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A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THOMAS HARDY AND ABDULLA QODIRIY
СРАВНИТЕЛЬНОЕ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ТОМАСА ХАРДИ И АБДУЛЛЫ
КАДЫРИ
TOMAS HARDI VA ABDULLA QODIRIY ASARLARINING QIYOSIY TAHLILI
Ibragimova Dilafruz Shukhratovna
Senior Lecturer, Department of Practical English,
Faculty of English Language and Literature, Fergana State University
E-mail: ibragimovadilafruz74@gmail.com
Abdurahimov Abrorjon Alisherjon Ugli
Student of faculty of
English Language and Literature, FSU
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15385614
Abstract:
This article presents a comparative analysis of two powerful realist novels—
Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
1
and O‘tkan kunlar by Abdulla Qodiriy
2
. Through
their portrayal of tragic heroines, both works highlight how women face injustice, pressure,
and sacrifice in traditional societies. Although the novels are rooted in different cultural and
historical contexts, they share a common message: the struggle for dignity and independence
in a world dominated by strict moral norms and patriarchal values. This study explores the
themes, stylistic techniques, and cultural reflections that make these novels timeless and
socially significant.
Аннотация:
Данная статья представляет собой сравнительный анализ двух
реалистических романов — «Тэсс из рода д’Эрбервиллей» Томаса Харди и «Минувшие
дни» Абдуллы Кадыри. Оба произведения, изображая трагические судьбы героинь,
раскрывают, как женщины сталкиваются с несправедливостью, давлением общества и
самопожертвованием в условиях традиционного общества. Несмотря на различия в
культурном и историческом контексте, оба романа объединяет общая идея: борьба за
достоинство и независимость в мире с жесткими моральными устоями и
патриархальной
структурой.
Исследование
затрагивает
ключевые
темы,
стилистические особенности и культурную значимость этих произведений.
Annotatsiya:
Ushbu maqolada Tomas Hardining Tess of the d’Urbervilles va Abdulla
Qodiriyning O‘tkan kunlar asarlari qiyosiy tahlil qilinadi. Har ikki asar ham ayol qahramonlar
fojiali taqdirini tasvirlash orqali ayollarning an’anaviy jamiyatda adolatsizlik, bosim va
fidokorlikka duch kelishini ko‘rsatadi. Garchi asarlar turli madaniy va tarixiy kontekstlarga
mansub bo‘lsa-da, ularni birlashtiruvchi g‘oya umumiy — ayolning or-nomus, mustaqillik va
hurmat uchun olib borgan kurashi. Ushbu maqola bu romanlarning mavzulari, uslubiy
xususiyatlari va madaniy ahamiyatini tahlil qiladi.
Keywords:
Realist fiction, Women’s struggle, Patriarchy, Gender roles, National identity,
Thomas Hardy, Abdulla Qodiriy, Comparative literature, Cultural criticism, Traditional society
1
Hardy, T. (1891).
Tess of the d’Urbervilles
. London: Osgood, McIlvaine and Co.
2
Qodiriy, A. (1926).
O‘tkan kunlar
. Tashkent: Yozuvchi Nashriyoti.
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Ключевые слова:
Реалистическая проза, Борьба женщин, Патриархат, Гендерные
роли, Национальная идентичность, Томас Харди, Абдулла Кадыри, Сравнительное
литературоведение, Культурная критика, Традиционное общество
Kalit so‘zlar:
Realistik adabiyot, Ayollarning kurashi, Patriarxal tuzum, Gender rollari,
Milliy o‘zlik, Tomas Hardi, Abdulla Qodiriy, Qiyosiy adabiyotshunoslik, Madaniy tanqid,
An’anaviy jamiyat
Thesis statement:
Despite originating from vastly different cultural and historical backgrounds, Thomas
Hardy and Abdulla
3
Qodiriy each used realist fiction to expose the deep social and moral
challenges faced by women in traditional societies. Their novels —
Tess of the d’Urbervilles
and
O‘tkan kunlar
— reflect a shared literary mission: to critique oppressive social structures,
particularly patriarchy and rigid moral codes, and to portray the emotional and psychological
toll these structures exact on individuals, especially women
4
. Hardy, writing in the context of
Victorian England, confronts themes of purity, social judgment, and fatalism, while Qodiriy,
representing early 20th-century Uzbekistan, weaves themes of honor, national identity, and
cultural transition. Through their tragic female protagonists — Tess and Kumush — both
authors not only highlight the suffering imposed by societal norms, but also advocate for
empathy, reform, and the redefinition of women's roles in their respective cultures. This
comparative study argues that realist literature serves as a powerful vehicle for social
reflection, and through it, both Hardy and Qodiriy contributed to the long-standing discourse
on gender, justice, and tradition in world literature.
Introduction
Throughout history, literature has often been a mirror of society, and one of the clearest
reflections it offers is how women have been seen, judged, and treated. Even when written by
male authors, many works have captured the struggles, sacrifices, and emotional depth of
women living in deeply traditional and patriarchal societies. This article focuses on two
powerful novels that do exactly that — Tess of the d’Urbervilles by English writer Thomas
Hardy, and O‘tkan kunlar by Uzbek author Abdulla Qodiriy
Methodology
This article is based on a
qualitative comparative literary analysis
, focusing on how
women are portrayed in two realist novels:
Tess of the d’Urbervilles
by Thomas
5
Hardy and
O‘tkan kunlar
by Abdulla Qodiriy. These texts were selected not only for their cultural and
historical significance, but also for the central roles women play in both narratives. Although
the authors lived in different societies — late 19th-century England and early 20th-century
Uzbekistan — both wrote during periods of deep social transition, where questions of
morality, gender roles, and tradition were intensely debated.
The study relies on
close reading
of both novels, paying attention to character
development, narrative structure, symbolic elements, and recurring themes. Additional
biographical research
about the authors was used to understand their personal views and
the social environments that shaped their writing. The analysis also takes into account the
3
Karimov, M. (1995). Abdulla Qodiriy va O‘zbek romani. Tashkent: Fan.
4
Showalter, E. (1977). A Literature of Their Own: British Women Novelists from Brontë to Lessing. Princeton
University Press.
5
Saidov, S. (2001). O‘zbek adabiyoti tarixida realizmning o‘rni. Tashkent: O‘zbekiston Milliy Ensiklopediyasi Nashriyoti.
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historical and cultural background
of each novel to better interpret how tradition,
patriarchy, and societal expectations influenced the portrayal of female characters.
The following
four core criteria
guide the comparison:
1.
Historical and cultural context
– how the authors’ societies shaped the stories and
characters.
2.
Thematic focus
– including morality, honor, love, sacrifice, and social status.
3.
Narrative techniques and literary style
– such as realism, symbolism, perspective, and
emotional tone.
4.
Reception and legacy
– how the novels were received in their time and how they are
viewed today.
This method allows for a deep, balanced comparison that respects the differences in
context while exploring shared concerns and literary approaches between English and Uzbek
realist fiction.
Results
After closely analyzing
Tess of the d’Urbervilles
and
O‘tkan kunlar
, several meaningful
observations became clear. Even though the novels were written in different parts of the
world and in different times, both Thomas Hardy and Abdulla Qodiriy told stories that reveal
how deeply women’s lives were shaped—and often limited—by the expectations of the
society around them.
First, both
Tess
and
Kumush
6
are portrayed as kind, intelligent, and emotionally strong
women. But instead of being supported, they are judged and pushed down by their
surroundings. Tess is blamed and shamed by Victorian society for something that wasn’t her
fault, while Kumush faces a tragic end because of rigid family traditions and power struggles
that she can’t control. In both cases, the women are not weak, but their strength is not enough
to protect them in a world that expects obedience and silence. Second, both authors use their
stories to
criticize the rules and expectations placed on women
. Hardy questions why
society is so quick to label and punish women like Tess. Qodiriy, in a different but equally
critical way, shows how tradition and pride can destroy lives, especially when it comes to a
woman’s role in the family and community. Another key result is the way both novels
highlight
honor, purity, and reputation
—especially for women—as major forces that shape
the characters’ decisions. These ideas are so strong in both societies that they seem more
important than truth or love, which leads to sadness and loss in both stories. Finally, both
authors use
realistic and emotionally honest storytelling
to connect with the reader. Hardy
gives us deep insight into Tess’s thoughts and emotions, helping us feel her pain. Qodiriy
brings his characters to life through detailed cultural scenes and the rich inner world of
Kumush and those around her. Both novels feel personal, even though they’re also making
bigger points about society as a whole.
Discussion
Reading
Tess of the d’Urbervilles
and
O‘tkan kunlar
side by side reveals something more
than just two tragic stories — it shows how deeply rooted gender inequality can be, no matter
the culture. What makes these novels powerful is how real the injustice feels, and how clearly
both authors expose the pain caused by unfair traditions and expectations. Hardy doesn’t just
6
Brantlinger, P. (1990).
The Reading Lesson: The Threat of Mass Literacy in Nineteenth-Century British Fiction
. Indiana
University Press.
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tell a sad story — he holds up a mirror to Victorian society and asks, “Why is this okay?” Tess
isn’t weak or immoral — she’s kind, honest, and full of hope. But every time she tries to move
forward, society pulls her back. Her downfall isn’t caused by her character, but by the double
standards of a world that demands perfection from women and offers forgiveness to men.
Hardy uses Tess’s pain to make the reader feel uncomfortable, and that discomfort is what
gives the novel its lasting power.
Qodiriy does something similar, but in a different world. Kumush is quiet, loyal, and
graceful — and still, she suffers. In her case, it’s not just one mistake or one judgment, but a
whole network of traditions, pride, and silence that lead to her tragic end. Qodiriy doesn’t
scream his message
7
— he weaves it into the culture, into everyday moments and
relationships, making it feel heartbreakingly real. Through Kumush, he questions what honor
really means and whether traditions should come before love, justice, or truth. What’s
especially meaningful is that both Tess and Kumush were written by men — and yet their
voices, their suffering, and their strength come through so clearly. That says a lot about the
authors’ empathy and their purpose. They weren’t writing just to describe life — they were
writing to
challenge it
. To show that something needs to change. In the end, these novels
remind us that the personal is political — and that a single woman’s pain can reflect the quiet
suffering of thousands. Through realistic storytelling, both Hardy and Qodiriy ask us not just
to read, but to feel, and maybe even to rethink what kind of society we want to live in.
Conclution
When reading
Tess of the d’Urbervilles
and
O‘tkan kunlar
, it’s hard not to feel a sense of
frustration — not just because of what happens to Tess and Kumush, but because their stories
feel familiar, even today. Both authors, writing from different sides of the world, show how
women can be caught between personal dreams and the harsh expectations of society. What
happens to them isn’t just bad luck — it’s the result of systems that judge too quickly, forgive
too little, and rarely listen to a woman’s voice. Hardy and Qodiriy didn’t write these stories
just to make readers feel sad. They wanted people to notice the injustice that hides behind
everyday life — in how people talk, how families decide, and how society expects women to
act. They show that behind ideas like “honor” and “purity,” there are real people, often
suffering quietly. What makes both novels powerful is their honesty. They don’t pretend
everything will turn out fine. Instead, they show what can happen when traditions go
unquestioned, when people care more about appearances than about what’s right. And that’s
what gives their stories lasting value — they ask readers to think, not just feel. In the end, Tess
and Kumush might come from different places, but they face the same walls. Their lives
remind us that change doesn’t always come from loud revolutions — sometimes, it starts with
listening to the quiet truths in stories like these. And maybe, by paying attention, we become a
little more aware, a little more human.
References:
Используемая литература:
Foydalanilgan adabiyotlar:
1.
Hardy, T. (1891).
Tess of the d’Urbervilles
. London: Osgood, McIlvaine and Co.
2.
Qodiriy, A. (1926).
O‘tkan kunlar
. Tashkent: Yozuvchi Nashriyoti.
7
Rakhimova, G. (2018).
Qodiriy ijodida ayol obrazi: Tarix va badiiyat uyg‘unligi
.
Adabiyot va san’at jurnali
, (4), 45–51.
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3.
Showalter, E. (1977).
A Literature of Their Own: British Women Novelists from Brontë to
Lessing
. Princeton University Press.
4.
Morgan, R. (2007).
Thomas Hardy: The Tragic Novelist
. London: HarperCollins.
5.
Saidov, S. (2001).
O‘zbek adabiyoti tarixida realizmning o‘rni
. Tashkent: O‘zbekiston
Milliy Ensiklopediyasi Nashriyoti.
6.
Faridakhon, T. (2021). METHODS TO REVEAL THE PSYCHE OF THE HERO IN A
MONOLOGUE. Бюллетень науки и практики, 7(12), 443-446.
7.
Karimov, M. (1995).
Abdulla Qodiriy va O‘zbek romani
. Tashkent: Fan.
8.
Culler, J. (2011).
Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction
. Oxford University Press.
9.
Турсунова, Ф. Г. (2018). Использование монолога при создании сатирических
персонажей (на примере произведений Абдуллы Кодири). Достижения науки и
образования, (15 (37)), 52-54.
10.
Eagleton, T. (2008).
Literature and Ideology
. Blackwell Publishing.
11.
UNESCO. (2022).
Women in Culture and the Arts: A Global Report
. Retrieved from
12.
British Council. (2023).
Supporting Women Writers Around the World
. Retrieved from
https://www.britishcouncil.org
13.
Brantlinger, P. (1990).
The Reading Lesson: The Threat of Mass Literacy in Nineteenth-
Century British Fiction
. Indiana University Press.
14.
Rakhimova, G. (2018).
Qodiriy ijodida ayol obrazi: Tarix va badiiyat uyg‘unligi
.
Adabiyot
va san’at jurnali
, (4), 45–51.
