Sohrab and Rustum by Mathew Arnold (Summary)

 

Sohrab and Rustum

by Mathew Arnold

(Summary) 

The day dawned on the eastern horizon while a cloud of fog covered the surface of the Oxus River. All was quiet in Tartar army camp. Sohrab, who had been tossing all night in his bed, was wide awake. Having put on his horse man’s cloak, he went to Peranwisa’s tent. It was on the sandy beach of the Oxus. The old chief awoke to hear at Sohrab’s approaching steps. Sohrab told Peranwisa that Afrasiab had told him in Samarkand to seek his advice. He spoke to him that he had carried the victorious flag of the Tartar army everywhere but he had a grievance: He was not able to find his father Rustum. It would be a moment of bliss if Rustum could welcome his worthy and glorious son. Therefore, he desired Peranwisa’s consent to challenge the bravest among the Persians in a single combat with him. If he wins, Rustum would surely know about it. The old chief listened to him attentively and advised him to look for Rustum not in the midst of battle but in peace time. He informed him that Rustum lived Seistan and was not sighted on the front line of the Persian army. Of late, he had developed some dissent with the Persian king. During the day, the Tartar and the Persian forces who stood ready to fight but Peranwisa declared “Peace” between them and added that Sohrab would fight a single combat with the bravest Persian champion. The Persians held their breath for fear as in the state of general consternation, their chiefs started consultation to nominate someone to fight with Sohrab. The challenge was accepted. Gudurz went to see Rustum and acquainted him with Sohrab’s challenge to the Persians. Rustum agreed to fight a single combat under a feigned name. Rustum and Sohrab stood face to face. Rustum, seeing young Sohrab, was filled with compassion and advised him not to fight with him. But Sohrab was bent on fighting: it looked like a fight between a hawk and a partridge. Both of them fought furiously- provoked by each other’s fiery words and taunts. The Tartars and the Persians heard the terrible neighing of Rustum’s war horse Ruksh and trembled with fear. There was a cloud of dust which enveloped the combatants. The moment came when Rustum’s spear transfixed him through his unguarded side. He staggered under the force of the blow, stumbled back for a step or two, and then fell slowly to the ground. The Tartars and the Persians saw that Rustum was standing erect and whole while Sohrab lay wounded and prostrate on the blood-soaked sandy ground.

Dying Sohrab was saying that his death would be avenged by Rustum- his father- in search of whom he had been wandering all over the world. When Rustum heard these words, he just remarked, “Why do you talk thus foolishly about Rustum as your father and his taking revenge for your death?” Rustum was still under the impression that he had no male child. Sohrab replied that he had a son. He pitied his misfortune. Rustum recollected that Tamineh had sent him word that the new born was a girl for fear that he would take away the boy and bring him up to the profession of arms. Rustum thought the youngman was just bragging. He could see in his imagination Timeneh in blooming beauty but Sohrab told him that a dying man could not tell a lie. He could show the tattoo mark of that signet which Rustum had given to Timeneh to imprint on the arm of the child if it were a boy. Sohrab unclasped his belt, bared his arm near the shoulder to show a sign pricked in faint vermillion- a figure of the griffin. As soon as Rustum saw his signet on Sohrab’ s arm, he grew ghastly pale and he was mortified- unable to speak any word. Rustum clasped his arm, kissed him, patted him on the cheek with loving fingers.

Rustum was so shocked that he grasped his sword to commit suicide but Sohrab, guessing his purpose, dissuaded him saying “Father, don’t be so rash. Be not overwhelmed with grief” and remarked that the quirks fate was responsible for whatever had happened in their lives. He was however, satisfied that he had found his father at long last. His greatest happiness would be his being addressed as Rustum’s son. Tears gushed forth from his eyes and he embraced his son who was bleeding profusely. Ruksh stood mute nearby with bent head and tail. Sohrab said that his mother would often talk to him about Ruksh. Sohrab was unfortunate as could neither see his grandfather’s face, nor could he taste the water of the river Helmund nor that of the lake of Tirra nor could he see the place in Seistan. Sohrab having soothed Rustum’s grief, declared his will that his corpse should be taken to Seistan across the river Oxus for burial and tall pillar be erected on his grave so that the horsemen might see it and remark, “Sohrab, son of great Rustum, who was killed by his father’s ignorance lies buried under this tomb.......” Sohrab breathed his last with a message of peace that passeth all understanding. The river Oxus flowed on feebly to fall into the Aral Sea indifferent to the quirks of fate in human existence.