☰ Contents · Literature

The novel “Navoiy”: second passage and the work as a whole

Lessons 31–32 · 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
32

About the novel “Navoiy”

Textbook: pp. 181–182
GoalState in your own words the textbook’s view of the novel “Navoiy” and explain the importance of the novel.
New words
historical novel · tarixiy romanindividualised speech · individuallashtirilgan nutqliterary figure, image · obrazmother tongue · ona tili
Explanation

According to the textbook, “Navoiy” was the first large prose work in world literature about the great thinker-poet. Before it, Oybek had written poems, a dastan and scholarly articles about Navoiy. The novel shows the poet’s personality, inner world and attitude to creation and to other creators in many sides. The writer carefully studied Navoiy’s age, its social and political conditions and the people who dealt with him. Each figure’s speech is distinct: poets, soldiers, commanders, officials, peasants and craftsmen each speak in their own way, which makes the novel readable. The textbook names Navoiy’s justice, care for the people, struggle for the mother tongue, modesty and courage as the novel’s main ideas.

Worked examples
Example: the peasant from Isfizor speaks simply and in his own way, the secretary more formally – the difference in speech individualises each figure. So the reader can tell speakers apart even by voice.
Example: Navoiy going himself to Yodgor’s camp shows courage; the sealing shows self-respect with modesty. The textbook uses these two events to show two sides of his character.
Class activity

Choose three events from the novel and write in a table which quality of Navoiy each one shows (event – quality – reason).

Practice
1
By the textbook, in what way is “Navoiy” especially significant?
2
What had Oybek written about Navoiy before the novel?
3
Explain “individualised speech” in your own words and give one example.
4
Why is it important in a historical novel that the writer studies the age?