“Tanobchilar” (The Land Measurers) is Muqimiy’s satirical verse tale. A peasant complains of the oppression of the land-measuring officials Sulton Ali Xo‘ja and Hakimjon. The officials boast of descent from holy men, but in fact extort bribes from the peasant and deliberately lengthen the measuring rope so that the land measures twice as much. As a result the peasant must pay heavy tax. To reveal the officials’ image the poet uses devices such as epithet, simile, hyperbole and contrast: their grand words are set against their low deeds. The work is imbued with protest against the injustice of that time and sympathy for the people.
Worked examples
Example — hyperbole (our own sentence, not from the poem): “Even if I waited a thousand years he would not be satisfied” — no one can wait a thousand years; greed is simply exaggerated.
Example — contrast (our own phrase, not from the poem): “prayer on the tongue, greed in the hand” — a pious look and a greedy act are set against each other.
Class activity
“The officials’ image”: the class fills in a two-column table — what the officials say / what they do; what does the difference show?
Practice
1
In “Tanobchilar” who complains about whom?
A peasant complains about the officials Sulton Ali Xo‘ja and Hakimjon.
2
How do the officials cheat the peasant?
They lengthen the rope, measure double the land and take bribes.
3
Which device is in: “I said it a thousand times, but he did not listen”?
Hyperbole (exaggeration).
4
Why does the poet contrast the officials’ words and deeds?
To show they are hypocrites and expose them through laughter.