International Journal Of Literature And Languages
7
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue06 2025
PAGE NO.
7-9
10.37547/ijll/Volume05Issue06-02
Sources of Epic Genre
Bekberganova M.D.
Professor of the Department of Karakalpak Literature, Nukus State Pedagogical Institute named after Ajiniyaz, Candidate of Philological
Sciences, Uzbekistan
Received:
10 April 2025;
Accepted:
06 May 2025;
Published:
08 June 2025
Abstract:
The article highlights the role of Berdakh, a prominent representative of 19th-century Karakalpak
literature, as a creator of the epic genre, based on his epic works such as "Shajara," "Khorezm," "Aydos Bobo,"
"Ernazar Biy," "Amangeldi," and "Ravshan." The features of Berdakh's work in the epic form, the connection of
these works with the typology of genres, the spirit of the people, and national values were analyzed. Also, the
connection of 20th-century Karakalpak literature with Berdakh's traditions in the formation and development of
epic prose genres is revealed. Based on the research of literary scholars, the role of Berdakh's epic creative
heritage in the formation of Karakalpak written literature is emphasized.
Keywords:
Epic genre, dastan, typology, prose, national heritage, literary tradition, dastan works.
Introduction:
Berdaq is a prominent representative of
19th-century Karakalpak literature, a poet who
glorified and celebrated the honor and dignity of the
Karakalpak people, our national pride.
There is no one who does not know the lines of
Berdaq's poem "If you are a young man, born like a lion,
Serve always for the people." His works written in epic
form, such as "For the People," "Better," "I Would
Search," "When Will You Find Peace," "My Child,"
"Seen," "In Time" and "Grandfather Aidos,"
"Amangeldi," "Ernazar Biy," "Khorezm," "Ravshan,"
"Genealogy," are considered the priceless spiritual
treasure of the Karakalpak people. Berdaq's works
began to be collected and published from the 1930s.
Scholars
N.Davkarayev,
K.Ayimbetov,
I.Sagitov,
A.Murtazoyev, A.Pakhratdinov, K.Khudaybergenov,
and others, who conducted scientific research on
Berdakh's work, published numerous articles and
special books on the poet's life and work, lyrics, the
themes of his poems, the content of his epic works,
images, plots, and other issues. Berdakh, as a creator of
the epic genre in the history of Karakalpak literature,
requires further research.
Berdaq's works "Shejire," "Xorezm," "Aydos baba,"
"Ernazar biy," "Amangeldi," and "Rawshan" are
referred to as "epic works" in literary studies. The
renowned folklorist Q. Maqsetov noted that the
concept of "dastan" (poem) dates back to ancient
times, sometimes replacing it with the word "ertek,"
(fairy tale) and, revealing the differences between the
words "dastan" (poem) and "qissa," (story) emphasized
that the term "dastan"(poem) is used in connection
with large poetic works written in the traditions of the
peoples of the East [1:226].
A. Murtazayev, who conducted special research on
Berdakh's work «Аqmaq patsha» ("The Foolish King")
defines this work of the poet as a written work of art
[2:25].
Professor A. Pakhratdinov, who conducted extensive
research on Berdaq's work, refers to the works
"Shejire," ""Xorezm," "Aydos baba," "Ernazar biy,"
"Amangeldi," and "Rawshan" as epic works [3, 4, 5].
L.I.Timofeev gave the following definition of the term
epic: "The term epic has two meanings. In the historical
and literary sense, epic is folk epics and fairy tales
(Russian folk epic, ancient epic). In the theoretical
sense, epic is a genre with the main feature of broadly
reflecting the characters of people. "Epos" comes from
the Greek word meaning "word." Epic is a narrative
genre. The epic narrates a person's life path, describes
the events in which they participated, their actions, and
relationships. [7.357-358].
The science of literary studies of the former Soviet
period included Karakalpak literature in the group of
literatures with a late development of written
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
8
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll
International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
literature. There were opinions that there was no prose
until the 20th century. Prose is not a genre, it's works
written in prose. In Karakalpak folklore, the epic
appeared, was formed, and developed in such genre
forms as fairy tales, legends, oral stories, poems, and
epics.
Karakalpak literature of the 1960s-1980s is
distinguished by qualitative and quantitative growth.
The qualitative characteristic of this period is the
development of all genres of prose.
The skill of writers, their desire to create multifaceted
realistic works, has increased. At the same time,
professional writers emerged, and the principles of
realism began to take shape and develop in their works.
The prose works of T. Kayipberganov, K. Sultanov, A.
Bekimbetov, Kh. Seitov, Sh. Seitov, A. Aliyev, I.
Kurbanbayev, S. Soliyev, K. Mambetov, S. Bakhodirova,
K. Allamberganov show the rise of national artistic
thinking, the accumulation of national artistic
experience. The emergence of new essays, short
stories, novellas, novels, novel-dialogies, trilogies,
tetralogies, and novel-essays in the 60-80s of the 20th
century demonstrates the genre maturity of Karakalpak
prose during this period. The themes of Karakalpak
prose were diverse: contemporary, historical-social,
historical, and World War II [8:77].
The novellas of T.Kayipbergenov «Bloknot sóyleydi»,
«Suwıq tamshı», «Uyqısız túnler», «Tánxa ózińe málim
sır» ("The Notepad Speaks," "Cold Drop," "Sleepless
Nights," "A Secret Known to You Alone,") the novel
"The Pupil of the Eye,"(«Kózdin qarashıǵı») the novel by
A.B
ekimbetov
"Amazing
Generations,"
(«Ájayıp
áwladlar»), the novel by Yu.Leontichev "Give Happiness
to People," («Adamlarǵa baxıt inam et»), the short
story "Galka," («Galka»), the short stories by
O.Khodzhaniyazov "Aydana," («Aydana»), "Spring in
the Pastur
e," («Jaylawdaǵı báhár»), the collection of
essays by I.Yusupov "Autumn in the Old Mulberry
Tree," («Ǵarrı tuttaǵı gúz»), the novels by
Zh.Aymurzaev "Kyzketken," («Qızketken»), "My Love
People," («Muhabbatım adamlar»), the novel by
S.Soliyev "Nail," («Tır
naq»), the novel by I.Kurbanbaev
"Trust," («Isenim»), the short stories by S.Bahodirova
"The Value of Man," "Lessons of Life," («Adam kádiri»,
«Turmıs sabaǵı»), the novel by K.Allambergenov
"Darbent" («Dárbent») were devoted to the pressing
issues of that time.
K.Sultanov's "Akdarya," («Aqdarya») Kh.Seytov's
"Thousands of Days in Fire," («Mıńlaǵan kún otta»),
S.Khojaniyazov's "In Fire," («Otta»), Sh.Seytov's "Many
Cranes
Gone,"
(«Kóp
edi
ketken
tırnalar»),
S.Bahodirova's "Late Soldier" («Keshikken soldat») and
many other works were dedicated to the theme of the
Second World War.
The novels "The Last Attack," («Sonǵı xújim»),
"Karakalpak
Girl"
(«Qaraqalpaq
qızı»)
by
T.Kayipbergenov, "The Long-awaited Day" («Kópten
kútken, kún»), by A.Aliyev, "Memory" («Estelik»), by
H.Hamidov, the novel "Fight" («Gúres») by
A.Bekimbetov, "The Bright Path" («Aydın jol»), "Don't
Keep Secrets from Your People" («Xalqıńnan sır
saqlama»), by S.Khojaniyazov, "Bend to the Hill by the
Road" («Jol boyındagı tobeshikke iyil») by
Kh.Seytov,
the short story "Green Folder" («Jasıl papka») by
Yu.Leontichev, the short story "Fugitive" («Qashkın»)
by Sh.Seytov, his novel tetralogy "Khalkabad"
(«Xalqabad»), ("Sharbuzar," "Difficult Settlements,"
"After the Duck Massacre," "Mounting") («Sharbuzar»,
«Qıyın etkeller», «Ordek kırǵınnan soń», «Atlanshap»),
the novel-dilogy "Fate" («Tagdir») by S.Bahodirova, and
others are written on a historical and social theme.
T. Kayipbergenov's trilogy "Karakalpak Epic" ("Legend
of
Maman
Biy,"
"The
Unfortunates,"
"The
Misunderstanders") («Qaraqalpak dástanı», «Maman
biy ápsanası, «Baxıtsızlar», «Túsinksizler»), K.
Mambetov's "Bo'zatov," "The Moved People" (first
book) («Bozataw», «Posqan el») are dedicated to the
historical theme. K.Sultanov's novel "Ajiniyaz"
(«Ájiniyaz»), O.Bekbavanent's story "Taras on the Aral"
(«Taras Aralda») his novel "Beruni" («Beruniy») were
written
in
the
historical-biographical
genre,
J.Aymurzaev's story "The Heart of an Orphan"
(«Jetimnin júregi») was written in the memoir genre.
Literary critic. J. Narimbetov, researching the ways of
formation and development of the Karakalpak novel,
noted that the term "novel" was applied to the literary
life of the Karakalpaks only once, at the beginning of
the thirties, in Karakalpak literature, in terms of scope,
the tendency to show the historical period more
broadly than before became more pronounced. [9:55].
Researchers of 20th-century Karakalpak prose, such as
M. K. Nurmukhamedov, Zh. Narymbetov, S.
Bakhadyrova, Z.A. Nasrullaeva, A. Kozhikbayev, K.
Sultanov, and others, emphasized in their works that
the national literary experience, the traditions of
Ajiniyaz and Berdakh, representatives of Karakalpak
classical literature, played a special role in the
emergence and development of the Karakalpak epic
genre [10-169].
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9
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll
International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
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