Religion and Myth

Consider what purpose the Myth of Esfandyar may have served within its culture. Evaluate carefully the characters, story lines, and try to determine what message, moral, or behavioral conventions you can associate with the respective myths. Make sure to cite specific parts of the story in your discussions. It is always OK to compare a myth to another or note a theme that may seem universal or conventional in mythology, (e. g. the god who dies and is resurrected motif from our last discussion). Just be specific in referencing other stories.
Some possible angles to consider in composing your post: This myth ends with the following lines: Who among us can escape our fate? Who among us can use our wisdom, or our courage, or our strength, or our skill to this end? No one. How do Goshtasp and Esfandyar remain true to their principles? What effect does predestination have on the characters in this myth? How would predestination affect the way an individual lives? Esfandyar was a great warrior who set in his heart to become the great ruler and King of Persia.
His father knew that he was a great warrior and set him in his first task to defeat King Arjasp of Turan. Esfandyar then defeated Arjasp and his Demon warriors and caused them to flee from Persia. When Esfandyar returned to his father victorious and demanded that he be the King of Persia his father responded by sending him on another quest and to spread the word of Urmazd. When his father heard from a jealous nobleman that his son was going to over throw him from the thrown, he became so furious that he wanted to get rid of him at all cost.

Because King Goshtasp knew he would not be able to defeat Arjasp and his army, safe his children or defend Persia all on his own he needed his son Esfandyar to help him succeed, so he let him go after imprisoning him. King Goshtasp also knew that his son would not fight for him unless he gave him the false believe of giving him the crown and becoming King. With this hope Esfandyar once again battled and defeated Arjasp, saved his brother and sisters after going through the seven stages of hardship.
After all this his father still sent him on another journey to distract him from wanting the thrown after he knew that his son’s death was going to be on the hands of Rostam the great warrior. Even though Esfandyar knew his father was out to get him killed so that he would not precede him for the thrown he still went through with it because he has said “The brave warriors take the shortest route! A man has only one life to live and one death to face! And what will come is written in the stars! So it is best to be virtuous and valiant! After battling Rostam, Esfandyar was killed, and even though he knew that his father sent him there to be killed he knew “Urmazd will curse him for it! But, surely this was written in the stars in the heavens, and what is written there is sure to come! You are only the arm of fate. ” This myth tells a lot about the Persian culture and the way they viewed the world. They had great faith and they knew with that faith came great power and privilege. Also they valued strength and had respect for it. They viewed strong men as heroes and worriers that had the ability to get what they want.
This story is a myth because it has the belief of immortality and they used magic and power as a way to get what you want. By his great strength Esfandyar was able to win the seven stages and kill all that were in his way. This is similar to other myth in a way that myth always try to portray their heroes with God like strength, also the wisdom that these kings have in seeing the future and what is to come outlines their fate and their destiny. King Goshtasp has wisdom when he told his son “…one great victory does not entitle a prince to rule a Kingdom!
And your hunger for power does not become you! ” He knew that if a person becomes blinded by his ambition then it will get the best of him. King Goshtasp knew his son Esfandyar really wanted the thrown and will do anything to get it, and he remembered when he did the same thing with his father. That is why he plotted for his son’s death, because they believed in fate and that only what was written would come true. Esfandyar did not care that his fate was near. This myth teaches us many values that we need faith to live for and live by and that only what is destined for us will be.