The golden age of Kazakh literature: The 19th century and its great writers

Earlier, we said that in the second half of the 19th century, Kazakh literature began to develop rapidly. In this article, Kazinform News Agency offers a look at how key writers and their works played an important role in the formation of Kazakhstan's literary heritage.

In the 19th century, Kazakh society experienced profound transformations. This was a period of gradual integration of Kazakh lands into the Russian Empire, which was accompanied by the strengthening of colonial policy and changes in the traditional way of life of nomadic peoples.

Kazakh literature of the 19th century became an important stage in the cultural history of Kazakhstan, when the Kazakh word received written form and began to actively develop in the conditions of social and cultural transformation. Three outstanding figures played a key role in this process: Shoqan Walikhanov, Ybyrai Altynsarin and Abai Kunanbayuly.

Their works formed the foundation of Kazakh written literature of the 19th century. Each of them made a unique contribution to the cultural development of Kazakhstan: Abai through philosophical and poetic activity, Altynsarin through education and literature, and Walikhanov through scientific research and ethnography.

Shoqan Walikhanov: Researcher and Ethnographer

Shoqan Walikhanov (1835–1865) is an outstanding figure who left a significant mark on Kazakh literature and science in the 19th century. Walikhanov proved himself to be a versatile scholar – a historian, ethnographer, linguist, folklorist and geographer.

He studied at the Omsk Cadet Corps, where he immediately aroused admiration among teachers for his abilities. During this time he studied history, literature, geography, physics, geodesy, cartography and many other disciplines. Shoqan's favorite writers were Gogol, Dickens, Thackeray and Mikhail Lermontov.

Only a few of his works are finished. All other notes are drafts of future books on history, ethnography, geography, philology and literary criticism. Walikhanov’s works covered the ethnic, political, cultural and socio-economic history of the Kazakhs and other peoples of Central Asia.

Walikhanov created many works of both a geographical nature (diaries of trips to Kulja, Issyk-Kul, essays on Dzungaria), and historical works about the batyrs of the 18th century, about Kazakh folk poetry, about the genealogies of Kazakh people, as well as literary ones (“Song of Alay”).

In his "Notes on the History of the South Siberian Tribes" Walikhanov wrote:

"In Europe, a false concept still prevails, representing nomadic tribes as fierce hordes and disorderly savages. The concept of a nomadic Mongol or Kirghiz is closely connected with the idea of ​​a rude and cattle-like barbarian. Meanwhile, the majority of these barbarians have their own literature and legends - written or oral."

An interesting fact is that Shoqan Walikhanov was a close friend of another great writer, Fyodor Dostoevsky. Their friendship began in Omsk. Until the death of Walikhanov, who died very young, Dostoevsky showed him the most friendly disposition, taking a lively interest in his life and work.

Ybyrai Altynsarin: Writer and Educator

Ybyrai Altynsarin (1841–1889) is considered the founding father of education in the history of the Kazakh steppe and one of the main educators of his time. Altynsarin dedicated his life to teaching and educating Kazakh children, seeing this as a path to progress and modernization.

Altynsarin lived in an era when education began to play a key role in the process of modernization of Kazakh society. On his initiative and with his direct participation a network of public secular schools was created in Kazakhstan. Altynsarin put a lot of work into training teachers for primary public schools in the region, primarily from among Kazakhs. He spent about three years developing the Kazakh alphabet based on Russian graphics.

The literary heritage of Altynsarin includes translations, poems, stories, ethnographic essays and Kazakh fairy tales. The translations laid the foundation for the fable genre in Kazakh fiction and contributed to the development of the Kazakh literary language.

Altynsarin wrote poems addressed to children, in which he encouraged them to study. The most famous of them is "Come, children, let’s study!" It talks about the benefits of science and knowledge in human life.

He is the author of the stories and short stories “Kypshak Seit”, “Kiiz ui men agash ui” (Kibitka and the house), “Asyl shop” (Precious grass), “Sheshe men bala” (Mother and Son), “Bai Men Zharly Balasy” (Son of the rich man and the Son of the poor), “Taza Bulak” (Clean Spring), etc.

All of his multifaceted creative and social activities were subordinated to the main task - introducing the Kazakh people to progressive world culture. Altynsarin dreamed of seeing Kazakh people educated.

Abai Kunanbayuly: Poet, Philosopher and Enlightener

Abai Kunanbayuly (1845-1904) was a Kazakh poet, composer, educator, thinker and public figure. He described in his works the realities of life and everything he saw in the environment around him. He saw progressive ways of changing Kazakh life in opening schools, in learning sciences, in educating the people, in raising their culture. His poetry and philosophical reflections represented an attempt to find harmony between traditional Kazakh values ​​and new ideas.

Kunanbayuly introduced new meters, rhymes and poetic forms into Kazakh versification: eight-line and six-line poems. Abai created about 170 poems and 56 translations, wrote poems, "Words of Edification" ("Kara sozder").

Abai's works are considered classics that everyone should definitely know in order to have the right view of things. His poems and "Words of Edification" remain relevant at all times. Each person discovers Abai for themselves.

People in different countries noted the parallelism and consonance of Abai's thoughts with such great figures as Johann Goethe and Mahatma Gandhi. In addition to his own works, Abai translated foreign authors into Kazakh.

Abai's works have been translated into 116 languages. Most of the books with Abai's works in different languages ​​were published in 1995, when the poet's 150th anniversary was celebrated at the global level under the auspices of UNESCO.

Other notable figures of the 19th century

The 19th century also gave Kazakhstan other outstanding personalities who made a significant contribution to the development of culture, literature and science.

Such figures as Dulat Babataiuly, Aubakir Kerderi Shoqanuly, Shortanbai Kanayuly, Sherniyaz Zharylgasuly, Birzhan Kozhagululy, Zhayau Musa, Akzhigit Koramsauly and many others played an important role in educational activities and the formation of national self-awareness. These people not only actively participated in public life, but also laid the foundation for the further development of Kazakh literature and science.