a comparison between the two stories of adam in quran and gayumarth in shāhnāme

expression of similarities and dissimilarities between historical and mythical characters can show the continuous bilateral impressions and effects of history and myth and their results. gayumarth, being absolutely different in appearance with modern man, has always been considered as the first man in persian mythology. however, in shāhnāme, ferdowsi never considers him as the first man. it is somehow because of ferdowsi’s quranic and islamic view point about the creation of the first man that he calls gayumarth the first king. in the present paper, the aim is to try to express all similarities and dissimilarities which exist between these two characters in quran and shāhnāme. subjects such as choosing mountain as the first place of life, being killed by their children, having the title of first, and being introduced as a single character in some historical books are being analyzed in this present essay.