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THE USE OF SIMILE, METAPHOR AND HYPERBOLE IN ALISHER
NAVOI’S WORKS
Fazildinova Sevara Nematovna
Independent researcher, Fergana State University
sfazildinova84@mail.ru
+998915410377
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15526221
Abstract:
This paper explores the role and importance of literary artistic
means in the works of Alisher Navoi, a prominent figure in Central Asian literature
and a key contributor to the development of the Uzbek literary language. Navov's
use of various literary artistic means, simile, hyperbole, exaggeration, imagery,
symbols and metaphors is shown to serve to deliver the meaning of each word and
phrase more broadly and deeply. This study also addresses the issues of the re-
creation in English translation of the means of artistic representation used in the
narrative of the epic "Farhad and Shirin", which is part of the "Hamsa" of Navoi.
Annotatsiya:
Ushbu maqolada O‘rta Osiyo adabiyotining taniqli namoyandasi
va o‘zbek adabiy tili rivojiga asosiy hissa qo‘shgan Alisher Navoiy ijodidagi adabiy-
badiiy vositalarning o‘rni va ahamiyati o‘rganiladi. Navoiyning turli xil badiiy
tasviriy vositalar, o‘xshatish, mubolag‘a, obrazlilik, ramz va metaforalardan
foydalanishi har bir so‘z va iboralar ma’nosini kengroq va chuqurroq qilib yetkazib
berishga xizmat qilishi ko‘rsatib o‘tiladi. Ushbu tadqiqotda Navoiyning "Hamsa"
tarkibiga kiruvchi "Farhod va Shirin" dostoni bayonida qo‘llangan badiiy tasvir
vositalarining ingliz tilis tarjimasida qayta yaratilishi masalalari ham ko‘rib
chiqiladi. Tadqiqot Navoiy tomonidan innovatsion hikoya tuzilmalari bilan o'zaro
bog‘liq bo‘lgan an’anaviy motivlardan foydalanishning ahamiyatini ta‘kidlab, uning
madaniy o‘ziga xosligini saqlab qolgan holda universal inson tajribasiga murojaat
qilish qobiliyatini ko‘rsatadi.
Аннотация:
В данной статье исследуются роль и значение
литературно-художественных средств в творчестве Алишера Навои,
видного деятеля среднеазиатской литературы и ключевого вкладчика в
развитие узбекского литературного языка. Показано, что использование
Навои различных художественных изобразительных средств, сходства,
преувеличения, образности, символов и метафор способствует более
широкому и глубокому раскрытию смысла каждого слова и фразы. В данном
исследовании также рассматриваются вопросы воссоздания в переводе на
английский язык средств художественной репрезентации, используемых в
повествовании эпоса "Фархад и Ширин", который является частью "Хамсы"
Навои.
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Key words:
simile,
hyperbole, exaggeration, poetic techniques, literary evice,
expressive device, translation technique
Kalit so‘zlar:
o‘xshatish, mubolag‘a, ma’noni kiuchaytirish, she’riy uslub, adiiy
vosita, ifodali vosita, tarjima texnikasis
Ключевые слова:
сравнение, гипербола, преувеличение, поэтические
приемы, литературный прием, выразительный прием, прием перевода.
The work of Alisher Navoi, his works had a great influence not only on the
literature of his time, but also on the literature and culture of the whole East.
Navoi’s works are distinguished by his deep philosophical views, a high level of
expression of human feelings. His artistic style, his own language and the art of
creating images have always attracted readers and researchers.
Alisher Navoi used the means of artistic representation extensively in his
works to express his feelings and philosophical thoughts as an artist to a high
degree. The role of the means of artistic image was extremely great in his work,
these tools not only ensured that the images created by Navoi were more vivid
and expressive, but also instilled their works deeper into the spiritual and mental
world of the reader. Through the means of artistic representation such as
metaphor, epithet, hyperbole, symbolism, Navoi gave his works a wide range of
meaningful and multi-layered expression. Because artistic image play an
important role in literature and art, since they allow the reader to more deeply
express the content of the work, make images more vivid and expressive. With
these tools, the writer or creator is able to reflect his ideas more clearly in the
mind of the listener or reader. In visual art, these are done with colors, shapes,
and compositions, while in literary works they are done through techniques such
as
simile (tashbeh), metaphor(metafora), symbols (ramz), allegory (allegoriya),
ephitet (epitet, tasvirlash).
These techniques serve to awaken the feelings of the
reader or viewer, to sharpen their mind. The importance of the means of artistic
representation is that they increase the artistic-aesthetic value of the work and
contribute to its strong influence on the life and worldview of the reader. T.
Boboyev in his “The language of real works of art”, says, the literature must be
watered with the spirit of folksy [3,378]. In other words, every word, sentence,
special lexical resources and ideas expressed in image tools, poetic figures, word
games, etc. used in a work of art should be understandable to the masses of
readers-the writer should find and say in the language of the people, the tip of his
language, express the moods, aspirations of the people’s spirit. To do this, the
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writer should definitely avoid bookish language and style, approach the lively
vernacular and style.”
When we draw into analysis a sentence in which simile and metaphor is used:
“Qalam shunday ko‘p yo‘l bosadigan bir chopqir otki, uning joyi azaldan falakning
ustidadir. Lekin bu xayolday tez uchar qora ot podshoh Xusravning Shabdez ismli
to‘riq oti darajasida bo‘lsa-da, uning ustiga insonning barmog‘i chavandoz bo‘lib
minib olgan.”
[2,3]
“A pencil is a fast galloping horse that goes so many ways that its place has long
been above the heaven. A man’s finger rode on it as a rider even though this
fantastically fast flying black horse was at the level of King Khusraw’s ambush horse
named Shabdez”.
In this sentence,
pen, fast galloping horse, human finger
and other figurative
expressions represent broad and deep meanings. Interpreting this linguistically
one can see that simile is used to express the resemblance of the pen with a fast
galloping horse. In the sentence
“the pen is such a plentiful galloping horse”,
the
pen is compared with a fast and long-running horse. Through this analogy, the
speed and productivity of the pen is emphasized.
Moreover, the comparison of Khusraw’s horse named Shabdez further
glorifies the power and influence of the pen, since historically Shabdez is
described in Persian legends as a very fast and powerful horse.
In the part where the
“man’s finger is riding as a rider”
, he compares his finger
to the rider. However, the analogy was metaphorically implemented. Just as the
rider dominates over the horse, the human finger controls the pen. Here, the word
“rider”
is cited as the ruler of the pen, which means that a person controls the pen
through his thinking, turning his thoughts into writing. Through this metaphor,
the power of creative abilities and thinking of a person is expressed.
From the point of view of Islam, the pen is very glorified. In the Quran
(Surah“Al-Qalam” Surah 68 of the Quran), God swore with what he would write in
pencils and lines, and this signifies His Holiness. Including, knowledge and
Sciences written through a pen are seen as sources of eternal and divine
knowledge. The place of the pen above the phallic (sky) means that it is attached
to divine sources and is a symbol of Eternity. The phrase
“long is above the heaven”
indicates that the pen has a high status for a long time. From a religious point of
view, it represents humanity's need for divine Sciences. The pen can be seen as a
means of writing the fate of God. Hadith also speak of the writing of fate through
the pen. Hence, the connection of the pen with eternity and divine power is clearly
expressed in this place. In general, this sentence is linguistically artistic, enriched
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with portable meanings, and describes the height of the pen and human thought
through metaphors and symbols. Religiously, however, the pen is seen as a sacred
tool in writing and preserving divine knowledge, emphasizing its age-old and
eternal status.
As it is known in modern literature, such artistic stylistic techniques as simile,
antithesis, metaphor, exaggeration, epithet are commonly used by most writers
and poets. The most used of these is the art of exaggeration, as the sources cite:
“exaggeration is derived from the Greek word
“hyperbole”
, which means “to
enlarge”,
“to strengthen”
in Arabic”. These are considered the art of exaggerating,
intensifying or diminishing the state or action of an artistic image described in a
literary work, and are one of the methodological tools whose effects serve in
strengthening the expressiveness of an artistic work. Anvar Hojiahmedov defines
exaggeration as a literary artistic medium that is part of spiritual arts that serve
to express logos vividly, to emdiv lyrical and epic logos more vividly
[4, 41]
Mainly three types of exaggeration are classified, and they can be seen those types
in many examples of works of art, fairy tales and folklore. The degree of
exaggeration, that is, the exaggerated image (state, property, etc.) to believe in
reason or not, to be imaginable or impossible, to come from the fact that it is not
possible to exist in reality. Uzbek linguists distinguish its three types such as
tabligh, ighroq and ghulluv
in classical works
.
Tabligh is an exaggerated image,
state, feature that can be mentally believed, which can also occur in life. We will
give below some examples from Alisher Navoi epic poem “Farhad and Shirin”
O‘pub ul badpo‘ ayog‘in,
Tashub izi va qulog‘in , – the piece describes a Farhad state in which Shirin is
informed of his arrival in a ditch he has built with the aim of seeing the water
Open. The poet writes that Farhad listens to the road to hear the voice of his
beloved horse hooves. It is not difficult to see an exaggerated image in this case.
The fact that someone who is looking forward to someone listens to the road is a
life reality. Thanks to this, this image can also be given a ratio to the tabligh.
Ighroq
- is the image of a sign or action by strengthening it in such a way that
it cannot happen in life, even if it can be mentally believed. Example from Alisher
Navoi:
Firoq isitmasi andoq, tanimdan o‘t chiqarur,
Ki, gar tabib iligim tutsa barmog‘i qabarur, –the fever of the flame will ignite
my div, that's when the if the physician takes the marrow, his finger blisters, –
it is possible to attribute the condition in the verse, but in reality it is unthinkable
that the fever is at this level, that is, to the extent that the patient burns and blisters
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the finger of the healer holding his hand. Humiliation is the representation in a
way that is both incredible and impossible to happen in life.
Ghulluv refers to the actions which is difficult to believe and imagine in real
life and existence is also an exception. Navoi broadly used this type of exaggeration
in his all works. Here we will give one example from the epic poem “Farhad and
Shirin” and analyze it.
“Qo‘shini yer yuzidagi qumlardan, balki osmondagi yulduzlardan ham ko‘p edi”
[2,18]
The translation:
“Concerning the size of his forces, his troops numbered more
than there is sand on earth, even stars in the sky”
[1,9 ]
In this piece the writer shows the state of Chin king’s Army is described as
being outnumbered and compared with the amount of not only by the sands of
the Earth, but also by the stars in the sky. That is, it is unthinkable for the number
of troops to be greater than the sands of the Earth and the stars in the sky. It turns
out that the third level of exaggeration used the type of ghulluv, equating the sands
of the earth to the number of stars in the sky that the poet king’s army was
incalculable. The exaggeration is based on the world of the reader’s imagination,
and the sign of the state or action of the image can be exaggerated to the point that
it is embedded in this world of imagination. In general, the exaggeration has
already penetrated into the “mass genre” group, as almost all writers use the
image tool. This genre plays an important role in the delivery of the writer’s
thoughts to the reader.
Artistic image tools are a set of modes of expression and techniques used to
convey images and ideas in literature, art, or other creative activity, through which
the author conveys his feelings, thoughts, and worldview to the reader or
audience. The main purpose of artistic image media is to attract the attention of
the reader or viewer, to exert a strong influence on him, to show images more
vividly and truthfully. These tools are manifested in a special form in different
branches of literature, art and creative activity, but their common goal is the same
– to evoke strong emotions in the soul of a reader or viewer. The means of artistic
image are the basis of a creative work. Through them, the writer is able to express
his ideas more broadly and expand the world of his imagination instead of giving
the reader specific information. Also, the means of artistic representation serve to
make the language of the work rich and colorful. Through these tools, the writer
deeply describes the characters’ behaviors, their inner world, mental states, their
environment, and the specifics of time. Image tools help to establish a connection
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between the content of the work and the reader, draw the reader to the psyche of
the work and evoke certain emotions in it.
Фойдаланилган адабиётлар рўйхати:
1. Alisher Navoiy “Farhod and Shirin” translated by Azam Abidov, Tbilisi-
Tashkent, 2018, P. 374
2. Alisher Navoiy “Farhod va Shirin” nasriy bayon muallifi G‘ofur G‘ulom. T:.
“Adabiyot va san’at”, 1975, –245 b.
3. Бобоев Т. Адабиётшунослик асослари. Т:. 2002. 372-б
4. Hojiahmedov.A.Mumtoz badiiyat malohati.T:. “Sharq”, 1999, –196 b.
5. Fazildinova, S. N. (2022). THE MATTERS OF TRANSLATING THE FIGURATIVE
LANGUAGE DEVICES USED BY ALISHER NAVOI IN DESCRIPTION OF WORD,
LANGUAGE AND SPEECH ETHICS. Mental Enlightenment Scientific-
Methodological Journal, 2022(1), 106-118.
6. Quronov D., Mamajonov Z., Sheraliyeav M. “Adabiyotshunoslik lug‘ati” T:.
“Akademnashr”, 2010, –400 b.
