The study of anti-hero modifications in national, religious, and historical epics along with the analysis of six epic poetries

Epic texts are dispensable parts of Persian literature whose main masterpiece is Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh. After Shahnameh, composing epic became popular and following its imitation in different eras, variety of religious and historical epics were composed, however in their compositions political, cultural and social changes in the country were greatly influential and in accordance with those changes the theme, standpoint, features and purposes of the epic characters had also changed.  This research is an attempt to study the anti-hero modifications and to find its similarities and differences in national, religious, and historical epics of Banu Goshasb nameh and Faramarz nameh, Ali nameh, and Khavaran nameh, Tamar nameh, Jang nameh Keshm and Jarun nameh respectively. Library and descriptive analytic method were used in this regard.  The results obtained show that religious and historical epics are based upon national epic however in fundamental opposition between good and evil and in correlation with the protagonist’s aim in the tale and the theme of the tale were subject to certain changes.  The common factor in three kinds of epic is the presence of a humane anti-hero who fights with demonic, inauthentic, and vulgar characteristics but this anti-hero in religious and historical epic influenced by hero’s motivation and the historical narrative, in pursuing purposes such as struggle, action, anti-hero characteristics and finally his final destiny underwent a change.