INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 06,2025
Journal:
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page 609
THE ROLE OF FOLKLORE TRADITIONS IN MODERN UZBEK PROSE
(THROUGH THE WORKS OF OMON MUXTOR)
Erkabayeva Shahnoza
Student of the Faculty of Philology and Arts,
Urgench State University named after Abu Rayhon Beruni
Abstract.
This article explores the artistic integration of folklore traditions in modern Uzbek
prose, focusing on mythopoetic motifs in Omon Muxtor’s novel Aflotun. Drawing from Uzbek
oral literature–such as fairy tales, legends, and myths – the novel constructs a symbolic
narrative grounded in national spirituality. The motif of descending into a well, commonly
found in both local folklore and Islamic legends, is analyzed as a metaphoric passage between
the material and spiritual worlds. The study examines how folkloric images, linguistic
expressions, and epic exaggerations serve both poetic and philosophical functions in the novel.
Ultimately, the article argues that Aflotun represents a unique synthesis of ancient tradition and
contemporary literary expression, reaffirming the continuing relevance of myth in shaping
national identity and artistic thought.
Keywords:
Uzbek prose, folklore traditions, mythopoetic motif, symbolic narrative, Omon
Muxtor, Aflotun, epic structure, well motif, oral literature, spiritual symbolism.
In world literature, the influence of folklore traditions–particularly myths and legends–has long
been a source of artistic inspiration. For instance, Homer’s Odyssey is widely recognized as a
masterpiece constructed on the foundation of Greek mythological and epic heritage. Similarly,
Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita in Russian literature is deeply embedded in
folkloric and mystical traditions. This phenomenon is especially evident in Uzbek children’s
literature, as seen in the works of H. Tuxtaboyev such as Riding the Yellow Giant and In the
Land of Sweet Melons, which are saturated with fantastical elements and oral narrative patterns.
Although the tradition of grounding novelistic plots directly in folklore has not been a
prevailing feature of Uzbek adult fiction, several modern works nonetheless demonstrate an
artistic integration of folkloric elements. Asqad Muxtor’s Chinor and Odil Yoqubov’s Ancient
World, for instance, showcase extensive use of folklorisms in their narrative constructions.
Contemporary authors such as Omon Muxtor, Khurshid Dostmuhammad, Togay Murod, Asad
Dilmurod, and Ulugbek Hamdam continue this trajectory, integrating mythopoetic symbols into
the texture of their prose.
In the novels of Omon Muxtor, one finds a vibrant spectrum of folkloric motifs. His
philosophical novel Aflotun presents events that provoke deep contemplation about the essence
of human existence, which emerge not as abstract philosophical treatises but as vivid products
of artistic reflection. The narrative builds on metaphysical musings shaped by the author's
philosophical insight and aesthetic worldview. One of the most striking folkloric elements used
in the novel is the motif of the
well
(“quduq”), which plays a central role in rendering the
symbolic journey of the protagonist.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 06,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 610
The motif of descending into a well is rooted in multiple folklore traditions, including Uzbek
fairy tales and the widely-known Islamic legend of Joseph, which features a similar episode. In
Aflotun, the descent serves not only as a narrative device but as a symbolic gateway between
the worlds of the living and the spiritual. The author effectively employs this folkloric symbol
to guide both protagonist and reader toward deeper existential revelations. According to scholar
M. Jo‘raev
, the belief that the underworld is accessible through natural openings such as wells,
caves, or cracks in the earth is a recurring motif in Central Asian oral tradition. Folklorist U.
Sattorov
notes that in mythology, the well symbolizes a passage to the underworld and serves
as a bridge between earthly and spiritual waters–representing a connection to the mythological
“water of life.”
The interaction between the protagonist and the mystical characters within the well draws from
the narrative structures of Uzbek epics, fairy tales, and legends, where contact with supernatural
beings is often a metaphor for the soul’s journey beyond physical death. In these stories, the
physical div may remain underground, yet the spirit continues to transcend time and space.
Thus, the characters residing at the bottom of the well in Aflotun are aware of the surface
world’s affairs and use Usmon, the protagonist, as a conduit to communicate their concerns,
highlighting the well as a spiritual medium between realms.
Since the author himself takes on the role of the narrator-protagonist, the novel's fantastical
episodes unfold within the realm of his imagination. As a literary device, the imagination is
boundless in both space and time, allowing for fluid transitions between reality and myth. The
utterance “Assalomu alaykum” (“Peace be upon you”) found in the text also functions
poetically, drawing from folk superstitions–such as greeting a tree, an animal, or an outhouse to
dispel negative omens like “govmijja” (a stye)–that are believed to invoke magical healing.
This motif of verbal magic links directly to similar phenomena in folktales where characters
confront dragons or witches who respond to ritualistic language
.
In one compelling scene, villagers peer into a well in the hope of finding water during a drought.
Upon seeing a mysterious glint at the bottom, they lower a bucket, which repeatedly returns
empty. They then decide to lower a man to investigate. What follows is a sequence steeped in
mythical resonance: the first three men sent into the well return as mutilated corpses–beheaded,
disemboweled, or shot. These horrific discoveries mirror the trials in traditional epic narratives,
where protagonists face death, sacrifice, and transformation before entering sacred knowledge.
Usmon, unlike others, descends headfirst into the well–a significant narrative detail that
underscores his transformation into a selfless folkloric hero. This inversion echoes epic
exaggeration: the rope meant to measure seven fathoms stretches to seventy. As he descends,
voices and sounds of recitation echo from the walls–further affirming the mystical and liminal
quality of the setting. Yet, because he enters with humility, the mysterious figures at the well’s
bottom offer him not death but a bowl of liquid–possibly wine or water–as a sign of acceptance.
1
Jo‘raev M. O‘zbek xalq samoviy afsonalari. – Toshkent: Fan, 1995. – B.23.
2
Sattorov U. O‘zbek xalq toponimik rivoyatlari: Filol. fanlari nomzodi ... dis. – Toshkent, 1999. – B.82.
3
Omon Muxtor. Aflotun. Roman. – Toshkent: Ma’naviyat, 1998.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 06,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 611
Remarkably, while granted life, Usmon remains deeply concerned with the fate of those on the
surface. The underground beings accuse humankind of desecrating the earth, polluting nature,
and corrupting the surface world–a scene imbued with profound ecological and moral
significance. It evokes traditional motifs where the natural order is disrupted by human greed,
and only through spiritual awakening can restoration occur.
This moment encapsulates the essence of folkloric survivals in modern literature: while the
narrative retains symbolic and mythological undercurrents, it functions within a modern artistic
framework. As scholars argue, these mythic forms, while stripped of their original ritualistic
functions, persist as fragments of artistic thinking that become integral to the novelistic genre.
In sum, Omon Muxtor’s Aflotun illustrates how contemporary Uzbek prose can harness ancient
folkloric traditions to produce a narrative that is both symbolically rich and philosophically
profound. Through mythopoetic devices such as the well, underground journeys, magical
speech, and supernatural judgment, the novel interweaves tradition with innovation, grounding
spiritual exploration within the framework of national literary consciousness.
References:
1. Jo‘raev M. O‘zbek xalq samoviy afsonalari. – Toshkent: Fan, 1995. – B.23.
2. Sattorov U. O‘zbek xalq toponimik rivoyatlari: Filol. fanlari nomzodi ... dis. – Toshkent,
1999. – B.82.
3. Omon Muxtor. Aflotun. Roman. – Toshkent: Ma’naviyat, 1998. – B.12.
