Journal of Literary Criticism

Journal of Literary Criticism

A Comparative Analysis of Afrasiyab and Alp Er Tonga: Mythical and Historical Representations

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Khadijeh Hajiyan 1
hadis shiva 2
1 Associate Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Tarbiyat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2 M.A. in Persian Language and Literature, Tarbiyat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/jlc.2025.462180.1650
Abstract
In Persian sources, particularly the Shahnameh, the mythological figure of Afrasiab is introduced as an antagonist, an opportunist, an enemy of the Iranians, and a demonic warrior and sorcerer, standing in stark contrast to mythic heroes such as Manuchehr, Kay Kavus, Kay Khosrow, Zal, and Rostam. He is fundamentally a character characterized by predominantly negative actions. He is depicted as someone who instigated numerous wars and immense bloodshed in his pursuit of ruling Iran; however, in Turkic sources—especially later ones—he is not Afrasiab but rather "Alp Er Tunga": a real, historical Turkic figure of formidable power, the hero of the Turkic nation, and their very first Hakan (Khan), whose primary concern was establishing a unified state for the Turks, and who remains an enduring symbol of bravery and martial prowess in their collective memory. Utilizing a comparative methodology, the present study analyzes the characters of Afrasiab and Alp Er Tunga, relying on Persian texts—most notably the Shahnameh—and Turkic texts, such as the Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk and Kutadgu Bilig (representing early sources), as well as the book Hakan of Turan, Alp Er Tunga (representing later sources); furthermore, by outlining all his behavioral paradigms, the study assesses the extent to which the epic-mythological character of Afrasiab corresponds to Alp Er Tunga. The findings of this research indicate that despite certain similarities between the two figures, one is inherently mythological while the other may be historical; thus, proving that the Turkic Alp Er Tunga was transformed into the Iranian myth of Afrasiab as a result of historical distortion by Ferdowsi is currently unsubstantiated and impossible
Keywords
Afrasiab
Alp Er Tunga
Turan
Ferdowsi's Shahnameh
the Warrior and Sorcerer Archetype
Subjects
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Journal of Literary Criticism
Volume 10, Issue 19
April 2026
Pages 155-120

  • Receive Date 10 June 2024
  • Revise Date 21 January 2025
  • Accept Date 22 January 2025