شيرخدا و رستم دستان (جلوه انسان آرماني در ادب فاري و فرهنگ عامه )

Ali and Rostam in Persian literature and folklore

Disappointed to find their ideal man in the real world, ancient Iranians created a mythical hero, named as Rostam, who had all the ideal aspects of a perfect man. But after coming of Islam, their respect for Rostam was associated with their love for Ali who, unlike Rostam, was not an imaginary hero in the world of myths, but a man who had lived on this earth among the other men. In Persian poetry, before the establishment of Safavid dynasty in eleventh century A.D., Ali appears frequently with Rostam as a symbol of courage and bravery. Sometimes he is even superior than Rostam. This trend also can be seen in Persian folklore. On the whole, Iranians has sought to join these two supermen of mythology and history together, and thus they has combined their religious believes with their old ideals.