A Revi̇ew on Layla and Majnun masnavi̇s in Terms of Motif Structure


Thesis Type: Doctorate

Institution Of The Thesis: Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Türk Dili Ve Edebiyatı Ana Bilim Dalı, Turkey

Approval Date: 2020

Thesis Language: Turkish

Student: Hacer SAĞLAM

Supervisor: MUSTAFA ARSLAN

Abstract:

Written in Arabic, Persian and Turkish literature, the stories of Layla and Majnun have gained motifs which have become gradually very rich during transition process from a culture to another one. The aim of this study is to reveal motifs richness in the stories of Layla and Majnun and to establish an annotated motif-index. First, the present study evaluated the concept of motifs and their nature, and then discussed motif classification and identification methods. Perspectives from Structuralism, Russian Formalism and New Criticism theories were examined within the contexts of purposes of motif studies and of text analysis methods and theme-centred analysis method as a method adopted in Layla and Majnun masnavis was emphasized. In this section, the relationship between motif and mazmûn (proposition) was tried to be explained. The effect of motif studies and methods used on divan literature works and motif studies in the field of Turkish folk literature on motif studies in divan literature was discussed. The difficulties encountered in creating motif-index of masnavis and its importance in terms of divan literature tradition and motif reviews were highlighted. The effect of the difficulties encountered in establishing motif-index of Layla and Majnun stories as well as the resources used, and the Stith Thompson catalogue was explained by mentioning motif studies conducted on these stories In the study utilizing the title and numbering system from Stith Thompson's comprehensive work, "Motif-Index Of Folklore Literature," a total of twenty-four masnavis including primary masnavis from Arabic and Persian literature, as well as all works on Layla and Majnun from Turkish literature were taken into consideration. The annotated motif-index constituted the main section of this study. The sufistic framework of the motifs was identified within the sufism motif group under the group of basic motifs. The relationship between religious and sufistic motifs and the sufistic aspect of Layla and Majnun masnavis were examined again with criteria revealed to date. There are three indexes in the group of side motifs: love and marriage motifs, clever men and lovers motifs, and animal motifs. Animal motifs and their deterministic characteristics in Turkish literature were discussed in the group of animal motifs. A general examination of motif-animals in the Layla and Majnun masnavis was discussed and included in the animal motifs index. The "group of other motifs" included the index of various social motifs, religious motifs, character traits, natural, acquired, and figurative traits, and colour and numerical symbolism in masnavis, as well as various motifs in the form of beginning, story and epilogue parts. It is important to reveal the presence of motifs in masnavis being a key resource in divan literature in order to understand the traditional and universal dimensions of the literature in question. This study constitutes its first comprehensive and theoretical example based on the masnavis of Layla and Majnun. Keywords: Motif, masnavi, Layla and Majnun, theme, Turkish literature, Persian literature, Arabic literature, annotated motif-index.