Ancient Turkic motifs in the poetry of Bakhytzhan Kanapyanov: semiotic aspect

Abstract

In the poetry of the Kazakh Russian-speaking poet Bakhytzhan Kanapyanov, ancient Turkic motifs are expressed at different semiotic levels of the artistic and aesthetic systemprimarily in the themes of works, plots, poetics and the system of characters. The artistic picture of the world reflects mythologies, folklore and pagan images performing aesthetic functions in accordance with the author’s intention. B. Kanapyanov creates such basis for the artistic and visual means as transcultural metaphors, epithets, comparisons, which act as original poetic signs. The poet uses ancient Turkic symbols in the original archaic sense, or transforms them (for example, the World Tree Ak Terek). Therefore, the poet creates his own occasional symbols in the ancient Turkic context (a white scarf; a path). Kanapyanov’s poetics is saturated with archaic nomadic semiotics: symbols, customs, traditions, rituals (tamga, ritual burial of a warrior, etc.). The author introduces sacred pagan, mythological
characters: Tengri, shyrakshy, Temir-baba, Shakpak-ata, et al. In the embodiment of ancient Turkic motifs and images, significant emphasis is placed on historical facts and events, for example, Turkic El, ancient Turkic tribes, the relationships between the Great Steppe and East Slavic tribes.