The idea of didactic literature

“Didactics” is a Greek-derived word meaning instructive; didactic literature means works in the spirit of advice, counsel and example. The spirit of counsel is stronger in Eastern literature, which sets it apart from Western; yet it is wrong to think Eastern literature consists only of advice. By form, didactic works fall into three kinds. The prose kind includes the “Panchatantra” (“Kalila and Dimna”), Kaykovus’s “Qobusnoma” and Khoja’s “Gulzor” and “Miftoh ul-adl”; the mixed prose-and-verse kind includes Saadi’s “Guliston”, Navoiy’s “Mahbub ul-qulub” and Gulkhaniy’s “Zarbulmasal”. The verse kind includes “Qutadg‘u bilig”, Haydar Khorazmiy’s “Gulshan ul-asror” and Navoiy’s “Hayrat ul-abror”. Giving an idea through events and characters makes the author’s idea clear and strengthens its effect.