THE PLOT OF THE EPIC “A STRANGER IN LOVE” IN UZBEK AND AZERBAIJAN FOLKLORE

Аннотация

in this article, the plot of the epic “Asik Gharib” is widely given in Uzbek and Azerbaijani folklore, and the similarities and differences in the folk oral creativity of fraternal peoples are analyzed theoretically methodologically. Keywords:Epos, folk oral creativity, folklore, tradition, valueVomik Azro, Azerbaijan, Uzbek The issue of mutual influence and connections in folklore studies has only just begun to be studied. From this point of view, the works of researchers such as Kh.T. Zarifov, T. Mirzaev, K. Imomov, B. Sarimsakov, M. Takhmasib, M. Seyidov, O. Nabiev, V. Veliev. A. Abid on the connections between Uzbek and Azerbaijani folklore have become the basis for new research in the comparative folklore of both fraternal people. If we look at the history of folklore connections between the Uzbek and Azerbaijani people, we see that their roots go back a very long way. The historical ethnic unity of the Uzbek and Azerbaijani peoples at a certain period, their close living together, socio-economic and political ties indicate the existence of ancient literary ties between thetwo people. The study of folklore connections is the only means of determining the uniqueness of each people's folklore and the widespread distribution of folk masterpieces. Comparing similar plots or motifs can yield effective results in studying the issues of connection and influence. The plots of many epics of a romantic nature have a common character in Central Asia and the Transcaucasus. We can see this in the example of some epics. For example, epics such as "Oshik Gharib- A stranger in love", "Vomik and Uzro" or "Kozi Korpesh and Bayan Suluv", "Tahir and Zuhra". The epic poem "Oshik Gharib and Shahsanam", which is widespread among the people of Central Asia and Transcaucasia, is of great importance in studying the mutual relations, connections, ethnographic proximity, and certain commonalities and differences in the socio- aestheticdevelopment ofthepeoples ofthis region. In particular, the comparative study of the Azerbaijani and Uzbek versions of the epic poem "Oshik Gharib and Shahsanam" is of scientific and practical interest. When it comes to the common and different aspects ofboth folk epics, it is first ofall appropriate tocompare their plot lines. It should be noted that the Uzbek folk epic "Oshik Gharib and Shahsanam" and the Azerbaijani folk epic "Oshik Gharib" have a sharp difference in terms of plot. In the Azerbaijani version, theaction takes place in Tabriz. The story begins with a description of a merchant named Muhammad and his family living in the province of Diyarbakir, while the Uzbek version is somewhat traditional, namely the story of the meeting of Shahsanam, the daughter of the king of Diyarbakir, Shahabbos, and Gharibjan, the son of his minister Hasan, and the details of their agreement to be their godchildren when their https://ijmri.de/index.php/jmsi volume 4,issue3,2025 12 children grow up, and the breaking of the agreement when Hasan the minister dies. The events that follow are also completely different from each other. In the Azerbaijani version, a series of events leading up to Rasul (Gharib) seeing Shahsanam in a dream and searching for her (the episode of the robbers, Rasul losing his money and starting to learn a craft) are not in the Uzbek version. In that version, the story begins with Shahsanam and Gharib studying together and falling in love, but the king prevents their love by expelling Gharib and his family from the city, and Gharib becomes a wanderer. In the further development of the plot, two different events take place in both folk epics. Here, it is necessary to pay attention to the difference in the motives that give impetus to the further development of events. In the Uzbek version, the main obstacle for Garib and Shahsanam to meet each other is the opposition of the girl's father, Shahabbos. Here, the motive acquires a social meaning, that is, social inequality, Sanam being the daughter of a king and Garib being a representative of a lower class, serves as the main obstacle for the union of two lovinghearts. This, in turn, gives grounds to think about certain elements of social consciousness in the Uzbek version oftheepic. Thus, intheUzbek version, thereis the first reason to interpret theepic not as a work of narrow domesticity, but as a socio-domestic work. In the Azerbaijani version, there is no serious social obstacle for Garib and Shahsanam to meet. The girl's father, Haji, is not against their being together. Only if Garib brings 40 bags of red gold to Kalin Badali, the matter will be resolved. In this version, this motif serves as the main motif that provides the further direction of theplot. WhenGarib leaves the country in search of gold, the image of Shahvalad appears in the center of events. According to the further content of the work, Shahvalad tries to destroy Garib in order to get to Shahsanam, but in the end, unable to achieve his goal, he is forced to marry Shahsan