MYTHICAL BASIS AND POETIC MEANING OF MOTIFS IN ABAY’S POEM «MASGUT»

Abstract

In the article Abay’s poem «Masgut» is considered in the mythopoetic aspect. The meaning of gifting an apple as the main mythical motif of this poem is analyzed in detail. The motifs associated with the apple in world mythology and Kazakh folklore were collected and compared in the study. Thus, the meaning of the motif in Abay’s poem is taken into account. One of the mythical motifs of the poem «Masgut» is to see harbinger in a dream. The poet attaches importance to the symbols in the core of knowledge, taking the motifs of ancient times as a basis, and takes these symbolic details as an object in representing his artistic purpose. Among the most popular motifs associated with apples, we can mention the fruit of paradise as special apples that grow in the Garden of the Hesperides and the island of Avalon. The scientists emphasize the dual nature of the apple, saying that the word «apple» is given as «fruit» in many motifs. The apple, which is seen as a symbol of love and knowledge, youth and beauty, on the other hand, is a symbol of enmity, misfortune, temptation, evil and other unpleasant and bad deeds. In Abay’s poem apples are given in three colors, and the red apple chosen by the main character has its own characteristics. Another motif in the poem is dreaming. The dream foretells an upcoming event. In Abay’s artistic knowledge these motifs are important because they describe eternal human ideals, humanism, and social behavior with the subtext. The conclusion in the article is made in this context.