2 Matching Annotations
  1. Apr 2025
    1. "If I listen to the commands of the King, I do that which is evil; yet if I listen not, surely he will destroy me. Wherefore I will send back unto Afrasiyab the men he hath placed within my hands, and then hide me from sight."

      In the story of Siyavash in Ferdowsi Epic Shahnameh, the thematic consistency of another male hero who is defined by chastity and patience, like Joseph and Yusuf. The gender roles in this Persian epic mirror the similar ancient patriarchal ideas. Siavash's rejects the advances of the queen; in embarrassment she accuses him of rape; this scene locks in that Siyavash is the superior righteous man and Sudabeh is the lustful and temptress woman. What is different from Savayah's story to the others is the tragic turn that occurs to him despite his virtue and righteousness. Siyavash is a victim of political corruption, not just female deceit. Linguistically, the Shahnameh paints Siyavash as a noble man with a voice that is almost otherworldly in that of honor, through his select speech and manners. It is important to also know that the timing that this Epic was written emphasizes the theme that although we deem traits such as loyalty and riotousness as something to live by, in the face of political corruption it is easy to lose them. The portrayal of gender as well with the idea of masculine virtue being the superior to the chaos that ensues in woman is prevalent in the story.

    1. I greet her from afar, for I am pure.

      In the tragedy of Euripides, Hippolytus is our hero in the story who rejects the concept of woman entirely, he devotes himself entirely to the goddess Artemis and is chastised. Phaedra, his stepmother, is manipulated by Aphrodite and is made to fatally fall in love with Hippolytus. She accuses him after he refuses sheer. The gender roles in this Greek tragedy, while following a similar theme of the heroic and virtues man rejecting the tempting woman, there is a much heavier and thought-provoking concept of Hippolytus and his masculinity being defined negatively due to his anti-woman and sheer arrogance towards them entirely.

      Linguistically, the dialogue shows the fragility of humans and the unyielding power of impulsive gods, Greek langue is full of tragic diction and figurative langue that shows the male virtue and one female's guilt and shame that on both ends of the spectrum can either be heroic or destructive. The tragedy critiques patriarchal norms with Hippolytus’ downfall being his hubris and rejection in something such as feminine human nature, and in comparison, to all four stories, Hippolytus has the most critical views of gender among them all.