Analysis & Conclusion

As noted in the previous section, the Shahnameh was used as a “book of wisdom and advice for kings and courtly elites” (Ames, 2020). In this sense, the text teaches kings to be benevolent and virtuous. It is clear that Zahhak is neither. Often driven by his violent urges, he kills anyone who poses a threat to him and his throne. He is also easily tempted to act on his dark desires by outside forces, Iblis being the most prominent. Both traits can be seen when Zahhak kills his father due to Iblis’s influence or when he kills the cow Barmayeh after learning about Fereydun’s existence. His attitude again confirms that Zahhak is not a virtuous king. Consequently, Zahhak’s character is used to illustrate how a king can become a monster not by his physical appearance but by his actions. It also serves as a warning to princes about what a ruler should not do.

Although Zahhak carries two snakes on his shoulders, his monstrosity transcends and does not rely on his physical appearance. In fact, his snakes serve as a symbol to connect his behavior with that of the dragons, which consequently helps in understanding his character. The Snake King, unlike other monsters, starts out as a human and becomes a monster due to what he chooses to do as the story progresses. In this sense, the line between humanity and monstrosity becomes clear when Zahhak's actions match those that are used to describe a dragon.

Furthermore, the passage involving Zahhak and Kaveh provides the opportunity to really question Zahhak’s humanity. By doing the same, Kaveh proves that he no longer views his king as a legitimate ruler, but as a monstrous tyrant who must be deposed. This consequently makes the reader wonder when Zahhak stops being a human and becomes a monster. At the same time, it functions as one of the purposes of the Shahnameh, which is to teach about the behaviors that a ruler must not have. Finally, while Kaveh acknowledges that Zahhak is a monster in the passage, it raises the question of whether Zahhak recognizes his own monstrosity. Ultimately, Zahhak’s story shows that monsters remain important to our understanding of ancient cultures and their beliefs in concepts such as kingship and monstrosity.