The Role of Bound Motifs in Plot Construction of Persian Tales

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Professor of Persian language and literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Kharazmi

10.22126/rp.2025.12649.2163

Abstract

Motifs in classical Persian narratives serve multiple functions as structural, semantic, and aesthetic elements. They contribute to the cohesion of the story and the reinforcement of its narrative concepts. Among them, certain motifs act as indispensable plot-building components whose presence is essential to the story. Because of this, they cannot be omitted and are referred to as bound motifs. Despite their importance, bound motifs have received less scholarly attention in Persian storytelling. This raises an important question: if such motifs were removed, what narrative qualities, attractions, and capacities that captivate audiences would be lost? In addressing this question, the present study argues that the presence of motifs in stories compensates for narrative shortcomings such as lack of logic, causal gaps, and inconsistencies. They restore coherence and integrity to the narrative, give form to the story, and sometimes even create a sense of novelty and freshness within the tale. In this way, many bound motifs renew the narrative and enrich its storytelling functions. Accordingly, this paper aims to provide a theoretical framework that explores the function of bound motifs in Persian tales and demonstrates their role in shaping narrative structure and plot development. Therefore, studies of this kind will assist us in tracing the origins of shared tales in the literature of different nations and in uncovering the intellectual and cultural connections among peoples.
Introduction
Many critics have pointed to the formal shortcomings of Persian tales — for example a weak logic of causality, a tendency toward absolute and general statements, an emphasis on types rather than individuals, a detachment from reality, and similar defects — and have consequently placed such tales on a level lower than that of modern short stories. Although this judgment may appear partly correct at first glance, the matter has another aspect to be considered. Across the millennium-long history of Persian literature, these tales have preserved their position within the cultural and literary milieu, transmitted from one book to another, undergone formal and expressive modifications, met the needs of Iranian audiences, and retained in the collective memory of Iranians and even in the literatures of other peoples. Consequently, the fundamental question is; what is the secret of the endurance and persistence of these works within the history of Persian literature?
In other words, beyond their thematic and conceptual features and beyond storytellers’ use (or non-use) of meter and musicality, can longevity and influence be deduced as another features? From the standpoint of the present study, the key to this phenomenon must be sought in the presence of particular techniques and alternative devices within these tales. In other words, formal and technical features — such as the employment of free and flexible motifs and devices — not only strengthen the tales’ meanings and enhance their aesthetic appeal, but also contribute structurally to their formal and artistic coherence. Paradoxically, the existence of these seemingly minor elements has been instrumental in maintaining the continuous presence of myths, history, and Iranian culture within the narrative literature of Persian.
Methodology
Although formalist studies have arguably lost some of their earlier primacy, when one examines texts while taking into account the relationship between form and content, it can undoubtedly facilitate a better understanding of works and a more precise knowledge of them. In this paper, the investigation focuses on the presence of narrative schemata (story-patterns) in ancient Persian tales and on the functions these foundational motifs perform in shaping the body of the Persian tale. This inquiry is carried out by relying on the foregoing methodological premise and through a descriptive-analytic approach.
Contributions
The narrative schemata encountered in ancient Persian tales do not merely provide a background for textual cohesion; they enrich the content and grant the tales a degree of flexibility that has enabled their survival over time, thereby preserving a chain of cultural, mythic, and historical continuity. Certain types of these schemata (i.e., recurrent foundational motifs) constitute the structural backbone of the Persian tale and have thus become enduring phenomena, sometimes attaining a universal aspect that attests to cultural and literary interactions among peoples. These findings, alongside the theoretical development proposed here, can help recover the roots and interconnections of mythic and cultural elements across societies and offer new possibilities for classifying Persian tales and for developing a typology of their forms for future research.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Abolfotuh Razi, H. (2002). “Tame the jinn and the spirit of the jinn by the interpretation of the Qur’an,” edited by Mohammad Jafar Yahaghi and Mohammad Mahdi Naseh, Mashhad, Astan-e Quds-e Razavi Research Foundations. (In Persian)
Arne,T. (2004) The Types of International Folktales, based on the system of Anti Arnee and stith Thompson, Helsinki.
Attar Neishabouri, F.  (2018): “Tazkerat Al-awlia,” Edited by; Mohammad Reza Shafiei Kadkani, Tehran, Sokhan Publishing House. (In Persian)
Attar Neishabouri, F. (1985): Elihinameh, Edited by; Mohammadreza Shafi'i Kadkani, Tehran, Sokhan Publishing House. (In Persian)
Attar Neishabouri, F. (2004): “Manteq alteyr,” Edited by; Mohammadreza Shafi'i Kadkani, Tehran, Sokhan Publishing House. (In Persian)
Balˊami, A. (1962): The History of Balˊami, Corrected by; Malek al-Shoara Bahar, with the effort of Mohammad Parvin Gonabadi, Tehran, Zovvar Publications. (In Persian)
Beyhaqi, A. Z. (1991) The history of beyhaqi. Corrected by; Ahmad Bahmanyar, Tehran, Forooqi Publications.
Dibel, E. (2010): Plot, Translated by; Masˊoud Jafari, Tehran, Markaz Publications. (In Persian)
Dupries, B. (1991). A Dictionary of Literary Devices. Translated by; W. Halsall, Albert. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Eliade, M. (1993): Treatise on the History of Religions, Translated by; Jalal'e Sattari, Sorush Publications. Tehran. (In Persian)
Falaki, M. (2003). Storytelling (Basic Theories of Storytelling). 1st Edition, Tehran: Baztab-e Negar Publications. (In Persian).
Farahi, M. (1994): Dastanhaye Mahboobolqolub, edited by Alireza Zakavati Qaragozlu, Tehran, Markaz-e-Nashr-e-Daneshghahi. (In Persian)
Ferdowsi Toosi, A. (1965): Shahname, Moscow, USSR Academy of Sciences. (In Persian)
Garry, J. and El-Shamy, H, (2005), Archetypes and motifs in folklore and literature: a handbook. New York: M. E. Sharp Publications.
Ghazzali, M. (1995): Kimiyaye Saˊadat, by Hossein Khadiv-e Jam, Tehran, Elmi Farhanghi publications. (In Persian)
Gorgani. F. (1958): Veis and Ramin, Corrected by; Mohammad Jafar Mahjoob, Tehran, Tahoori Publications. (In Persian)
Hamdani, M. (1996): Ajayebnamah, Edited by; Jafar Modarres Sadeghi, Tehran, Nashr-e Markaz publication. (In Persian)
Hojviri, Ali. (2004): Kashfol Mahjoub, Edited by; Mahmud Abedi, Tehran; Soroush Publications. (In Persian)
Kashefi Sabzevari, M. (1957): Anvare Suheili, Tehran, Amirkabir Publications. (In Persian)
Kashefi Sabzevari, M. M. (1979): Akhlaq-e Mohseni, Edited by; Morteza Modarres chahardehi, Tehran. Elmiyeh press. (In Persian)
Khafi, M. (2003): Rowzeye Khold, Edited by; Hossein-e Khadiv Jam, Tehran: Tehran University Press. (In Persian)
Khaju Kermani, M. (1971): Flower and nowruz, Edited by; Kamâl Aeini, Tehran. Bonyad-e Farhang-e Iran. Tehran. (In Persian)
Khalaf-e Neishaboori, A.I. (1961): Stories of Prophets, Edited by; Habib Yaghmaei, Tehran, Book Translation and Publishing Company. (In Persian)
Khaleqdad Hashemi, M. (1996): The sea of Legend, Edited by Tarachand and Seyyed Amirhasan Abedi, New Delhi, Persian Consultative Research Center of the Islamic Republic of Iran. (In Persian)
Khanjani, K. (2022): The Alphabet of Composition, Tehran, Agah Publications. (In Persian)
Khosravi, A. (2009): A commentary on the Fundamentals of Storytelling, Tehran, Sales press. (In Persian)
Mandanipoor, Sh. (2004): The book of Scheherazadeˊs Narratives, Tehran, Qoqnoos press. (In Persian)
Meybodi, R. (2012): “The Analysis of Revealing secrets and counting the righteous,” Edited by; Ali asgar-e Hekmat, Tehran, Amir Kabir Publications. (In Persian)
Mirsadeqi, J. (1997): The Elements of Story, Tehran, Sokhan publishing. (In Persian)
Mowlavi, J. M. (1996): Masnavi Ma’navi, Edited by; Nicholson, Tehran, Toos Publications. (In Persian)
Naser Khosrow. (2005): The Collected Poems of Nasir khusraw, Edited by; Mojtaba Minavi, Tehran, Tehran University Press. (In Persian)
Neyshaburi, A. H. (1975): “Selection of the splendor of councils, and the garden of the knowers,” Edited by; Ahmad Ali Rajaee, Tehran, Tehran University Press. (In Persian)
Nezami Ganjavi, E. (1956): “Khosrow and Shirin,” Corrected by; Vahid Dastgardi, Tehran, Ibn-e Sina bookstore. (In Persian)
Nezam-ol-Molk Toosi, A. (1999): “The book of politics,” Hubert Dark, Tehran, Elmi va Farhanghi Publications. (In Persian)
No Name, (1939): Summary of histories and stories, Edited by; Malekoshoara Bahar, Tehran, Kolale-e khavar Publications. (In Persian)
Noori. M. (2002): Mafatih-Al Arzaq (The keys of Sustenance), Corrected by; Hooshang-e Saedloo. Tehran, Asar va Mafakher Farhangi Press. (In Persian)
Owfi, S. (1973): Collections of stories and narrations, Edited by; AmirBanoo Karimi, Tehran, Bonyad-e Farhangh-e Iran Publications. (In Persian)
Owfi, S. (1991): Collections of stories and narrations: Edited by; Mazaher-e Mosaffa, Institute for Cultural Studies and Research, Tehran. (In Persian)
Parsanasab, M & Zolfaghari, H. (2023):  Encyclopedia of Stories in Persian Texts, 4th Edition, Tehran. Cheshmeh Publications. (In Persian)
Parsanasab, M. (2009). “Motif: Definitions, Species, Functions and... .” Literary Criticism, 1(5), pp.7- 40. 20.1001.1.20080360.1388.2.5.3.4 (In Persian).
Prince, G. (1987). Dictionary of Narratology, University of Nebraska.
Propp, V. (1989): Morphology of Fairy Tales, Translated by; Freydun-e Badrei, Tehran, Toos Publications. (In Persian)
Qazi Malatyavi, M. (2004): The Garden of Minds, Edited by; Mohammad Rowshan & Abolqasem Jalilpur, Academy of Persian Language and Literature: Tehran (In Persian)
Qazvini, M. (1992): Rarities, Corrected by; Ahmad-e Mojahed, Tehran,  Soroosh Publications. (In Persian)
Qosheyri, A. A. (2013): Translation of al-Qoshayriˊs Message, Revised by; Badi al-Zaman Forozanfar, Tehran, Elmi va Farhanghi Publications. (In Persian)
Sadaqeh, J. (1999): "Trees in the Ancient Mythology", Translated by; Mohammad Reza Turky, Literature and interdisciplinary studies, No, 26, 140-145. (In Persian)
Salajeghe, P. (2016): "An analytical study of the function of familiar and unfaliliar motifs in childrens and adolescent stories", Children's Literature Studies, 7(2), (14th Consecutive Issue) (In Persian)
Samiei Gilani, A. (2007): "Subject, dominant Motif and symbol", Academy Letter, 9(2), pp.49-59. (In Persian)
Sarakhsi, H. (2002): “Oˊjoobeh & Mahjoobeh,” Edited by; Reza Samizadeh, Tehran, Ana press. (In Persian)
Scholes, R. (2000): Structuralism in Literature, Translated by; Farzaneh Taheri, Tehran, Agah press. (In Persian)
Shaffer, L. (2005): Encyclopedic Dictionary of Literary Criticism. Delhi. IVY Publishing House.
Surabadi, A. (2002): “Tafsir-e Surabadi,” Edited by; Saeedi Sirjani, Tehran, Farhang-e Nashr-e-now. (In Persian)
Tabari, M. (2012): Translation of Al-Tabariˊs Tafsir, Edited by; Habib Yaqmaei, Tehran, University of Tehran  publications (In Persian)
Tabrizi, Sh. (1990): Discourses of Shams Tabrizi, Edited by; Mohammad Ali Movahhed, Tehran, Kharazmi Press. (In Persian)  
Taqhavi, M. Dehghan, E. (2009). “What is Motif and how is it formed?” Literary Criticism, 2(8), 7- 31. (Doi: 20.1001.1.20080360.1388.2.8.11.8). (In Persian).
Tasuji, A. (2000): One Thousand and One Nights, Tehran, Jami Publications. (In Persian)
Todorov, T.  (2013): The poetics of Structuralism, Translated by; Mohammad Nabavi, Tehran, Agah Publications. (In Persian)
Todorov, T. (2006): Theory of literature, translated by Atefeh Tahaei, Tehran, Agah Publications. (In Persian)
Todorov, T. (2009): The poetics of prose, Translated by; Anushiravan Ganjipoor, Ney Publications, Tehran, Iran. (In Persian)
Tomashevsky, Boris. (1965). Thematics in Russian Formalist criticism. Translated by: Lemon Lee T and Reis. USA: University of Nebraska Publications.
Varner, R. (2007): Encyclopedia of World Mythology, Translated by; Abolqasem Esmailpour, Tehran, Ostoore Press. (In Persian)
Waravini, S. (1988): Marzbannameh, with an introduction and explanation and commentary by Mohammad Rowshan, Tehran, No Publications. (In Persian)

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics