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From Epic to Romance, via Filicide? Rustam's Character Formation

Rustam is famed for being one of the most fleshed-out characters of the Shahnama. As such, this article will analyze an episode in his life of extreme emotional turbulence, in order to gain a closer understanding of how much realism Firdausi bestows upon his characters. This episode is the suicide attempt he makes following his act of filicide. I will begin with a discussion of the difficulties involved in interpreting such an ancient text as the Shahnama. An analysis of Rustam's background follows, tracing the development of his personality. I will then take a detailed look at the circumstances surrounding his attempted suicide. After this, I will gauge the extent to which this act may have its roots in his personality. By thus examining how realistic is Rustam's suicide attempt, I hope this paper will contribute to the further study of the literary nature of Firdausi's Shahnama.