Literature of antiquity and the Middle Ages - Summary - Ievgen Sykalo 2026

The book of my grandfather Korkut
Abdallah ibn Faraj (XV century)

The Weight of a Name: Destiny and Honor in the Oghuz Epics

Can a name be an achievement rather than a birthright? In the world of the Oghuz Turks, identity is not a static gift given at birth but a status earned through blood, trial, and the recognition of the community. The Book of My Grandfather Korkut operates on this fundamental paradox: the characters are born into a rigid social hierarchy, yet they must shatter their own perceived limits—and sometimes the expectations of their fathers—to truly exist in the eyes of the tribe. It is less a collection of stories and more a manual for survival and nobility in a landscape where the boundary between the human and the supernatural is porous.

The Architecture of the Epic Cycle

The work is not constructed as a linear narrative with a single protagonist, but as a series of songs—episodic modules that function as moral and social archetypes. Each story follows a rhythmic pattern of stability, disruption, suffering, and eventual restoration. The plot is driven not by internal psychological conflict in the modern sense, but by the collision of individual will with fate and social obligation.

Key turning points in these narratives often center on a moment of profound vulnerability. Whether it is Bugach-Khane lying wounded in the wilderness, Bamsa-Beyrek spending seventeen years in a dungeon, or Delu Dumrul facing the Angel of Death, the climax is preceded by a period of isolation. The resolution always returns the hero to the community, but they return transformed. The ending of each song resonates with the beginning by reaffirming the social order, yet it expands that order to include the hero's new, hard-won status. The repetitive use of the number forty—forty warriors, forty days—creates a ritualistic pacing, signaling to the reader that these events are not mere accidents but cosmic necessities.

Psychological Portraits of the Oghuz

The characters in the Korkut epics are defined by their reactions to betrayal and loss. They are not static figures of virtue but are often contradictory, driven by a mixture of fierce pride and deep loyalty.

The Wounded Son and the Patient Hero

Bugach-Khane represents the tragedy of filial betrayal. His psychology is rooted in the transition from childhood innocence to the harsh reality of political intrigue. His survival is not a result of his own strength, but of the maternal bond and divine intervention. In contrast, Bamsa-Beyrek embodies the virtue of endurance. His willingness to enter his own wedding as a "fool" demonstrates a psychological flexibility; he suppresses his ego to regain his place in the world, proving that true heroism involves as much patience as it does swordplay.

The Hubris of Delu Dumrul

Perhaps the most complex psychological study is Delu Dumrul. Unlike the other heroes, his conflict is not with a physical enemy but with the inevitable. His initial arrogance—challenging the Angel of Death, Azrail—is a manifestation of a man who believes his earthly power can override divine law. His transformation occurs only when he experiences the terror of his own helplessness. His eventual humility is not born of fear alone, but of the realization that love (the willingness of his wife to die for him) is the only force capable of negotiating with death.

The Subversive Strength of Seljang Khatun

Seljang Khatun disrupts the traditional gender binary of the epic. She is not a passive prize to be won but a strategic partner. Her psychology is one of vigilance; she anticipates treachery where her husband, Kan-Tural, is blinded by sleep. The tension between her and Kan-Tural—where he initially feels "denigrated" by her rescue—highlights a struggle between traditional masculinity and the reality of mutual dependence.

Core Ideas and Thematic Currents

The work explores the tension between individualism and tribal cohesion. The Oghuz society is portrayed as a meritocracy of courage, where the "black tents" of the childless or the "white tents" of the fathers serve as visual markers of social standing. This creates a driving need for characters to prove their worth through the jigit (heroic) ideal.

Another dominant theme is the sacredness of the family bond, particularly the mother-son relationship. In the story of Bugach-Khane, the mother's milk mixed with mountain flowers serves as a literal and symbolic elixir of life. This suggests that while the father represents the law and the social order (which can be cruel and betraying), the mother represents the primal, healing force of nature and unconditional love.

The confrontation with the monstrous, as seen in the battle against the cannibal Depegez, serves as a metaphor for the struggle between civilization and chaos. Basat, who was raised by a lioness, is the bridge between these two worlds. He must use the instincts of the wild to defeat a creature that has abandoned all human empathy, suggesting that the "civilized" man must sometimes reclaim his primal nature to survive.

Narrative Technique and Style

The author employs a style rooted in oral tradition, characterized by formulaic repetitions and a high degree of symbolism. The use of colors—white for purity/success and black for mourning/humiliation—provides an immediate emotional shorthand for the reader. The pacing is brisk, often skipping years of narrative time to focus on the "frozen moments" of high drama, such as the archery competition or the battle with the beasts of Trapezund.

A distinctive technique is the role of Dede Korkut himself. He is not merely a narrator but a ritualistic figure who provides the naming. In this culture, the act of naming is a performative speech act; when Korkut names a hero, he is essentially validating their existence and granting them a place in history. This creates a meta-narrative where the story is not just about the events, but about the recording and remembering of those events.

Pedagogical Value

For the student of literature, this work offers a profound look at the Hero's Journey outside the Western canon. It challenges the reader to consider how different cultures define "nobility" and "strength." Rather than focusing on a purely internal psychological arc, the student can analyze how identity is constructed through social interaction and external validation.

Critical questions for the reader include: To what extent is the hero's success dependent on their own agency versus divine or familial intervention? How does the work redefine the role of women in a patriarchal warrior society? In what ways does the character of Delu Dumrul shift the work from a heroic epic to a philosophical meditation on mortality? By engaging with these questions, students can move beyond the surface-level action to understand the complex socio-ethical framework of the Middle Ages.