Taboo-Breaking in the Story of Sheikh Sanān; An Analysis Based on Jung's Theory

Taboo (meaning prohibited and forbidden) refers to things that have limits and follow certain rules and should not be broken under any circumstances, and if they are broken, the person and her/his relatives will suffer negative and harmful consequences. The present study, by using analytic-descriptive method and library sources, examines the examples of taboo-breaking in the story of Sheikh Sanān from the mystical book of Attār of Nishapur, Mantiq-ut-Tayr. In the article, the taboos are divided into two categories: Islamic and Christian taboos, and each of them has been analyzed according to the relevant religion. The main question is, given the character of Sheikh Sanān, why are taboos broken? The answer of the question is given based on the psychology of Jung and according to the principles of Islam and Christianity. Carl Gustav Jung believes that the incompatible and negative features are the result of the function of the shadow archetype. Therefore, the reason for breaking the taboos by the protagonists - Sheikh Sanān and the Christian girl - is the result of the action of the shadow archetype.