THE DEPICTION OF THE ERA OF OPPRESSION IN ASQAR MAHKAM’S POETRY

Аннотация

This article presents a literary and ideological analysis of the poetic lines written by AsqarMahkam that reflect theperiod oftotalitarian rule. Keywords:Asqar Mahkam, poetry, colonial period, people, Jadid enlightenment, lyrical hero, rhyme, theprinciple ofhistoricism. When analyzing a literary work, several critical principles are employed. One of them is the principle of historicism. This principle focuses on the accurate depiction of a certain historical era within a literary text. Regardless of the form, the spirit of the time during which a work was written is always present, to a greater or lesser extent. It reflects the lives of people and society during specific years. When examining the works of any writer or poet, the context of the era they lived in cannot be ignored. The talented poet Asqar Mahkam’s poems possess these features. In his works written in the late 20th century, he vividly depicts the hardships endured by the peopleduring thetotalitarian regimeandthe bitterreality ofhuman lives at that time. In his poems such as “Afsus” (“Alas”), “Zeb berdilar…” (“They Adorned…”), “Bu loy devor ostida…” (“Under This Mud Wall…”), “Mashriq” (“The East”), and “Chirigan shox- shabba tomini…” (“The Rotten Twigs on the Roof…”), the policies of the colonial period, the suffering ofthepeople, and thecruelty ofSoviet officials are presented. Weare theones who honored traitors, Weare theones who turned our brave intothe unvalued… Whatothernation sends itswomen Into thefields to work likecattle? This poetic fragment is taken from Asqar Mahkam’s poem *Afsus*. The poet speaks of the tragic and sorrowful condition of our people during Tsarist Russia. Some Uzbeks flattered and served Russian officials. After the annexation of the three khanates, a resettlement policy was implemented, which brought Russians to Turkestan. They were given the most fertile lands and homes. Meanwhile, local people were left to perform menial labor, engaged in agricultural tasks without rest. They produced tons of cotton, even in the bitter cold of winter. People of all ages, from seven toseventy, were forced to work in thefields. In this context, it is appropriate to recall a scene from Sharof Boshbekov’s comedy “Temir xotin”(“Iron Woman”), in which thecharacterAlomat says toQo‘chqor: “You beat your chest claiming to be a cotton grower, yet you can’t even find cotton in your bedding! Look at your clothes-everything the light industry rejects ends up on people like you. Whatis this?Whowears anylon dress in thisheat?” 149 Volume 4, issue 5, 2025 These lines are a direct criticism of the situation endured by the Uzbek people. In the first line of Mahkam’s poetic excerpt, this same issue is emphasized-how people honored the oppressive officials and gave them places of honor while they themselves remained marginalized. The second line accuses society of dishonoring its bravest members-those who, like Cho‘lpon, Abdulla Avloniy, Abdulla Qodiriy, Abdurauf Fitrat, Mahmudxo‘ja Behbudiy, Hamza Hakimzoda Niyoziy, Is’hoqxon Ibrat, and Munavvarqori Abdurashidxonov, strove to awaken national consciousness but were persecuted under colonial oppression due to betrayal by their own countrymen. Such courageous and educated figures were devalued by their fellow nationals. During wartime, when men were sent to the frontlines, women and children were left to toil endlessly in the fields. Similar scenes are found in O‘tkir Hoshimov’s novel “Between Two Doors” (Ikki eshik orasi). Structurally, the poem contains absolute rhyme with the words “xoinlarini” (“traitors”) and “xotinlarini” (“women”), with the consonant “n” as the rhyme letter. The rhythm follows a 6+5=11 syllabic pattern, and the repetition of “bizmiz u” (“we are the ones who…”) at thebeginning ofthefirst two lines increases the emotional impact. …Such national murderers Knowneitherthe homeland, norus… Theircountless slaves Let them livelikepharaohs… Even iftheUzbekperishes, They have villas inEurope… In this excerpt, the poet writes about "national murderers"—those who live in luxurious mansions under constant medical care. They are ignorant of the hunger and nakedness of ordinary people's children, of the sunburnt women and scorched men working in the fields. They are indifferent to the people's pain and know nothing of patriotism, national pride, or the fate of the nation. They have entourages to serve them and live like pharaohs. Even if the Uzbek people disappear, it means nothing to them—they have wealth and European villas. Artistically, the poem is masterfully composed. Though not obviously rhymed, the poetic flow is maintained through the harmonious use of grammatical suffixes: “bizlarni”, “bari”, “villalari”, “qullarining”, and“ularning”. TheEast nolonger existed, Thegreat mosques hadbeen destroyed. At every step onesaw thepath Ofthe“leaders”who devoured Asia… 150 Volume 4, issue 5, 2025 This excerpt from Mahkam’s poem “Mashriq” (“The East”) recalls the dark days faced by the nation duri