Dautova Gulnaz Rakhimovna

PhD student Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and M.O.Auezov Institute of Literature and Art

About classification of epic genres in folklore of the Kazakh people

Introduction. Currently the researchers have proved typological commonness of the most narrative and thematic parameters of epics of different nations. This means that the ideological-thematic and plot-motivative range of the Kazakh epic, as well as other ethnic epics, as a whole, is correlated with the "catalog" of the world epic fund. But this Kazakh epos (and any other epos) is a unique, original creation of ethnic group whose uniqueness is due to complex causes and due to the features specific historical circumstances of epic art. This means that in the epic field of Kazakh ethnos typologically common themes and motifs are developed in a specifically national way, which results in the widest variety and diversity and is actually a kaleidoscope of infinite variants of implementation and the possible interpretations of these categories, i.e. the national specificity of the epic is formed.

We should mention with gratitude and respect the names of the researchers who made a great contribution to the study of the Kazakh epic, they are: Ch. Valikhanov, V.V. Radlov, G.N. Potanin, A.Divaev, I.N. Berezin, A. Baytursynov, Kh. Dosmukhamedov, A. Bokeikhanov, M. Auezov, S. Seifullin, A. Margulan, K. Zhumaliyev, N.S. Smirnov A.Konyratbaev, R.Berdybayev, T.Sydykov and others. The works that have been created in the last decade of the XX century and at the beginning of the XXI century are also very important for the study of epics. They are monographic study of such authors as: O.Nurmagambetova, Sh.Ibrayev, B.Azibaнev, E.Tursunov and S.Kaskabasov works written by him for the collections. Great literature is devoted to the genre classification of the Kazakh epic. These are the works of A. Margulan, S. Sadyrbayev ("Issues of the cyclization of the Kazakh epic", Alma-Ata, 1965). The problems of historicism became the main theme of N.Silchenko's research. The problem of the epic storyteller is a constant object of the research (see A.Margulan's works "About the carriers of the ancient poetic culture of the Kazakh people", E.Tursynov's monograph "Types of carriers of the Kazakh folklore", a series of works by E.Ismayilov about akyns, etc.). The works of some outstanding storytellers - Dzhambul, Bayzakoa, Nurkhan Ahmetbekov (the works of M. Auezov, I.Eventov, MDasenov, S. Esipov) are considered in detail. On the epic problems, a number of Ph.D. thesis have beendefended - S.Neghimov, A.Ospanov, J. Bekturov, B.Abylkasimov and others. The works of S. Satpayev illuminate the problems of the Kazakh epic ties with the epic traditions of the East in the literary aspect.

Archaic epic and main characters. Archaic epic is the oldest type of epic creativity, on the basis of which all subsequent types of the epic were born and formed. The most important characteristic feature of it is syncretism, for archaic myths, fairy tales, legends, rites and rituals, ancient world outlooks played an important role in the formation of it.

In the subject-thematic plan, the archaic epic is heterogeneous, in some of them the deeds and exploits of the shooter-hunter are described, in others heroes who perform heroic deeds are glorified, mainly for two purposes: it is the search for a betrothed, dreamed beauty, that is, to achieve personal interests of an individual or protection of the weak, the persecuted, innocent sufferers, often for salvation and reunification of his own family. As it is known, it is this pathos inherent in the heroes of the archaic epos of many Central Asian and Altai people, where "the protection of the offended, without the guilt of the persecuted is one of the obligatory functions of the hero."

Archaic plot is evident in such epics of the Kazakh people as: “Khikaya Risala Munluk Zarlyk”, “Kissa Kulamergen”, “Kubygul”, “Aryk Mergen”.

For example, the most important motifs of the archaic epos "Hikayat Risala Munluk, Zarlyk" are as follows: the childlessness of the powerful Shanshar Khan; the search for a girl who would promise to give birth to a son; the birth of wonderful children: a golden-haired boy and a blond girl; the envy of the sixty childless wives of the padishah with the contamination of the motif for substituting the newborns with two puppies; the sultan ordered to throw the puppies into the water and to punish his wife; Gayip Yeren Kyryk Shiltenov help to the children thrown into the water; feeding children with a wonderful fallow deer; the motif of the rope, which ends three times on the gallows; Zarlyk's journey to the realm of Khan Khulmes; getting the heroic horse and heroic equipment; victory over the Kalmaks, besieging the possessions of Kulmes Khan; a duel with the giant who kidnapped Kulmes Khan's daughter, Zarlyk's victory; marrying the daughter of Kulmes Khan; meeting with father and mother; family reunion.

Plots of archaic epics, formed in ancient times, survived in the recording of the second half of XIX - early XX centuries. In the interpretation of akyns and zhirshi, who created within the epic traditions of their time, that is, not in their original appearance, but undergoing significant changes, sometimes transforming beyond recognition. But they kept their deep meaning.

Classical epic. The main theme of the heroic epic is the defense of the clan, tribe, native land from foreign invaders. Plots of all the works of the heroic epic, both in general, and their individual links, try to reveal this topic. The main engine of the plot and the personification of the ideas of the epic is the epic hero. Therefore heroic epics are called by the names of batyrs.

An important role in the formation of it, as established by scientists, belongs to the ancient Turkic epic poetry, historical legends and legends of ancient nationalities and tribes that form part of various state and political associations and conferences that existed on the territory of Kazakhstan, and later took part in the ethnogenesis of the Kazakh people.

The heroic epic is the core and the obligatory link of the historical development of the epic as a whole, the source and stabilizer of the formation and development of all subsequent types of the national epic: the romance, the historical and the dastan epic. The works of the Kazakh heroic epic are differentiated according to their genesis, structure, volume, attribution to a certain epic epoch, epic center, the character of historicism, the degree of prevalence of mythical, fairy, novelistic, real and others.

In its composition there are very significant in terms of volume, multi-component, complex in its structure works, which can be developed several epic stories, diverse collisions, for the disclosure of which attracts many motifs. There are also small in size texts, which describe one or two heroic deeds, which, as a rule, form the core of the epic biography of the hero. The multipartite epics each semantically important segment of the epic hero's life is a complete story (Azibayeva, 2014, p. 279).

Genre study of folklore is an actual, prior direction of folklore, which objectively proceeds from the fact that folklore is a historical phenomenon, a product of the historical development of society that gives its understanding of nature and the universe, the society and a man and its interpretation of historical reality.

Correlating of the folklore material with certain historical epochs and events, that is, the study of folklore works, taking into account their chronological periodization strengthens the methodological, historical and documentary base of folklore studies, contributes to obtaining more reliable, more productive results.

Historical epics and images of warriors. In addition to the heroic epic and lyric poems domestic Kazakh epos includes many historical songs. This kind of narrative song gets its extensive development in XVIII-XIX centuries. Military colonization of the steppes by the tsarist government and violence, committed by the minions of that power - khans, sultans, volost rulers, caused frequent uprisings of the Kazakh people. Almost the entire second half of the XVIII and the entire first half of the XIX centuries passed in continuous armed struggle of the people with their oppressors. Rebellion broke out in one or the other part of the Kazakh steppes and mountains, and these heroic impulses of the fighting masses are embodied in a number of historical songs: about Syrym, about Issatay and Makhambet, about Becket and Zhangozhe.

These historical songs trace their tradition from older models - from the songs of battles and raids the internecine struggle of Central Asian and Siberian tribes. Many historical songs tell about the campaigns of Esim, Ablay, Kabanbai and other historical figures who lived in the XVI-XVIII centuries. In addition to these songs there were also historical songs about people's calamities and upheavals caused by the prolonged animosity of Adai tribes (one of the Kazakh tribes) with the Turkmens.

These songs indicate hostility and strife between the neighboring tribes, between whole nations, which were involved in the destructive war between each other by the feudal upper classes of each nation khans, beks and other rulers. All these songs, both early and late are based on real historical events and their central figures are true historic names. In most of these events the authors are their contemporaries. Presentation of events follows the chronological order of what he had been seen and experienced by the authors. The genre difference of these historical songs from the heroic epic it is that the objective tone of epic narrative is replaced by subjective evaluation, brightly colored by emotional perception of events. The most famous is the song of Becket, a song about the campaigns of Ablay and historical song about Zhangozhe which is less known.

The song of Becket tells true stories about historical events of the uprising of the people in the sixties of the XIX century in Western Kazakhstan. Becket is a brave son of the Kazakh numerous tribe Shekty joined the fight against the Sultan, the ruler of Arystan, a protege of the tsarist government, leading Kazakhs who rebelled against the unbearable exactions against the forcible taking away of land, against oppression by the Sultan. Sultan sent troops into the steppe, but Becket arranged raid on the Sultan’s headquarters, defeated his forces and killed Arystan. Against the rebellions were sent the tsar troops with whom Becket was fighting bitterly. The sultans and noblemen did not rely on tsar’s assistance and promised a huge amount of money for the head of Becket. Becket’s former friend and peer Sherniyaz treacherously betrayed to the authorities the national hero, who was exiled to Siberia for hard work.

The poem about Becket depicts historical events and the image of national hero. The second part of the poem describes Becket's oblivion in Orenburg, his deportation to forced labor. His young wife followed him heroically, escape from prison and the return, and the execution of the traitor Sherniyaz. Becket’s sufferings, the scenes of farewell to his mother and wife, the courageous assistance of his wife to help him to escape from prison constitute a part of this romantic historical songs.

Originating in the bowels of the heroic epic, historical zhyry have much in common with it, but also have a lot of differences: the characters of almost all historical epics have real prototypes, the characteristics of their respective real-life parameters of ordinary people, the subject image is not epic fate of the hero, but the real, known from the history of events, specifically-life conflict and military activities of the epic characters for the love of Homeland.

The main characters of Kazakh historical epics are known khans and warriors, commanders and ordinary sarbazy who showed military prowess. These works tell of the heroism of individual warriors and all people how in the dramatic moments of the history the military leaders and warriors, khans and simple warriors united to confront innumerable enemies.

Conclusion. Kazakh epic work is an integral part of the spiritual culture of the people and goes back to its antiquity. Throughout its history from the era of consolidation of the disparate tribes of nomads of single monolithic Kazakh nation to its heyday in the era of mature socialism – the epic of Kazakhs carried the most important moral and aesthetic values, worked out by the people, repulsed all the major turning historical events, becoming a true chronicle of its spiritual, social and material life. The brightest examples of the Kazakh epos became an integral part of the world culture.

Epic tradition of Kazakh people is actively operating in our days, thus proving the possibility and the organic existence of such ancient heritage in the framework of socialist culture. The vividness of the epic tradition in Kazakhstan makes topical task of reviewing its nature and its processes of functioning and transformation in the present.

It is clear that, firstly, the Kazakh epos was formed long before the formation of the Kazakh nation and, secondly, it is the part of a hierarchical system of the highest order and genetically associated with each of its levels. In the most general terms, this hierarchy is as follows: epic of Turkic people, epic of people of Central Asia and Kazakhstan, Kazakh epos and folklore, epic and local traditions of the Kazakhs, story teller schools within each epic tradition, the individual features of the narrators within a single school, etc.

As it is known, in the scientific search its prerequisites are highly important. Any statement of folklore facts is based on expectations, not always fully conscious. Therefore, any description of the material and its interpretation may not be completely free of subjectivity. The accumulation of new facts inevitably corrects the theory itself and puts forward on this basis, new assumptions, which are tested for viability, and any correction of representations, in our view, is positive, even if it was not enough.

However, when dealing with the living cultural phenomenon which is subject to transformation, the researcher does not have an opportunity to expect passively the emergence of some kind of theory that can bring perfect order, based on slowly collected and systematized facts and phenomena. A hundred times more topical becomes the task of collecting and understanding of the epic traditions of the Kazakhs, which reveals a great moral potential which is able to participate in the modern spiritual life of the Soviet people.

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Ibraev Sh. The world of epics. Poetics of the Kazakh heroic epics . (Almaty, 1972)

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