Studying the Social Identity of Women in the Heroic Section of Ferdowsi Shahnameh: Based on Goffman's Sociological Perspective

The purpose of the current research article is to investigate women's social identity in Ferdowsi's Shahnameh based on Irving Goffman's theory or play performance. The theory based on the view that individuals play a role for their audience to present and keep the desired image of themselves to others in the society. Thus, the community stage is like the theater stage, in which people perform in interaction with each other The source is Ferdowsi's Shahnameh—edited by Khaleghi Motlagh. The research method is qualitative, and the technique used is content analysis. The research framework is a conceptual model. To analyze women's social identity, we used theatrical performance concepts, front stage, and venue. The results of the present study show that women in the heroic part of Shahnameh look to achieve a superior social identity by performing dramatic actions. To achieve this goal, they present the desired image of themselves and control the actions of others, and they use clothing and ornaments, gestures, and verbal articulations. In the heroic part of Shahnameh, women try to have a good relationship with famous and influential men to gain and keep their social identity. By performing dramatic actions and marrying and bonding with Iranian heroes and princes, they were in pursuit of achieving a superior social identity.