Esfandyar Written by Ferdowsi

Jose Torres

World Literature

9/8/17

Reading Response 1

To what extent if any, are the following characters responsible for Esfandyar’s death? Who is most responsible? a) Esfandyar; b) Rostam; c) Goshtrap; d) the simurgh

        Throughout the story of Esfandyar written by Ferdowsi, there are multiple times that Esfandyar is placed in situations of grave danger and given difficult tasks to accomplish. Esfandyar ultimately meets his doom and faces death at the end of one of his tasks. The question posed asks who is responsible for Esfandyar’s ultimate demise, and the answer to this question is “all of the above”. Each character the question brings up, is  partly responsible for Esfandyar’s death including, Esfandyar himself.

        Esfandyar is the one who places himself in situations of danger and is the one who ultimately leads himself to his death. Esfandyar had the opportunity to deny his father’s request knowing that the task given to him, to go and defeat Rostam, is one of great risk and would most likely result in his death. Yet Esfandyar does not take this opportunity and instead says “I am yours to command, and I will carry out your wishes”(71) Esfandyar goes into this task with knowing that it will be a difficult one, but because he is to committed to pleasing his father he proceeds. His loyalty is tested once again and has a second opportunity to deny his father but instead says to Rostam, “If I disobey my father I give up both the crown and the throne of Persia… that I will never do, so prepare for combat!” (75). These decisions by Esfandyar are heroic to some extent by being committed to his father but also, unfortunately and tragically result in his death.

        Rostam is also to blame by playing the role of physically killing Esfandyar. Rostam had been battling with Esfandyar and finally was able to defeat him when he “swiftly as clouds before a storm, raised his bow, took aim, and released the fatal arrow” (75) Rostam is the one responsible for being the actual perpetrator as he was the one to fatally wound Esfandyar by piercing his eyes. Even though Rostam is the one who fired the arrow, he did not act alone. Rostam had the help of the simurgh. The simurgh provided Rostam with the advice needed to defeat Esfandyar, the simurgh explained to Rostam that “except for his eyes, Esfandyar’s body cannot be injured by weapons” and that his “arrowheads will pierce [Esfandyar’s] eyes, giving him a fatal wound”(75) Altough both the simurgh and Rostam are physically responsible for killing Esfandyar, they are the the ones who are to blame the most.