The Myth of Rostam and Sohrab According to Carl Gustav Jung's Theories

Abstract

This research is an analytical attempt to interpret the myth of (Rostam and Sohrab) in light of analytical psychology theories, specifically the concepts of Carl Gustav Jung. The study focuses on the concept of "Archetypes" such as the Shadow, Anima and Animus, and the Persona, exploring their roles in the construction of the hero's personality. The methodology relies on mythological criticism, interpreting Rostam's journey as a psychological quest to discover the "The Self".

Although the legend of Rostam and Zorab is full of heroic scenes and body-to-body combat, it is therefore very suitable for research according to Young's views on the individual psyche.

However, this unique work of Kurdish literature has not been worked on in this way, which led me to work on the reflection of Young's theories in the legend of Rostam and Zorab

​The study divides the hero’s journey in this myth into five key stages: starting from the call to adventure and leaving the comfort zone, through encountering psychological obstacles, and finally achieving the integration of consciousness and the unconscious. The findings demonstrate that the characters within the myth are not merely historical figures, but reflections of different parts of the collective unconscious. The research concludes that the hero reaches individuation or "wholeness" only when a balance is established between the conscious and unconscious minds. In writing and preparing this research, various sources such as books, journal research, websites have been used, each of these sources have been used where necessary, especially in introducing the concepts and terms in the research.