A Study on the Images of Viziers in Iranian Written Folktales: The Cases of Darab Nama Tarsusi, The Story of Hamza, Amir Arsalan Namdar

This study is based on the  descriptive-analytic library method. Three tales were selected for this study: Darab nama Tarsusi, Hamza nama, and Amir Arsalan Namdar. Three motifs were considered in this regard: Darab Nama has a mythical, epical, and historical motif; Hamza Nama has an epical-religious motif; and the motif of Amir Arsalan Namdar is romantic. The study, on the one hand, aims to investigate what categories of viziers' actions could be extracted from the Iranian folk stories and the factors which play role in this regard, and on the other, to pursue if these actions reveal any historical and social events or they are typical actions throughout the stories. The results of the study showed that there are two kinds of vizier; one kind is "Mobad-vizier" and another is "Sepahbad-vizier". From this point of view, the first one is cultural, social and juridical consultant and the second one is martial consultant. These two kinds of viziers are present in Darab Nama and Hamza Nama. Based on this dual division, the first vizier (Mobad-vizier) has roles such as fortune telling, wedding ceremony, ambassadorship, intercession, dream interpretation, political advisor and magic works. The other vizier, however, is a martial consultant and sometimes shows his treachery and skullduggery. Viziers in the story of Amir Arsalan Namdar are different from viziers in the other two stories. In this story, viziers are categorized as "vizier on the right hand" and "vizier on the left hand". Often the right-hand vizier is a well-mannered, kind-hearted, well-natured person and naturally the supporter of the main hero of the story. The other one, however, is an evil-minded, wicked conspirator and anti-hero. Lastly, it could be mentioned that Hamza nama and Darab nama are reflecting the social and historical events of the Sasanid era, while Amir Arsalan is related to the Qajar period.