Legendary Animal Motifs in Iranian Written Turkish Literature; The Example of the Kahraman-Name

Legendary Animal Motifs in Iranian Written Turkish Literature

Abstract

This study aims to examine the legendary animal motifs in the work Kahraman-name, a significant example of written Turkish literature in Iran. Kahraman-name is recognized as a notable product of Iranian Turkish literature, recently introduced to the academic community, and serves as a written testament to the Turkish presence in the region. Although Turkish communities in Iran are typically associated with oral literary traditions, this work demonstrates their rich cultural heritage through written literature as well. The manuscript of Kahraman-name, cataloged as number 8019 in the Iranian Parliament Library, is an 18th-century text written in Azerbaijani Turkish. This work not only reflects the grammatical structure and vocabulary of its period but also stands out as a rare example of narrative culture transcribed into written literature. Centered around themes of heroism and enriched with supernatural beings and legendary animal motifs, Kahraman-name is known through various Turkish and Persian manuscripts in countries such as Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan, France, Germany, Kazan, Tajikistan, and Egypt. Among these, the most comprehensive version is the manuscript held in the Iranian Parliament Library, which forms the basis of this study. The study first addresses the animal motifs in the Kahraman-name manuscript from the Iranian Parliament Library, identifying and analyzing the legendary animal motifs. The functions and symbolic meanings of these motifs are explored, and their significance within Turkish literature is evaluated, thereby highlighting the cultural and literary position of Kahraman-name within this heritage. This analysis aims to determine the functional and symbolic roles of the motifs within the narrative while elucidating their significance in the broader context of the Turkish epic tradition.