First Novel In Kazak Literature –Bakitsiz Jamal-

Bakıtsız Jamal, which was published in 1910 as a novel by Mirjakıp Duvlatulı, has a big importance in the history of Kazak literature while it has been the first work used that name till that time. In the work, oral expression- especially the meddah stories- was so dominant, the author did not focus on the details so much and did not give very much space for long descriptions. Bakıtsız Jamal can be considered as a short novel comparing to the novel type and reflect the properties of transition from poetry to prose and from folk story to story. In fact, Ali and Cemile’s love told in Bakıtsız Jamal has no difference from other publicly known love stories such as Leyla and Mecnun, Ferhat and Şirin or Kerem and Aslı. Although there exists such a similarity with folk stories, Bakıtsız Jamal can be considered as a step forward for a new era while this work had an important difference inside. Injustice toward women in society was put forward to be discussed in the novel which is very important in order to reflect the society began to change and opened to West. As a result, in spite of the deficiencies, Mirjakıp Duvlatulı’s Bakıtsız Jamal has an important function as a new stage in transition to novel, which is a new type in Kazak literature.

Keywords

“Bakıtsız Jamal”, Mirjakıp Duvlatulı, First Novel in Kazakh Literature, Meddah (Storyteller) .