Vis u Ramin

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Vis O Ramin (in Persian: ويس و رامين‎) is an ancient love story in Persian Literature. The epic is written by the Persian poet Asad Gorgani (فخرالدين اسعد گرگاني) in 11th century. The story dates from pre-Islamic Persia. Gorgani claimed a Sassanid origin for it. However, it is now being regarded as a Parthian dynastic origin, probably the first century AD. It has also been suggested that Gorgâni's story reflects the traditions and customs of the period immediately before he himself lived. This cannot be ruled out, as stories retold from ancient sources often include elements drawn from the time of their narrator.

[edit] Framework

The framework of the story is the opposition of two Parthian ruling houses, one in the west and the other in the east. The existence of these small kingdoms and the feudalistic background point to a date in the Parthian period of Iranian history. The popularity of this pre-Islamic story in the Islamic period is mentioned by the poet himself, and shows that there was a demand for ancient themes and traditional lore.

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The story is about Vis, the daughter of Shāhrū and Kāren, ruling family of Māh in western Iran; and Ramin (Rāmīn), the brother to Mubed Monikan, the king of Merv in Noertheastern Iran. Monikan sees Shahru in royal gala, wonders at her beauty, and asks her to marry him. She answers that she is older than she looks and married, but she promises to give him her daughter if a girl is born to her.

Several years later, Shahru gives birth to a girl and calls her Vis or Viseh. She sends Vis to Khuzan to be raised by a wet-nurse or nanny who also happens to be raising Ramin, who is the same age as Vis. After Vis reaches adolescence, she comes back to mother and Shahru marries her to her son, Vis's brohter, Viru. The marriage remains unconsummated because of Vis menstruation. Mubad Monikan finds about Vis and sends his brother Zard to remind Shahru of her promise and bring Vis to him. Vis refuses to go. Monikan gets angry and campaigns against Maah. In a battle, Karen, Vis's father, is killed, but Monikan also suffers a defeat. Monikan lays siege to the city, and then sends money and jewels to Shahru to soften her. Shahru agrees and gives Vis to Monikan. Nanny accompanies Vis to Marv and then she makes a talisman that renders Mobad impotent with Vis. The spell can only be broken if the talisman is broken, and it is swept away in a flood and lost, so that Mubad is never able to sleep with his bride. While Vis was being taken to Marv, Ramin was in her escort and saw her, recognized her, and fell in love with her.

Vis was mourning her father's death and her separation from her brother and first husband, Viru. Ramin pleads with the Nanny to inform Vis about his love. Vis gets angry and refuses any meeting. Finally, after a lot of talks and communication through Nanny, and while King Mubad Monikan is on campaign, Vis and Ramin meet. Vis falls in love with Ramin and the two consummate their love.

After Monikan returns, they decide to go and visit Vis's family in Mah. There Monikan overhears a conversation between the nurse and Vis, and realizes his wife loves Ramin. Monikan demands a trial by fire, passing through fire, for Vis to prove her chastity. But Vis and Ramin elope. Monikan's mother makes peace between her two sons Ramin and the king, and they all go back to Merv.

Monikan takes Ramin along on a campaign against Romans but Ramin falls sick and is left behind. Ramin goes back to Vis, who is imprisoned in a castle by Monikan and guarded by the king's other brother Zard. Ramin scales the wall and spends his time with Vis until Monikan comes back from the war and Ramin escapes.

Ramin thinks that his love with Vis has no future, so he asks Monikan to sends him to Maah on a mission. There, Ramin falls in love with a woman called Gol and marries her. Vis finds about this and sends the Nanny to Ramin to remind him of their love. Ramin sends back a harsh reply. Vis sends an elaborate message pleading with him to come back. At this time, Ramin was bored from his married life and after he receives the second message he goes back to Vis. But when he reaches Merv on his horseback in a snow storm, Vis goes to the roof of the castle and rejects his love. Ramin goes off desperately. Vis regrets what she has done and sends the Nanny after Ramin. They reconcile.

Monikan takes Ramin hunting and Vis and Nanny and some other women attend a fire temple nearby. Ramin becomes absent from the hunting, disguises himself as a woman to enter the temple, and leaves with Vis. They go back to the castle and, with help from Ramin's men, kill the garrison and Zard as well. They then escape to Dailam, on the coast of Capsian Sea. Monikan is killed by a boar during the hunt. Vis and Ramin come back to Merv and Ramin sits on the throne as the king and marries Vis. Ramin reigns for 83 years. In the 81st year Vis dies and Ramin hands over the kingdom to his eldest son with Vis and goes and mourn on Vis' tomb for 2 years, after which he joins her in the afterlife.