A.Zhaparova
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University,
Department of Translation Theory and Methodology
Metaphors
in Abai’s poetry
Metaphors
are used in daily life and poetic speech. Poetic metaphor differs from everyday
metaphors with its freshness and novelty. In poetry and prose metaphor is not
just a means of lexical expression, but it is a way of constructing images.
Penetrating into mind and sense in the meaning of each of the links of the
metaphor, we are inevitably exposed to the powerful influence of poetry: a
metaphor is a kind of lever that set in motion mind and soul of a reader.
Many
types of metaphors can be met in Abai’s poetry. A simple metaphor made with one
word.
Look deep into your soul and
ponder on my words:
To you I am a puzzle, my person
and my verse.
My life has been a struggle, a
thousand foes I braved,
Don’t judge me too severely –
for you the way I paved {1, 7}
Metaphors that come with the
help of
In
terms of genre distinctions, Abai’s
lyrics is manifold, multi-valued, faceted. They are rich
in ideological content, bright topics, they cover a variety of lifestyles. We
find the diversity of poems in the poetry of Abai on a variety of topics such
as: destiny of the people, passage of time, social and political problems, love
poems, philosophical poetry, satirical songs, description of the nature,
dedicated poems to certain and definite individuals. In the poems of Abai
everything can be found: a sense of joy, a sense of confidence, sorrow and
sadness, the bitter truth and sharp criticism. Lyrics of mind state and mental
attitude fascinate us with the poet’s gentle lyricism, depth and severity of
his statements, experience and wisdom. Reading these lines, you have the
impression that you communicate with the poet himself, you
talk to him.
Lonely heart,
do not seek response
On your road
with calamities lined.
My soul, do not
wander, keep still for once
If no refuge
from life you can find.
A feeling
expressed is always false.
No voice
responds to my calls.
Oh whither, my
restless, unhappy soul,
Do you draw me
away from my native walls?
Friendship,
happiness, peace and love
On the market
of life are not worth much.
The peddlars of
honour won’t put them above
A copper
ha’penny—life is such.{1, 168}
The poet expresses his feelings and emotions
through embodiment, metaphors and other figurative and expressive means. This
makes it possible to convey his feelings and inner spirit through the skill,
ability and grace of lyrics, it contributes to accurate and vivid transfer of his
feelings. The author puts questions to himself, he soothes and comforts himself,
looks for evidence - all points to the abyss and comprehensiveness of his
thoughts and ideas on the impact and impressive excitement, awe and confusion.
Using a variety of tropes, the poet turns the poem-initiation into a unique masterpiece.
One of these poems begins with the words "What are you looking for, my
heart, what do you seek?". To convey his thoughts in one quatrain, the
author presents two metaphors here. «Life is a wave» and «good or bad it’s all
the same, it’s full of poison anyway».
Life, after
all, is a wave
It all too
quickly ebbs away,
And good or
bad it’s all the same,
It’s full of
poison anyway {1, 111}
The poet compares life with stream,
current, flow, with wave. We agree with the author here, because life is
ceaseless, continuous, uninterrupted and fleeting, it continuously passes away,
its speed and irretrievability described
in the given work. The bad and the good things in life, the writer compares them
with toxic poison. Probably because good and evil, happy and sad days take time,
occupy our thoughts, sometimes poisoning our minds, filling it with doubt,
fear, darkness. The author calls all the events of our lives as poison, since
all occasions are temporary, impermanent,
quickly. You should not be completely absorbed by any event in life.
Another world of his poetry belongs to
the natural lyricism. Nature is the place where a human-being lives, exists,
works. The theme of nature, its unique wealth, beauty, elegance, fullness take
place in the poetry of every poet, writer, creative person. Depending on age,
time, place of residence, each author describes and praises nature in his own
way. A poet, thinker, philosopher Abai considers the nature as a part of the
microcosm, where there is harmony and order, and each of its part is perceived
by us as a living, purifying element, vociferous band managed invisible
conductor. The subtext of the poem through images are the sky, the earth, sun
and water, they convey the idea of the unity of man and nature.
Radiance and light, which is filled with art space, representing the beginning
of uniting the world. Poems "Autumn", "Winter",
"Summer", "In the
silent, luminous night" confirm loveliness of the great Kazakh poet’s
ouevre.
"Winter"
by Abai Kunanbaev
Broad-shouldered, white-coated, powdered with snow,
Blind and dumb, with a great big silvery beard,
Grandad Winter plods on with a frown on his brow,
By everything living hated and feared.
The grumpy old fellow does plenty of harm.
His breath stirs up blizzards, brings snow and cold.
With a cloud for a hat on his shaggy head,
He marches along, all the world in his hold.
His beetling eyebrows are knit in a frown.
When he tosses his head—dismal snow starts to fall.
Like a crazy old camel he acts in his rage,
Rocking and shaking our yurta’s thin wall.
If the children run out to play in the yard
He pinches their noses and checks with cruel hands.
No sheepskin can keep out (he freezing cold;
With his back lo the wind, the shepherd stands.
The horses in vain try to shatter the ice—
The hungry herd scarcely shuffle their feet.
Greedy wolves—winter’s henchmen—bare their fangs;
Watch, or disaster your flocks may meet!
Drive them off to safe pastures—don’t wait until day.
You won’t die if you sleep less—come, quicken your step.
Kondibai and Kondai* aren’t as wicked as wolves—
Don’t let old man Winter, feast in our steppes.
Abai skillfully depicts and
outlines the picture of harsh winter. The author compares severe, austere,
terrible, cold winter with a callous, cruel, implacable man. Winter is
inappropriate, uncomfortable weather for cattle, winter is blind, dumb power.
In this poem Abai displays and expounds winter in the form of a man.
Previously, before the season called winter had not been described in this way.
Abai creates images, according to the perception of the people,
ethno-linguistic and cultural concepts of the Kazakh people. Winter is an old
father of son-in-law or daughter-in-law, who always is not happy and morose.
When you read this poem, involuntarily feel frost, chill, bitter cold. Winter
is very unfavorable time for a shepherd, for livestock, for all hard-working
people. Author notices this process very aptly and mastrefully. Abai likens the
winter with a father of son-in-law. As you know, " father of son-in-law "
is important, honorable man for the Kazakh people. As Kazakhs say,
"husbands for a hundred years, father of son-in-law is for thousand years." The Kazakhs always treat
this esteemed and distinguished person with honor and dignity, they meet him
with smile on their faces, appreciate and revere him; try to please him. Winter
comes with chills and heavy snow. Frost holds down the ground, and snow covers
it with white veil. There are so many varieties of descriptions of winter
season. But Abai found proper and exact metaphors, right and solid word and
depicted winter comparing it with father of the son-in-law.
Abai's poetry varies with
abundance of a diversity of metaphors, it is traditional metaphor, as well as
author-individual metaphors of talented and gifted Kazakh poet Abai Kunanbaev.
Metaphor is the main constructive techniques, the dominant style of his work,
the hallmark of Abai, in general.
Literature:
1.Abai Kunanbayev. Selected poems. Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1970