Received 07.12.2023, Revised 01.03.2024, Accepted 27.03.2024

ONEGIN AND MANAS, VALIKHANOV AND BELINSKY; RUSSIAN LITERARY CRITICISM AND KYRGYZ ORAL POETRY

J.K. Plumtree

This paper examines the original context of the words ‘encyclopaedia’ and ‘epic’ concerning Manas. A New Historicism approach to the origin of this association, an 1861 Russian-language publication by Chokan Valikhanov, illuminates his likely use of a formulation - both verbal and conceptual – of literary critic Vissarion Belinsky, and placing Valikhanov’s interest in epics in pan-European (and Russian) early-nineteenth century socio-political context. Valikhanov’s comments display the placing of an interpretative framework from Russian literary criticism onto Kyrgyz oral poetry. This paper questions the continued use of the terminology related to nineteenth-century Russian colonialism and its signifi cant impact on the Manas interpretation and valueing

epic, encyclopaedia, Manas, Valikhanov, Belinsky, New Historicism, terminology, Russian literary criticism, Kyrgyz oral poetry, colonialism, 19th century
76-84
Plumtree, J.K. (2024). ONEGIN AND MANAS, VALIKHANOV AND BELINSKY; RUSSIAN LITERARY CRITICISM AND KYRGYZ ORAL POETRY. Bulletin of the Bishkek State University, 22(1), 76-84. https://doi.org/10.35254/bsu/2024.67.11

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