Heroic, Romantic, Didactic: The Many Faces of the Masnavi Form

The masnavi (mathnawī) is one of the most versatile narrative poetic forms in Persian—and, by extension, Urdu and Ottoman—literature. Defined by its rhyming couplets (AA BB CC…), the masnavi can stretch for thousands of lines, enabling poets to weave grand epics, intimate romances, or profound moral discourses. In its long history, three dominant “faces” of the masnavi have emerged:

1. Heroic Epic

2. Romantic Narrative

3. Didactic and Mystical Teaching

Let’s explore how each function showcases the masnavi’s narrative power and poetic beauty.

1. The Masnavi as Heroic Epic

Characteristics

• Grand Scale: Chronicles kings, warriors, and nation-shaping events over vast narrative canvases.

• Elevated Diction: Uses lofty language and archaic imagery to convey the weight of destiny and honor.

• Moral Exemplars: Heroes embody virtues—courage, justice, loyalty—serving as role models for readers.

Exemplars

• Ferdowsī’s Shāhnāmeh (c. 1010 CE)
  Though sometimes classified as a poem in epic verse rather than strict masnavi—its couplets nonetheless rhyme in AA BB fashion. In over 50,000 distichs, Ferdowsī recounts Iran’s mythical and historical past, from the creation of the world to the Arab conquest, fusing national identity with universal themes of heroism and fate.

• Nizāmī’s Eskandar-nāma (The Book of Alexander)
  Part of his Khamsa, this two-part masnavi recasts Alexander the Great’s life as a larger-than-life saga. Battles, palace intrigue, and Alexander’s philosophical quest all unfold in careful narrative progression, balancing martial splendor with introspective asides.

2. The Masnavi as Romantic Narrative

Characteristics

• Intimate Focus: Centers on lovers’ emotions, trials, and the interplay of desire and …