The Image of Genghis Khan in Kazakh Literature

Abstract

In the second millennium, a historical figure Genghis Khan has transformed all of Eurasia by his
power. In this article the author aims to analyze literary artistic image of Genghis Khan.
Algorithm of analysis: In the last three centuries, literary works about Genghis khan were written
not only in Kazakh literature, but also in the West and East. This work discusses the specific features of
kaghanimage by using Kazakh literary works, published at different time periods and devoted to Genghis
Khan’s life stages. Moreover, it analyzes the way Genghis Khan is featured in a poet Shadi Shangiruly’s
epos “Tarihname”, a manuscript written in the early 20th century. Historical work is not a history itself,
but its embellished form. Both of historical figure and epoch might be given in completely differentguise.
However, the writer can not go far from the historical concept and social comprehension of the era he
has lived. The author of this article analyzes this side of the literary works about Genghis Khan written
in each period.
Specification.The poem «Tarihname» includes the whole life of Genghis khan. Since Shadi himself
was a descendant of Genghis Khan, for each information in the epos he gives the citations to historical
chronicles of that time. The author of this article makes analysis of the interesting information in the epos
about Genghis Khan’s life, and compares itto the historical facts. Particular attention is paid to Genghis
khan’sinvasion of Otrar. The author tries to reveal the personality of Genghis Khan in detail. Also, after
analyzing interesting facts about Genghis khan’s life and personality, he makeshis individual inferences.