SYNAPSES:
Insights
Across the Disciplines
Volume 1, Issue 2
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Synapses:
Insights Across the Disciplines
VERBALIZATION OF MYTHOLOGEMES
IN THE UZBEK LITERARY TEXT
Supervisor: Candidate of Philology;
Dotsent:
Khodjiyeva Zarina Bakhtiyarovna
Khamraeva Shakhnoza Mukhtdinovna
Tashkent International University of Financial Management and Technology (TIFT)
Master`s Degree
Tel: +998 (88) 158 55 11
Abstract
The article discusses the concept of mythologemes in Uzbek literary texts and
more specifically dwells on the articulation of these basic structural units of myth. The
study, based on research into their function in Uzbek folklore and classical and
contemporary narratives, looks at how mythologemes can serve to underpin the
development of cultural identity, world vision, and collective consciousness in
Uzbekistan. Within the frameworks of structuralist theory and cultural linguistics, we
will be able to analyze in this paper the verbal forms and narrative functions of
mythologemes, holding cultural values and historical traditions in Uzbek literature.
Key words:
Mythologemes, verbalization, Uzbek literature, folklore, cultural
identity, collective consciousness, heroism, oral tradition, structuralism, cultural
linguistics, nomadic heritage, Islamic influence, national identity, globalization
Introduction
Lying at the crossroads of several ancient civilizations, Uzbekistan is a country
with a highly advanced tradition of literature, deeply rooted in the complex cultural
heritage of its people. Of the constitutive elements which distinguish Uzbek literature,
the most characteristic feature seems to be that of the use of mythologemes or
invariants, that is, repeating symbols, themes, and narrative structures representative
of a culture's underlying myths. This paper looks at the verbalization of mythologemes-
that is, how they are expressed and spoken in the language of Uzbek literary texts, from
folklore up to contemporary times. To understand mythologemes means to understand
values, beliefs, and social norms implicit in the culture.
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Insights Across the Disciplines
The term "mythologeme" was introduced into science by Claude Lévi-Strauss,
who understood it as a basic unit of myth, functioning in language just as a phoneme
does. When articulated in a text, such units already function as carriers of some deeper
cultural meaning, connecting the work with the collective consciousness of a
community. These elements appear in the oral traditions of folk tales, in classical poets
like Alisher Navoi, and in modern-day authors concerned with issues of identity in the
perspective of globalization.
At once it is required to explain some basic notions in order to understand
verbalization of mythologemes in Uzbek literature. Mythologemes are images, themes,
or motifs that constantly appear in various myths and stories, moving beyond the
framework of just one story. They are constructive elements of mythology and possess
deep meanings touching upon culture.
As for the verbalization of mythologemes, it means how cultural symbols are
literally expressed through specific phrases or metaphors or specific narrative
structures. The process of verbalization doesn't just involve translating thoughts into
words; rather, it consists of abstract cultural ideas changed into linguistic forms to
which the reader or listener can relate. This would then most probably involve
figurative language, poetic devices, and culturally detailed imagery in the case of
Uzbek literature.
The structuralist approaches to mythology will be introduced here-theoretical
framework of Levi Strauss, Barthes, semiotics by Eco, and cultural linguistics by
Palmer and Sharifian. The course debates how mythologemes will be identified and
categorized within a given literary text and then analyzed, proceeding from their verbal
representation.
Mythologemes are a sort of cultural code that carries the worldview and
valorization of the very society they represent. In Uzbek literature, mythologemes more
often than not have to do with the nomadic heritage of this country, Islamic traditions,
and influences of the Persian, Turkic, and Russian cultures. Representations of
heroism, honor, sacrifice, and the eternal struggle between good and evil-so deeply
rooted in Uzbek folklore-are common mythologemes.
The literary tradition of Uzbekistan is predetermined by a specific cultural and
historical context. The literature of this region represents something of a mosaic of the
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influences of the Silk Road that crossed here and combined under its cupola the cultures
of the Persian, Turkic, Arab, and Russian peoples. This very amalgamation of the
cultural traditions already discloses itself in the mythologemes which appear in Uzbek
literature.
Before the advent of Islam, present-day Uzbekistan was inhabited by numerous
nomadic tribes with their respective mythologies. Such myths, passed on by oral
tradition, were very often about gods, heroes, and spirits linked with nature and
cosmos. The mythologemes peculiar to that time are very often based on fertility cults,
the cycle of seasons, and the struggle of chaos against order. Many of these motifs can
be traced in modern Uzbek folklore.
With the spread of Islam in the 8th century, new mythologemes were brought in,
many of which were connected with Islamic dogma and stories from the Quran. The
prophets, saints, and moral lessons became vital in Uzbek storytelling; these religious
figures were often inserted into the matrix of pre-Islamic myths, thus creating a hybrid
mythology that expressed both local and Islamic values.
During the Soviet period, Uzbek literature faced serious changes when writers,
first of all, encouraged the adoption of socialist themes and ideals. Even during the
Soviet era, however, mythologemes did not disappear but survived in different forms:
folklore heroes were reimagined either as images of the working class or as struggles
against imperialism. In modern Uzbek literature, mythologemes play an important role,
especially in those works that involve questions of national identity and cultural
heritage.
Uzbek folklore is rich in mythologemes that came down from generation to
generation. Stories about heroes-Alpamish, tricksters-Nasreddin, wise rulers-Amir
Timur-are saturated with repeating motifs of cultural values and collective
consciousness of the Uzbek people.
It becomes one of the most salient mythologemes in Uzbek folklore: the image of
a hero sacrificing for the salvation of all. This could be seen within stories like "Epic
of Alpamish," where the hero went to great lengths and trials for the salvation of his
people. The verbalization of this mythologeme will include grand, poetic language to
underpin the hero for strength, courage, and moral righteousness.
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Another figure very common in Uzbek folklore is the trickster. Often this figure
is represented by such a character as Nasreddin Hodja. Within this mythologeme, the
themes of wisdom, cunningness, and humor are articulated. The verbalization of this
mythologeme is often represented in wordplay, humor, and irony as reflections of the
trickster's wit against those holding power.
The role of nature is very great in Uzbek folklore; therefore, mythologemes about
the earth, sky, and water are so characteristic. Very often, they are personified,
internally filled with spirit. The same is revealed by their word expressiveness, rich,
descriptive, and emphatic.
In classical Uzbek literature-from the creations of poets like Alisher Navoi-
mythologemes come out in strongly stylized, metaphorical form. Works by Navoi are
saturated with allusions to Persian and Islamic mythology, with local Uzbek symbols
and themes.
One of the central mythologemes in Navoi's poetry is divine love; very often, it
serves as a mirror to the earthly love of people. This mythologeme is expressively
verbalized by means of extensive metaphors; the beloved is compared with the moon,
a rose, and other natural symbols of beauty and perfection.
It is equally true that many traditional Uzbek writings also included
mythologemes, which inculcate a moral lesson as drawn from faith, whether religious
or otherwise. These are conveyed in parable or allegoric forms, where the characters
perform certain roles representative of broader ethics. The recurrent mythologeme in
one of the famous stories of Yusuf (Joseph) epitomizes his victory of patience, faith,
and justice.
In modern Uzbek literature, mythologemes continue to play a great role; however,
now they are more inclined to take the form corresponding to contemporary problems.
Contemporary writers apply mythologemes to such topical themes as national identity,
cultural heritage, and globalization effects.
Most of the contemporary writers in the turbulent process of modernization seek
to explain in their works the fateful questions of their identity and keeping the
continuity of the cultural tradition. In these works, it often comes to the verbalization
of mythologemes of homeland, family, and tradition, which sometimes turn into a
symbol of resistance against the erosion of the culture.
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The revelation of the tension between tradition and modernity is more and more
characteristic for Uzbek writers in the globalization context. Such mythologemes are
expressed by narratives that contrast old and new, rural and urban, and local and global
values.
Verbalization of mythologemes in Uzbek literary texts is polysemantically diverse
and multilevel; it is productive for the understanding of cultural identity and collective
consciousness. From the ancient oral traditions of folklore to highly stylized poetry,
first in the works of classical writers like Navoi and then in the works of contemporary
authors, mythologemes served and serve as a powerful tool in the presentation of
cultural values and beliefs. A study of the forms and manner of articulation of these
mythologemes carries even more intensive cognition of the special cultural landscape
of Uzbekistan and of the lively role of myth in forming human experience.
Thus, the mythologeme in Uzbek literature is not only a repository of national
cultural heritage but is in continuous development owing to the unceasing dialogue
between tradition and modernity.
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REFERENCES
1.
Claude Lévi-Strauss – Myth and Meaning – University of Toronto Press,
1978 – 55 страниц.
2.
Gary B. Palmer – Toward a Theory of Cultural Linguistics – University of
Texas Press, 1996 – 320 страниц.
3.
Farzad Sharifian – Cultural Linguistics: Cultural Conceptualisations and
Language – John Benjamins Publishing, 2017 – 248 страниц.
4.
Alisher Navoi – Khamsa – Библиотека классической литературы, 1492
(репринтное издание) – 800 страниц.
5.
Epic of Alpamysh – Oral Tradition Collection, Университетская пресса,
1998 – 200 страниц.
6.
Tales of Nasreddin Hodja – Турецкое издательство легенд и преданий,
1957 – 150 страниц.
7.
A.K. Muminov – History of Uzbekistan – Uzbekistan Publishing House,
2013 – 500 страниц.
8.
Paolo Sartori (ред.) – Shari’a, Islam and the 19th-Century State – Brill,
2020 – 362 страницы.
9.
Rakhmon Yusupov – Uzbekistan's Folklore and Traditions – Uzbekistan
Folklore Publishing, 2010 – 220 страниц.
10.
Chris Baldick – The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms – Oxford
University Press, 2015 – 448 страниц.
