The work of Zarif Beşir titled “Uzbek Literature”: Perspective-content examination

Abstract

The work "Uzbek Literature" published in 1930 by Tatarian author and researcher Zarif Beshiri was one of the first of its genre. However; The Tatarian roots of the author of such an important work about Uzbek Literature, which has a long tradition of written language, makes the study much more remarkable. Although it is not a voluminous work, the period it was written, its contents and the author’s perspective increase the importance of the study. Besides Beshiri’s similiar studies about Chuvash and Uigur literatures, his publication of a long story named Chuvash Girl Enise reveals his perspective. In this respect, the work called Uzbek Literature, is also important for revealing the perspective a Tatarian intellectual to the literature of Turkic communities. It is also significant for its being one of the first steps for the history of Uzbek literature. In this article, Beshiri’s work will be handled from this point of view. © 2019 Hacettepe University 1. All rights reserved.