Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika –
Зарубежная лингвистика и
лингводидактика – Foreign
Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Journal home page:
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The interpretation of symbolic images in the works of
Alisher Navoi
Nargiza TOIROVA
1
Ferghana State University
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received August 2024
Received in revised form
10 August 2024
Accepted 25 September 2024
Available online
15 October 2024
The works of Alisher Navoi are renowned for their rich use of
symbolic imagery, which serves as a powerful tool to convey
profound philosophical, spiritual, and moral ideas. His poetry
and prose are filled with symbols representing love, loyalty,
wisdom, and the eternal struggle between good and evil. This
article explores the interpretation of symbolic images in Navoi's
works, analyzing their meanings, cultural significance, and their
role in enriching the aesthetic and emotional depth of his literary
creations. Special attention is given to recurring symbols such as
the nightingale, the rose, the beloved, and the journey, revealing
their multifaceted interpretations and their connection to Sufi
philosophy and universal human values.
2181-3701/© 2024 in Science LLC.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47689/2181-3701-vol2-iss5-pp211-215
This is an open-access article under the Attribution 4.0 International
(CC BY 4.0) license (
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.ru
Keywords:
Alisher Navoi,
symbolic images,
Persian literature,
symbolism,
spiritual imagery,
cultural significance.
Alisher Navoiy asarlarida ramziy obrazlar talqini
ANNOTATSIYA
Kalit so‘zlar:
Alisher Navoiy,
ramziy obrazlar,
fors adabiyoti,
timsollar,
ma’naviy obrazlar,
madaniy ahamiyat.
Alisher Navoiy asarlarida teran falsafiy, ma’naviy-axloqiy
g‘oyalarni yetkazishda qudratli vosita bo‘lib xizmat qiluvchi
ramziy obrazlardan keng foydalanilganligi bilan mashhur. Uning
she’riyati va nasrida muhabbat, sadoqat, donolik, ezgulik va
yovuzlik o‘rtasidagi abadiy kurashni ifodalovchi timsollar
to‘ldirilgan. Ushbu maqolada Navoiy asarlaridagi ramziy
obrazlar talqini, ularning mazmun-mohiyati, madaniy ahamiyati,
uning adabiy ijodining estetik va hissiy teranligini boyitishdagi
roli tahlil qilinadi. Bulbul, atirgul, mahbub, sayohat kabi
takrorlanuvchi timsollarga alohida e’tibor qaratilib, ularning
serqirra talqini, so‘fiylik falsafasi va umuminsoniy qadriyatlarga
aloqadorligi ochib berilgan.
1
PhD, Associate Professor, Faculty of English Language and Literature, Ferghana State University.
E-mail: nargizatoirova@gmail.com
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue – 2 № 5 (2024) / ISSN 2181-3701
212
Интерпретация символических образов в творчестве
Алишера Навои
АННОТАЦИЯ
Ключевые слова:
Алишер Навои,
символические образы,
персидская литература,
символизм,
духовные образы,
культурное значение.
Произведения Алишера Навои отличаются богатым
использованием
символических
образов,
которые
становятся мощным средством передачи глубоких
философских, духовных и моральных идей. Его поэзия и
проза насыщены символами, отражающими такие понятия,
как любовь, верность, мудрость и вечная борьба между
добром и злом. В данной статье рассматриваются
интерпретации символических образов в произведениях
Навои, анализируются их значения, культурное наследие и
роль в создании эстетической и эмоциональной глубины
его творчества. Особое внимание уделяется ключевым
символам, таким как соловей, роза, возлюбленная и
путешествие, которые представлены во множестве
многогранных интерпретаций. Эти образы тесно связаны с
суфийской философией и общечеловеческими ценностями,
подчеркивая универсальность и вечность идей Навои.
Symbolism has always played a central role in Persian-Turkic literature, serving as
a means to express abstract spiritual and moral concepts. Drawing from Sufi philosophy,
poets used symbols like the nightingale, rose, wine, and beloved to represent divine love,
spiritual struggle, and the path to enlightenment. Navoi inherited and enriched this
tradition, embedding profound symbolic meanings into his poetic expressions. His
imagery is not merely decorative but serves as a guide for readers on their spiritual and
intellectual journeys.
When we talk about art, we mean the image and imagery that define its essence or
form its core. It requires the use of a number of movements and pictorial and expressive
means in the concretization of abstract images that are the product of the creative
imagination. At this point, it is necessary to dwell on symbolism and figurativeness, which
are conditional methods of artistic representation of reality in the art of words. Because
any image is considered symbolic to one degree or another because it reflects the
generality. Symbols have been used since ancient times as a way of representing reality.
Its earliest examples can be seen in folklore. It is known that symbolism is embodied in any
simile, metaphor, even epithet in fiction. Therefore, the study of symbolic images used and
used in artistic creation and revealing their multi-meaning layer arouses interest not only
in a narrow circle of experts, but also in the general public.
In this regard, studying the epistemology of the mirror symbol and its ideological-
aesthetic significance in literature is one of the current scientific problems. If we look at
the history of folklore and literature, we can see that the motif of the mirror is widely used.
It is possible to get scientific conclusions about the role of this symbol in the poetics of
artistic works by studying the works of a certain period or a particular artist.
Until the invention of the mirror, a product of human ingenuity, the ancients used
pools of stagnant water. The first records of mirrors made of bronze and silver date back
to 3000 BC. In the Bronze Age, the mirror was mainly used in the countries of the ancient
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue – 2 № 5 (2024) / ISSN 2181-3701
213
East, but from the Iron Age, it spread to other regions. A metal mirror with a mostly
rounded handle (in the ancient Greeks), more like any other statuette, has a flat face on the
front and is decorated with various patterns or images on the back. Glass mirrors with tin
and lead bases appeared in the Romans in the 1st century AD.
Mirrors were brought to Central Asia mainly from China through the Great Silk Road
and had practical and ceremonial functions. According to E.B. Barinova, in traditional
Chinese symbolism, the ancient mirror of gujin and the magic mirror of shenjin were used
as amulets against evil and devil temptation or evil spirits and their influence. According
to this, the mirror is a miniature view of the world. According to the philosophy of Daos-
Buddha personality, the quiet and motionless surface of the mirror is likened to the nature
of a pure and true human being, which can understand the hidden essence of things. [7.34.]
Regardless of the widespread use of the mirror in marriage, it also played various roles in
the religious imagination of the people. First of all, the mirror served to inform a person
about
the
future
and
to
warn
him
of
future
affairs.
In "Baburnoma" of Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur, information is given about the
miraculous stone mirror near Isfara: "In one part of Isfara, there is a piece of stone falling
among the bushes in the south. It is called "SangiOyna". everything is like a mirror to
a husband." [10.7.]
To this day, people look at this stone mirror as magical and miraculous, and believe
that the future of the person who looks at it can be predicted or the ability to show lost
items.
In folklore, a mirror is interpreted as possessing magical properties. In particular,
the Uzbek people perform poetic tasks such as providing information, warning, bringing
the far away, and revealing the truth in their magical tales. The motif of looking at the
mirror, which is widespread in Eastern classical literature, was first used repeatedly in
folklore, took the form of a stable epic motif, and entered written literature under the
influence of folklore traditions. This is proof of our opinion that Alisher Navoi also used the
window detail effectively.
The symbol of the mirror in Alisher Navoi's epic "Farkhod and Shirin" is assigned a
specific philosophical and symbolic task.
Man runs away from fate,
He took out the mirror and opened the chest.
When he saw it, he was happy.
Jamshid, looking at the world.
Tushub's heart is full of wonder,
He looked at A's permission...
[5.221.]
Apparently, we are talking about a wonderful mirror – Jamshid's cup. Jamshid's cup
is brighter than life, and this cup is found in a house in the middle of the fortress built by
Alexander. Farhad's eyes widen when he sees this cup. This jam reflects the events that are
happening in the world. So, it is in the treasury of Farhad's father, Chin Khagani, who has
mystical powersIskandar's magical mirror.
The outer side of this cup, which is a symbol of the image of a perfect person, beat
like the heart of a noble person, and the inner side was like the heart of a pure and pure,
pious and honest person.
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue – 2 № 5 (2024) / ISSN 2181-3701
214
He opened the door and put it in.
Rakhshanda jami on Korundi mountain.
Safou was very happy with Ando,
Dema Khurshid, maybe Jamshed.
May the love of God be with you,
Hamul oyinai getinamo ul.
As long as the secret life is revealed,
The world situation is now clear.
Tashida jilva alab alab center hok,
In lek nine period aflok,
Tashi ul nav'kim perfect tense,
It's just a sahibdil pronoun.
[6.169.]
Farhad falls in love with Shirin, the princess of Armenia, through this supernatural
magic – a mirror that has the power of witchcraft. After this motif related to the traditional
detail, the narration of the main events in the epic begins, that is, the plot begins to move.
So, in the epic, this mirror is an important detail that indicates the future course of events,
the fate of the hero, and acts as a messenger.
B. Sarimsakov informs about this: "Alisher Navoi successfully uses the motif based
on traditional details in his epic, following the folklore and literary traditions that existed
before him." [7.31.] In this regard, Najmiddin Kamilov comments: "Farhad sees not only
Shirin, but also himself and the events he has to experience. Because the mirror here is the
heart of that perfect man Socrates. Socrates is a perfect person who has reached the peak
of perfection, even if he sits in one place, but his soul travels all over the world. On his way
to the cave in search of Socrates, Farhad fights against the "iron man", i.e. the robots.
Looking at the mirror on the chest of the iron knight, he will have to hit the target from a
distance of one hundred paces. Farhad shoots an iron target at his chest and the mirror
shatters, and Makhluq burns to death. "Iron Paykar" is a symbol of a dream – a lie, and at
the same time a symbol of the wonders of the world, because the world itself is considered
a metaphor – a lie. The mirror on the robot's chest is a symbol of its soul, and Farhad kills
it by shooting it in the heart.
At this point, it should be recognized that there was an idea that the spirit of the
enemy reflected in the mirror could remain and perish when the mirror is broken. Based
on these views, it has been confirmed by archaeologists that Chinese and Japanese soldiers
in ancient times installed small mirrors on helmets and helmets [4.104.]
Alisher Navoi created a perfect and original symbolic image in the epic "Farkhod and
Shirin" on the one hand, relying on the literary traditions that existed before him, and on
the other hand, on the people's beliefs about the mirror.
It should be considered that Farhod's discovery of Shirin by looking at Iskandar, the
mirror in classic literature, and the beginning of the development of the main events in the
work is not only the fruit of the artistic imagination of the creator, but also the use of
people's imaginations about the mirror to fulfill an aesthetic task by the creator.
Alisher Navoi's use of symbolic imagery is a testament to his profound
understanding of spiritual and philosophical themes. His symbols – whether they
represent love, longing, or divine union – transcend cultural and temporal boundaries,
offering readers timeless wisdom. By decoding these symbols, one gains insight not only
into Navoi's worldview but also into the broader spiritual heritage of Persian-Turkic
literature.
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue – 2 № 5 (2024) / ISSN 2181-3701
215
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