The Trickster “Archetype” in the Shahnama

In this literary analysis of the Akvan Div story in the Shahnama, the author proposes to read the story through the lens of more ancient texts to arrive at a better understanding of the trickster “archetype” in Iranian culture. After a brief introduction to and critique of Jungian archetypal theory and some remarks on the proposed method of “etymological reading,” a structural summary of the story is offered. The analysis that follows shows that in this reading, the story appears in its unity and parts that are usually seen as epic digressions become meaningful.