The Harmony of Character Typology and Artistic Devices in Abdulla Qodiriy’s Novel “Bygone Days”

Abstract

Abdulla Qodiriy’s O‘tkan Kunlar (Bygone Days), the first Uzbek novel, stands as a milestone in modern Uzbek prose, depicting the social, moral, and psychological struggles of the early 20th century. The novel explores complex interpersonal relations, social values, and individual moral dilemmas. It is renowned for its vibrant character development, including contrasting and complementary character types. Previous studies have not sufficiently examined how the artistic functions of character typology, such as contrast and parallelism, interact with narrative structures in Qodiriy’s work. This study aims to analyze the character typology and artistic devices in O‘tkan Kunlar, focusing on the roles of characters, the use of contrast and parallelism, and their narrative significance. The research reveals that Qodiriy utilizes complementary, contrasting, and parallel characters to create narrative tension, enhance psychological depth, and reflect social conflicts. The study demonstrates that contrast (antithesis) is a central strategy, while parallelism highlights cultural and social values. This study offers a systematic approach to character classification and examines the artistic significance of contrasting and parallel figures, revealing how Qodiriy harmonizes national spirit with literary form. The findings contribute to the understanding of early 20th-century Uzbek literature and offer insights into the interplay between character typology and social commentary in narrative construction.