فصلنامه ادبیات عرفانی و اسطوره شناختی
سال هفدهم شماره 62 (بهار 1400)

In addition to epic, tale and folk, myth is one of the constituent elements of the culture and ethnic and national identity of societies. Some mythologists believe that the religions of the early civilizations and the period before the spread of monotheistic religions were based on myths. The Original Sin is a concept seen in the actions and deeds of the mythological characters of different nations. It seems that the doctrine of Original Sin is a theme that has had a great impact on the fate of nations. An examination of the various myths reveals that mythological characters commit the Original Sin, sometimes intentionally and voluntarily, and sometimes unintentionally and involuntarily.  The present study investigates the myth of sin in Iranian and Greek mythology by using analytical-comparative method. The attempts are made to study the motives for committing the Original Sin in Iranian and Greek mythology, and to consider the differences and commonalities between the mythological and epic characters of Iran and Greece. The results show that despite the fundamental differences between Iranian and Greek mythological characters, factors such as doubt, pride, intervention of Demon and evil forces, as well as gaining power and kingdom are the main reasons of committing the Original Sin. Unlike Iranian mythology, in Greek mythology, the gods have obvious implications for the Original Sin.

An in-depth look at mystical texts reveals that besides the mystic's obedient relationship with the Truth, there is another kind of relationship in which the mystic's words and deeds ignore the sacred religious law; the existence of these two types of relationships together is worth considering. The present article, by using analytical-descriptive method, attempts to first express the forms of taboo-breaking in prayer and fasting, then seeks to prove the connection between these taboos-breaking with the two processes of correcting "self" and "other"; priority is given to "self-correction or self-discipline," which ultimately leads to "the correction of the other or society". The results of this study show that despite the mystics' adherence to the Sharia, breaking Islamic laws confuses the audience, but this removes man/woman from the level of habit and negligence and leads to knowledge and moral cultivation; the mystics' writings about the hidden secrets and the passage from the outward to the inward refer to this matter. Therefore, the method of these great men not only is not harmful to society, but also, it provides moral principles that raise man and society to a level in which worship is a form of morality and morality is a form of worship; and this process leads to external and internal discipline.

Myths are always deeply connected with literature and can affect the form and structure of a literary work in addition to its meaning. Examining and analyzing the mythological relations of a literary text play an important role in explaining its meanings and concepts. By using analytical-descriptive method, the present study attempts to investigate the mythological signs of the novel Yet, Madly... by Shiva Arastooee. The study of the novel, based on a mythological reading, shows that form and content of it have been affected by the myths. The myth of Shiva is added to the novel to expand its concepts and to shape and drive the narrative forward. She appears as a woman who dances around the clock, adjusting the rhythm of the novel with her movements and deciding what story to tell at what time. Also, in the novel, various signs and symbols such as names (Shiva, the god of the three heads, ...), places (water reservoir, Pandora's box, Palmyra, ...) and concepts such as death and writing are presented as meaningful units of a mythical discourse.

Mythological criticism is an effective tool for examining early ideas, historical events and human ideals throughout history, and through it can be traced the actions of ancient humans. Various areas can be explored, including mythical criticism, in Touba and the Meaning of Night, a novel by Shahrnush Parsipur. The aim of the present research is to study the components of mythical criticism in Touba and the Meaning of Night by using descriptive-analytical method. The results indicate that in the novel, there is a direct and significant relationship between women and the elements of nature, which has given direction and meaning to the mythological actions of women. For example, by using the symbolic and archetypal concept of water, it is possible to explain the placement of Munesan next to the fountainhead and Leila next to the pond, who, respectively, seek to achieve fertility and the process of individuation. We can also mention the influence of the Epic of Gilgamesh on Touba and the Meaning of Night; because Touba, like Gilgamesh, uses the archetype of journey to achieve self-examination and perfection.

"Rite of passage " refers to rituals such as birth, puberty, initiation, death, etc. in ancient societies that have a mythical structure. The theorists of ‘rite of passage’ believe that the mythical structure of these rituals follows a single pattern. By using analytical-descriptive method, the present article attempts to investigate the degree of conformity of the structure of ritual myths with the spiritual journey (Suluk) and behavior of Sheikh Sanān in Mantiq-ut-Tayr of Attār. Emphasizing the ritual nature of Sufism, the present study, while offering a psychoanalytic interpretation of each stage of Sheikh Sanan's mystical passage, shows that the narrative structure of the story is consistent with the four-stage model of theory of "rite of passage" (separation, crisis, transition and reincorporation).

One of the thaumaturgical powers that can be found in Sufi texts is healing, which has manifested itself in different ways. It seems that "removing pain" is a remnant of a mythological ritual that mythologists have referred to it as “apotropaic magic” or scapegoating. The mythological scapegoats were mainly aimed at driving away disease, effects of sin, calamity, famine and drought, and, in general, any evil. One of the uses of these scapegoatings was to drive the disease out of the patient. Accordingly, the scapegoat transmits the disease to himself/herself and thus heals the sick person. In some Sufi texts, this form of healing is seen as a miracle performed by a mystic. By using analytical-descriptive method, the present research examines the miracle of "removing pain" in the mystical texts of Naqshbandiyah and compares it with mythological rituals, and then some examples of the ritual are introduced. The results indicate that the texts of the Naqshbandiyah are more influenced by this mythological belief than other Sufi texts.

Fire is one of the most important and mysterious elements of the universe, and it can be said that the human civilization began with its discovery. The myths from different ethnic groups show how man discovered fire and what its significance and status was. The important place of fire in the myths of Iran and Vietnam and the similarity of some rituals of the two countries in which fire is sanctified and worshiped, show that there are common cultural aspects between the two nations. The purpose of this study is to better understand the myths of Iran and Vietnam, especially the myths related to fire. Using the descriptive-comparative method, in the present article, an attempt has been made to study some myths of the two countries and the narratives related to the element of fire. According to the classification of myths related to gods and rituals and the discovery of fire, the results of the study show cultural similarities between the two countries, as Fire Dancing Festival in Vietnam is similar to the Chaharshanbe Suri and the Azargan festival in Iran. Also, in the myths of the two countries, fire symbolizes victory over the enemy and hell symbolizes the punishment of sinners. The difference between the mythological narratives of Iran and Vietnam is more about the gods and how to discover fire.

In their research, scholars have studied the subject of God in Masnavi Manavi from various theological, mystical and religious perspectives, emphasizing the non-narrative or non-fiction elements; but this subject is still hidden in its stories. By using analytical-descriptive method, the purpose of this research is to classify the actions of God in 57 stories of Masnavi Manavi according to the type of His emergence and influence in each story. In fact, the stories of Masnavi, along with the exact mystical points, have been able to draw the audiences to the spiritual life, and through this, to make them aware of the absolute presence of God in all aspects of life. The results indicate that God appears as a leading character in the narratives of Masnavi. Sometimes, He appears directly as a key figure through Divine providence, Devine destiny, inspiration and revelation, and sometimes He has a significant presence in the position of a Hatef (the owner of mysterious voice) symbolically and allegorically. By showing such actions, Rumi has tried to guide his readers.

The stories of Qur'an are among the narrative works that can be looked at in terms of structure and method of storytelling; because the art of storytelling in Qur'an, along with the interesting narrative techniques, has given it such beauty that it can be examined from various angles. On the other hand, Rumi's Masnavi Manavi is one of those narrative works that contains many stories. Since the style of storytelling in any narrative work plays an effective role in configuring the narrative, the purpose of the present research is to compare the methods of storytelling of Quran and Masnavi Manavi with descriptive-analytical method. After examining the two books, it is concluded that the methods of storytelling in Qur'an, including the beginning of stories and narrating them, has a special variety and Rumi has been significantly influenced by these methods, especially methods such as diorthosis praecedens, breaking storyline, reading empty spaces and denarration in narrating stories.  The results of the research indicate that Rumi has used the method of storytelling of Quranic tales, as the excellent examples, to cultivate stories of Masnavi Manavi.

The story of Chelgis is one of the most famous and well-known stories in folk literature. In the various narratives of the story, there are common elements such as the description of the character of Chelgis with repetitive characteristics, the theme of the hero's battle with the dragon, and the waterless and famine-stricken lands that give a symbolic and mythological aspect to the story. Using analytical-descriptive method, the purpose of this study is to identify the role and position of women in society in various narratives of the story of Chelgis mentioned in Iranian Legends and Fairy Tales Encyclopedia according to the mythic deep-structure of the story. Considering the history of matriarchy and worship of goddesses in Iran, the results of the research show that the character of Chelgis can be an embodiment of the goddess Anahita, the goddess of water, in Iranian beliefs and myths. Also, the companionship of mythological themes related to the actions of the main male and female characters in the continuous structure of the story indicates the emphasis on male actions and power, the delegation of female tasks to men, the passivity of female characters and the fixation of women's role as obedient spouses. On this basis, the story of Chelgis depicts the decline of matriarchal beliefs and the formation of patriarchal societies.