Kushkinbayeva Karlyga Temirzhanovna

MA, teacher of the Department of applied linguistics

of Kostanay State University named after Akhmet Baitursynov

 

The poem and the plot

 

If we try to study the history of poem, one of genres in Kazakh literature, its appearance, peculiar features of its development, define its classification by content we can find lots of interesting facts. According to the content and composition  poems are divided into two categories. They are lyrical, publicistic poems and narrative poems.

The difference of poem from other literature genres is in its capability to attract reader’s whole attention at once. The particular feature of poem lies in its rhyme,  content, type, unusual and deep idea, rhythm, melody, inspiring dynamics [1.2.].

Let’s first talk about narrative poem. Poem is a piece of poetry where epic and lyric features are mixed. So do we need narrative poems then? What is more important for poem: plot or content and stable dynamics? We consider deep idea and stable dynamics to be more important than a plot. That’s true, because the content of the poem is not just a number of events collected in it. But it is the shortest way to reach readers’ minds. That is the way through which the author delivers ideas without creating a complicated story. Here we can clearly see knowledge level, mastery, creativity, poetic philosophy of a poet.

Zhuban Moldagaliyev’s poem «Zhyr turaly zhyr» [A poem about poem] is among his most precious and realistic poems. Where in this poem can we see the mastery of Zhuban? The author coped to capture a warrior poet Zhalel’s lifefull of battles in the short poem and more over to lighten up agreat figure of the noble man facing his death. How did he manage to do it? He does it without any narrative tools [1.2.].

Even the first lines can awaken readers emotions:

«Æàéëàñûï æàòûð àқûðûí,

Çàë òîëû – æûðäûң äîñòàðû.

Òûңäàìàқ àáçàë àқûíûí,

Àðäàқòû Îòàíäàñòàðû.

Àқûí øå? Àқûí êåëìåä³,

Áîñ êүòò³ òөðäå á³ð îðûí...

Êүìá³ðëåï çàëäû êåðíåä³.

Ñөç àëûï ñîíäà æûðû îíûң - »

 

[The verse is given in author’s free translation

I see the hall is full of crowd

All of them are poem lovers

Ready to catch poet’s words

Devoted countrymen.

While the poet is not among them

In vain they wait for the idol

But suddenly the hearts were trembled by

Sincere words of poem song]

Here the reader can stop reading or even listening to the author. Everyone comes to a question where the poet is. The reader now is not expected to quit. He is in embraced by charms of the poem.

Suddenly it can be heard:

«Îé äà үç³ëä³ çàìàòòà,

Îðíàäû қàéòà òүí-òүíåê.

Áұðàóû á³òêåí ñàғàòòàé,

Ñàìàðқàó ñîғûï òұðæүðåê.

Ñîë ғàíà îÿó, ñîë ò³ð³ –

Ñàíàéäû àçàï êүíäåð³í.

Өçãåñ³í ôàøèñò өëò³ðä³ –

Äәðìåíñ³ç äåíå, ò³ë, åð³í»

The lines reveal tragic destiny of the poet.

M.Makatayev considers the poem to be worth due to its content and lyrical dynamics, complex logic, but not a breathtaking plot.

Looking at Zh. Moldagaliyev’s poem «Men kazakpyn [I am Kazakh]» we see that it is not a narrative poem too. It is a publicistic poem. It is a highly inspired work. But not being a narrative poem it is created with a flood of emotions. The author illustrates historic events, bitter truth of past.

«Men kazakpynmynolip, myntirilgen [I am Kazakh hundred times died, hundred times risen again]»[2.324]–beginning the poem with these words he showed terrible historical events past many years ago, dark period under the rule of invaders.

           Ìåí қàçàқïûí, àæàëñûç àëàìûí ìåí.

Құðñàғûíà ñèäûðûï äàëàíû êåң.

Ïәê ñәáèì³í áåñ³êòå ó³ëäåãåí.

Äәó³ðëåðìåí құðäàñïûí, äàëàìûí ìåí.

Îñûíäàé áîï á³ëìåéì³í ê³ìíåí òóäûì.

Áәëêè қàéñàқ, áәëêè á³ð ãүííåí òóäûì.

Äåï øàòûïòû á³ðåóëåð «êүííåí òóäûì»

Æîқ, ñ³ðә, ìåí қàðà құë, êүңíåí òóäûì[2.324].

 

[The verse is given in author’s free translation

I am Kazakh, I can easily seize

My motherland inside my soul

Like a baby lying in the cradle

I am the land as old as the century

I don’t know parents who made me live

Someone has told the sun is my creator

No no, I am a slave, I born from [2.324].

Revealing sharp-true facts of the history this poem takes over the reader’s soul. The following lines show contemporary life conditions of Kazakh people:

Ìåí қàçàқïûí, áåëä³ì³í, áàéòàқ åëì³í,

Қàéòà òóäûì, өì³ðãå қàéòà êåëä³ì.

Ìåí ìûңäà á³ð ò³ð³ëä³ì ìәңã³ өëìåñêå,

Ìåí Қàçàқ åñ³ì³í àéòà êåëä³ì...

Àéòà áåðã³ì êåëåä³, àéòà áåðã³ì[2.353].

 

[The verse is given in author’s free translation

I am Kazakh, I am the land

I have reborn, I have come to life

I have risen thousand times

Exalting the name of Kazakh…[2.353].

The narrative mood reflected in the poem makes reader be sympathetic to author’s ideas. Scrupulously chosen word combinations deliver the target state of naked sharp reality. The poet’s some of the most successful publicisticpoetic pieces arelyrics. Being a publicistic poem it is also represents a king of a lyric thingking.

Second type of poem is narrative poem. KalizhanBekhozhin is one of the great epic writers, author of many researches of historic topics discussed in poems.

         For discussion we can take K. Bekhozhin’s narrative poem «BatyrNauan [Nauan, the great warrior]». It is devoted to Kenesary Kasymov’s brave revolt against Russian empire slavery politics.

The story begins with Akhmet’streachery.His evil creature obviously comes out of actions such as stealing of cattle and thieve of a black-eyed beauty.In such a way, having taken a girl, he comes to a young man asking for help in returning his “bride” not knowing that the “bride” was promised to a young man.

                            Áәð³íåí àéáûíû àðòûқ áàòûð Íàóàí

                            Қàçàқòà áàòûð áàð ìà æåòêåí îғàí? [3.127]

 

[The verse is given in author’s free translation

The bravest man Nauan

If there is someone to compete?

FollowingpoetNysanbai’swaytheauthordepictsBatyrNauanastheonetostruggleagainstinvasion.

                            Íàóàííûң ì³íåç³ áàð æàñòûқ, àëáûðò,

                            Қàçàқòà áàòûð áàð ìà îäàí àðòûқ?

                            Àққàóûç àқ қàíàòòû àò åìåñ ïå,

                            Æөíåëä³ àëòû àðқàäàí àëòû-àқ қàðғûï [3.135].

 

[The verse is given in author’s free translation

Nauan is wit and piercing

There is no warrior equal to him

 

He reaches Akhmet’s villageat night and comes to Akhmet, kills him, ties the officer. The girl goes out along with him and he reunites two young creatures. He places the officer on the horse back, gives out a battle cry. Nauryzbai ties the officer to the tree, screams and rides towards theenemies.

                   Åð Íàóàí æàó ³ø³íäå îéíàқ ñàëäû,

                   Òîқñàíû Íàóðûçáàéäû îðòàғà àëäû.

                   Íàéçàñûí àëäû-àðòûíà ñ³ëòåé áåðä³.

                   Òүí åä³ êөç òүðòê³ñ³ç òàñ қàðàңғû[3.139].

                  

                   «Êåíå қàéäà êåòò³ áàòûð Íàóàí

                   Åð áàð ìà ïàð êåëåò³í áұë êүíäå îғàí» -

                   Äåñò³ äå, áàòûðëàðû øóûëäàñòû

                   Äàóûëäàé äàóñû øûғûï àқ îðäàäàí[3.144]

 

[The verse is given in author’s free translation

Nauan is fighting in an enemy circle

Nauryzbaysurrounded by 90 soldiers

Having managed to hold the line

They struggled side by side in the dark

Where is Nauan?

Do we have same kind of great warrior?

Warriors praisedtheir leader

And Akorda trembled due to disputes inside.]

«Batyr Nauan» is poet’s unique work burst form inside of his heart.

It is an evident illusration of bravery of Kazakh people giving rebuff to invaders.

Poem speaks about the tsar army’s intrusion into peaceful Kazakh lands, crushing settlements and murdering people, which is vividly illustrated in it.

Battle scenes with Kenesary and his brother, brave warriors’ actions make reader to have the taste of pain.

National hero Nauryzbai’s portrait represented in the poem is a high creative contribution of the author. The language of the poem is captivate and charming

Comprising many historical facts about liberation wars flavored with embroidery language «BatyrNauan» is an exceptional example of poem in the history of Kazakh epic poetry[4.66].

After getting independence of our motherland, it is necessary to look from new point of view at the topics touched in Kazakh literature; to define narrative poem’s place in science, study it thoroughly, intershare ideas.

 

Literature:

[The titles are given in author’s translation]

1.       M. Makatayev. Kazakh adebieti[Kazakh literature]. 21st September 1962 – 2 p.

2.       Zh. Moldagaliyev. Kyzykkajin [Red birch].Astana: Elorda, 2000–375 p.

3.       K. Bekhozhin. Batyr Nauan [Nauan, the great warrior].Astana: Elorda, 2000–272 p.

4.       A. Narymbetov. Kalizhan Bekhozhin [KalizhanBekhozhin]. Almaty «Rauan» 1993-104 p.