World scientific research journal
https://scientific-jl.com/wsrj
Volume-38_Issue-1_April-2025
243
THE DEVELOPMENT OF UZBEK AND WORLD LITERARY CRITICISM
Yomgʼirova Durdona Begzod qizi
Student, Chirchik State Pedagogical University
Faculty of Tourism, 1 st year
+998886721406
Scientific adviser:
Nurmuxammadova Dilshoda
Teacher, Chirchik State Pedagogical University
Abstract
: This article analyzes the development of Uzbek and world literary
criticism, tracing its evolution from the early 20th century to the present day. It
investigates the various historical, political, and cultural forces that have shaped the
development of literary studies in Uzbekistan and globally. The paper emphasizes the
emergence of influential literary movements such as postcolonialism, structuralism,
and cultural studies, and their impact on the shaping of literary criticism in both
national and international contexts. The study also underscores the increasing
integration of Uzbek literary criticism into the global academic arena, reflecting how
it has adapted to both local and global intellectual shifts. The conclusion highlights
the contemporary state of Uzbek literary criticism and its growing influence on the
wider academic world.
Keywords
: Uzbek literary criticism, global literary criticism, literary
movements, postcolonial theory, structuralism, cultural studies, political impact,
global intellectual trends, intellectual traditions, 20th-century literature.
Annotatsiya
: Ushbu maqola o‘zbek va jahon adabiyotshunosligining 20-asrning
boshlaridan hozirgi kungacha bo‘lgan rivojlanishini tahlil qiladi. O‘rganish,
adabiyotshunoslikning O‘zbekistondagi va dunyodagi rivojlanishiga ta’sir ko‘rsatgan
turli tarixiy, siyosiy va madaniy kuchlarni o‘rganadi. Maqolada postkolonializm,
strukturalizm, madaniyatshunoslik kabi adabiy harakatlarning paydo bo‘lishi va
ularning milliy va xalqaro miqyosdagi adabiyotshunoslikka ta’siri ta’kidlanadi.
Shuningdek, o‘zbek adabiyotshunosligining global ilmiy hamjamiyatga
integratsiyasining ortib borishi va uning mahalliy va global intellektual o‘zgarishlarga
qanday moslashgani ko‘rsatiladi. Xulosa sifatida maqolada zamonaviy o‘zbek
adabiyotshunosligining holati va uning kengroq ilmiy dunyodagi o‘rni yoritiladi.
Kalit so‘zlar
: O‘zbek adabiyotshunosligi, jahon adabiyotshunosligi, adabiy
harakatlar, postkolonializm, strukturalizm, madaniyatshunoslik, siyosiy ta’sir, global
intellektual tendensiyalar, tafakkur an’analari, 20-asr adabiyoti.
Аннотация:
В данной статье рассматривается развитие узбекской и
мировой литературной критики с начала XX века до настоящего времени.
Исследуется влияние различных исторических, политических и культурных
World scientific research journal
https://scientific-jl.com/wsrj
Volume-38_Issue-1_April-2025
244
факторов на развитие литературоведения в Узбекистане и за рубежом. В статье
акцентируется внимание на появлении таких значимых литературных
движений, как постколониализм, структуризм и культурология, и их
воздействии на формирование литературной критики как в национальном, так
и в международном контексте. Также рассматривается усиление интеграции
узбекской литературной критики в мировое научное сообщество и ее адаптация
к местным и глобальным интеллектуальным изменениям. В заключение
подчеркивается современное состояние узбекской литературной критики и ее
растущее влияние на более широкий академический мир.
Ключевые Слова
:
Узбекская литературная критика, мировая
литературная
критика,
литературные
движения,
постколониализм,
структуризм,
культурология,
политическое
влияние,
глобальные
интеллектуальные тенденции, интеллектуальные традиции, литература XX
века.
Introduction.
Literary criticism, which expresses the most delicate layers of
human thought, is a complex scientific and intellectual system that continuously
evolves within the flow of time and remains deeply intertwined with space and
context. When analyzing the development process of Uzbek and world literary
criticism, it becomes evident that the integrative nature, epistemological foundation,
and gnoseological mechanisms of these two approaches are increasingly converging.
Today, literary criticism is not only a tool for the aesthetic evaluation of literary
works, but also a means of analyzing a society’s socio-political archetypes, models of
cultural identity, and spiritual-philosophical explorations. Particularly within the
frameworks of postcolonial, postmodern, and poststructuralist methodologies, Uzbek
literary criticism is currently experiencing a phase of entering the global academic
arena while maintaining its national principles.
Historically, Uzbek literary criticism is rooted in the ancient Turkic cultural
heritage. Although the initial stages of aesthetic thought were formed on religious and
mythological foundations, it later rose to a purely artistic and aesthetic level, evolving
into an independent system of poetic thinking. The artistic imagery in the Avesta, the
inscriptions of ancient Turkic monuments (such as those of Kül Tegin and Bilge
Khagan), as well as the works of scholars like Yusuf Khos Khojib and Mahmud
Kashgari, contain embryonic forms of modern literary criticism. These foundational
texts constitute the genetic code of national consciousness, and without their in-depth
study, it is impossible to fully comprehend today’s scientific paradigm.
In the classical period of Uzbek literary criticism, the figure of Alisher Navoi
holds a unique and central place. His work Majolis un-Nafois stands as an
unparalleled source in Eastern literature, encompassing literary criticism,
biographical literary study, aesthetic typology, and the artistic analysis of
World scientific research journal
https://scientific-jl.com/wsrj
Volume-38_Issue-1_April-2025
245
psychological character. Through Navoi’s legacy, the foundations of literary schools,
individual style, poetic craftsmanship, and metaphysical literary thought were
established. This period demonstrates the existence of a strong theoretical foundation
within Uzbek literary criticism.
By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the rise of the Jadid movement,
a wave of renewal, awakening, and modernization emerged in literary thought.
Thinkers such as Fitrat, Abdulla Avloni, Cho‘lpon, and Qodiriy viewed literary
criticism not merely as the analysis of texts, but as a tool for national spiritual
awakening, the evolution of social consciousness, and the formation of modern
identity. This approach was closely aligned with the constructions of national literary
thinking developed in the West. Notably, Cho‘lpon’s poetic and aesthetic views
resonated with Russian modernists, while Fitrat’s dramaturgical explorations
mirrored the patterns of Western European literary criticism.
Twentieth-century Uzbek literature developed as a completely new literary
space in terms of its historical and typological nature. During this period, literature
became the center of social, political, and aesthetic changes. As well-known literary
scholar Ozod Sharafiddinov said: “In the twentieth century, we created a new and
advanced literature that meets international standards. This can be proven with many
examples from prose, poetry, and drama.” A special feature of this period’s literature
is that it was formed in the background of constant changes, political conflicts,
ideological struggles, and tragic losses.
The formation of modern Uzbek literature happened under the influence of two
main ideological and social movements — Jadidism and Bolshevism — as well as the
Soviet colonial system. However, even in such a difficult time, Uzbek literature tried
to keep its national identity, independent thinking, and artistic views. About this,
Professor Naim Karimov wrote: “The twentieth century is one of the most important
periods in human history. There was bloodshed and injustice, but humanity also made
great progress during this time. We should not try to forget or deny history; we must
understand it with today’s thinking. Uzbek literature also lived and grew with this
history, as a part of the nation’s life.”
Twentieth-century Uzbek literature was not only a time of losses, but also a
time of great ideas, spiritual growth, and artistic success. The new literature
introduced new heroes, new problems, new genres, and new viewpoints. Its heroes
were people from everyday life: farmers, workers, and intellectuals; and the events
were taken from real life. Literature became actively involved in social life — it
analyzed society, gave it meaning, and helped guide it through its artistic images. At
the same time, the development of world literary studies has gone through a long
historical process, and today it stands out with its complex methodological system,
diverse approaches, and ideological-aesthetic criteria. Theoretical analysis of
literature began as early as Ancient Greece, with Aristotle’s Poetics considered the
World scientific research journal
https://scientific-jl.com/wsrj
Volume-38_Issue-1_April-2025
246
first fundamental work in this field. In it, Aristotle defined the essence of tragedy,
systems of characters, and methods of composition.
Later, during the European Renaissance, literature began to be studied as an
inseparable part of both art and social consciousness. In German classical literary
studies, thinkers such as J.G. Herder, I. Kant, F. Schiller, and J.W. Goethe contributed
greatly to the development of literary thought. Goethe once said, “Literature is the
collective memory and conscience of humanity.”
By the 19th century, literary criticism began to emerge as an independent
discipline. During this time, Russian critics like Belinsky, Dobrolyubov, and
Chernyshevsky analyzed literature from a socio-aesthetic point of view, emphasizing
its role as a reformative force in society. As Belinsky said: “Literature is the echo of
the people’s soul.”
In the 20th century, global literary studies turned to new paradigms. French
structuralists such as Roland Barthes, Claude Lévi-Strauss, and Roman Jakobson
focused on analyzing texts through language and structure. Barthes, in his famous
idea “The author is dead,” argued that “The meaning of a text is not created by the
author, but by the mind of the reader.”
Similarly, German scholar Hans Robert Jauss, through his theory of “reception
aesthetics,” placed the reader at the center of the literary process. He wrote: “The
aesthetic value of a work appears in the way it is received by the reader.” This theory
became a foundation for modern literary analysis.
American critic Harold Bloom explored the continuity of literary traditions
through his concept of The Anxiety of Influence. He explained literary creativity as
“a process of rejecting or reinterpreting the influence of earlier great writers.”
Today, world literary studies include many new directions such as
intertextuality, postcolonial theory (Edward Said), feminist literary criticism (Elaine
Showalter), and cultural criticism (Stuart Hall). These approaches allow literary texts
to be studied not only as aesthetic objects but also as social and cultural phenomena.
Every era and every scholar has contributed to the progress of world literary studies
through their own philosophical, aesthetic, and theoretical perspectives. The traces of
these schools can also be seen in contemporary Uzbek literary criticism — a clear
sign of its deep connection with global intellectual and literary thought.
Building upon the global developments in literary theory, contemporary
Uzbek literary studies—particularly in the post-independence era—have entered a
phase of intellectual renewal, characterized by the emergence of new scientific
paradigms, independent critical thought, and a reevaluation of cultural heritage. In
this context, research efforts have increasingly focused on reassessing the national
literary canon, reintroducing neglected figures into scholarly circulation, and tracing
the genetic roots of Uzbek literary consciousness—all while actively integrating
advanced methodologies from global literary scholarship.
World scientific research journal
https://scientific-jl.com/wsrj
Volume-38_Issue-1_April-2025
247
Today, several contemporary approaches such as postcolonial analysis,
intertextuality, cultural criticism, gender-based research, reception theory, and
discourse analysis are widely applied in Uzbek literary criticism. Notably, the works
of canonical authors like Alisher Navoi, Abdulla Qodiriy, and Cho‘lpon are being
interpreted through the lens of modern aesthetic and theoretical frameworks,
reflecting a shift toward more nuanced and globally aware readings. In addition, a
new generation of researchers is engaging in active dialogue with the international
academic community—publishing in foreign scholarly journals, participating in
international conferences, and contributing to transnational intellectual exchange.
This increasing global engagement signifies the growing integration of Uzbek literary
thought into the broader sphere of world literary studies. Significant contributions are
also being made by national institutions such as the Academy of Sciences of
Uzbekistan, the Alisher Navoi Institute of Language and Literature, and major
universities in Tashkent, where scholars like Prof. Erkin Komilov, Acad. Naim
Karimov, Prof. Shuhrat Rizayev, and Prof. Bekzod Hidoyatov are leading efforts to
build academic schools and foster methodological innovation. Furthermore, the
growing presence of Uzbek literary research in international databases such as Scopus
and Web of Science, along with the increasing visibility of national scholarship in
indexed journals, reflects the strengthening position of Uzbek literary studies within
the global academic landscape. This trend underscores an important stage in the
process of internationalizing national literary criticism. Undeniably, contemporary
Uzbek literary scholarship—grounded in rich intellectual traditions and cultural
depth—is striving to claim its rightful place in the global literary sphere. In this
process, interdisciplinary approaches, the adoption of advanced theoretical models,
and, above all, maintaining a balance between preserving national identity and
engaging in global academic dialogue, have become defining features of its
development.
CONCLUSION.
Uzbek literary criticism, with its deep historical roots and
cultural significance, entered a new stage of development after gaining independence.
In the 21st century, it has not only strengthened its position within the country but
also made its mark on the global academic scene. The independence period brought
about new approaches and methodologies in literary studies, with contemporary
methods like postcolonial analysis, intertextuality, cultural studies, and gender
literary criticism pushing the field in new directions.
World literary criticism, which
has been developing for many years, has now become a strong and influential system
that shapes global intellectual thought. Scientific schools in Europe, America, Russia,
and the East have contributed various approaches to the field. Theories such as
structuralism, post-structuralism, feminist analysis, and postcolonialism have all had
a major impact on contemporary literary criticism.
Uzbek literary criticism is
increasingly integrating into the global scientific community. Research is being
World scientific research journal
https://scientific-jl.com/wsrj
Volume-38_Issue-1_April-2025
248
published in international journals, and new ways of analyzing Uzbek literature are
emerging. This process is helping establish Uzbek literary criticism as an important
discipline in global academia.
Furthermore, modern literary criticism plays an
important role not only in academic discourse but also in shaping societal values. By
connecting with global literary criticism, Uzbek literary studies are bridging the gap
between national and international intellectual thought. These developments
contribute not only to the enrichment of Uzbek literature but also to the broader
cultural landscape worldwide.
REFERENCES:
1. Bertens, H. (2001). Literary Theory: The Basics. London: Routledge.
2. Navoi, A. (1491). Majolis un-nafois [Various editions].
3. Qosimov, B. (2000). Theoretical Foundations of Uzbek Literary Studies. Tashkent:
Uzbekistan National Encyclopedia.
4. Karimov, U. (2012). Theory and Practice of Literary Criticism. Tashkent: Science
Publishing House.
5. Saidov, S. (2018). "The Formation of New Paradigms in Uzbek Literary Studies".
Literature and Art, 6(3), 42–49.
6. Mirzaev Saydulla Uzbek literature of the twentieth century. (Scientific edition). -
Moscow:
Izdatelstvo "Oriental Literature" RAS, 2010 - 376
p.
