Lessons 18–19 · 2 lessons · Q. Yo‘ldoshev, V. Qodirov, J. Yo‘ldoshbekov. Literature: textbook for Grade 9 of general secondary schools. Revised and expanded 4th edition. “O‘zbekiston” NMIU, Tashkent, 2019
19
From Ogahiy’s lyrics: ghazals
Textbook: pp. 99–104
GoalExplain the content of Ogahiy’s ghazals “Navro‘z” and “Ilohi, har kuning navro‘z bo‘lsun”, and the devices of personification and exaggeration.
The ghazal with the radif “Navro‘z” is a fine example of nature lyric: Nowruz is brought to life (personification) as a generous person who lifts the sun to a high rank, removes shadow from the earth and brings the land grace, joy and delight. The world is an old woman, joy a newborn, and Nowruz serves as midwife; the faces of beauties are likened to the verses of the Mus’haf. Then the picture turns social: the rich dress in many colours and make merry, while the lyrical hero, without money, comes to the shah to ask for help, slipping on his own tears. According to the textbook, this hero is not Ogahiy himself but a figure for people deserving sympathy because of poverty, and the exaggeration serves to draw the khan’s attention to them. In the ghazal “Ilohi, har kuning navro‘z bo‘lsun” the poet offers good wishes to the ruler: may his justice light the world like the sun, may his enemies be defeated, and may the disobedient be set straight.
Worked examples
Example: in the ghazal the ancient world is pictured as an old woman, the joy brought by spring as a newborn baby, and Nowruz as the midwife who helps at the birth – a change in nature is shown as an event in human life. This is a clear example of personification.
Example: the phrase “slipping on my tears” is exaggeration: the poet overstates the poverty. But the lyrical hero is not always the poet himself – Ogahiy held high posts, so this poor figure is a generalised image.
Class activity
Write a four-line mini poem or description about spring or winter containing at least one personification. Read it in pairs and find the personification.
Practice
1
What is personification? Give an example from the ghazal “Navro‘z”.
Describing a thing or phenomenon as if it were a living person; e.g. Nowruz acting as midwife and giving blessing to the people.
2
What two kinds of scene appear in the ghazal “Navro‘z”?
First – the beauty of spring nature; second – the revels of the wealthy against the hero’s poor state.
3
Who is the lyrical hero and why is it said he is not Ogahiy himself?
He is a generalised image of poor people in need of help; Ogahiy held high posts and was not so badly off.
4
Why might the poet have exaggerated his state? Give two reasons.
To get help from the khan, and to draw his attention to the needy in society so that help would be organised.