameh were analyzed according to three principal categories: religion, history, and Persian language. The findings demonstrate that these three elements constitute closely interconnected dimensions of national identity in the Shahnameh. Religion provides a moral and spiritual framework through concepts such as divine authority, justice, morality, piety, loyalty, and the struggle between good and evil. Historical narratives preserve collective memory through stories of kings, heroes, national struggles, and cultural continuity. Persian language functions both as a medium of literary expression and as a repository through which historical memories, religious beliefs, ethical principles, and cultural traditions are transmitted across generations. The study concludes that the Shahnameh functions not merely as an epic literary work but also as an important repository and transmitter of Persian cultural and national identity.