The Duel

Illustration: Sohrab mourns Rustum. Illustration taken from an ancient Persian manuscript of the Shahnameh, or “Book of Kings.” The tale of Sohrab and Rustum has been celebrated for centuries in the Middle East and is considered a prototype of many western tales concerning knight-errantry. Most famously rendered into English by the poet Matthew Arnold, Sohrab and Rustum tells the tale of a king who slays his estranged son and only heir, in a duel fought to determine a battle’s outcome. The notions of honor (both men are fighting so that their respective armies will not have to) and vainglorious folly, echo throughout the history of the duel. From Alexander Hamilton to Alexander Pushkin, cultures around the world have romanticized and mourned the loss of cultural icons in duels, often expressed in the remorse felt by the victor.