Koroglu: from mythical hero to epic hero, seekers of justice

Abstract

The epic “Koroglu”, which provides rich material in terms of epic studies, has spread over a wide geography from the Balkans to China and has occupied an important place in the epic repertoire of 18 Turkic and 8 non-Turkic peoples. The epic is a magnificent epic work reflecting the heroic traditions, social and public thoughts and cultural values ​​of the Turkic peoples. “Koroglu” has transitioned from a mythical hero to an epic hero and took its current form in the 16th century. The epic “Koroglu” has traveled a long historical path, starting from the Scythian-Saka period to the uprisings in the Ottoman Empire, from the Jalali rebellion to the fugitive movement. In this sense, the epic has been reconstructed in a way that responds to the changes and renewals of our cultural history. The main reason why Koroglu has spread as a folk hero over such a wide area and among so many peoples is that his mythical hero characteristic has been transformed into a hero fighting for truth and justice. The reconstruction of Koroglu as a fugitive or social bandit in the western versions of the epic confirms this.

The Koroglu epic, while preserving all aspects of epic regularity (epic space, epic time, his work to immortalize his name, horse and weapons, battles and events, etc.), has also preserved many mythological features. In this context, elements such as blindness, blindness (grave), miraculous birth, marriage to fairy girls, being under the protection of Hz. Ali, Hz. Khidr and the forty (cult of forty-year-olds), and reconstruction each time are noteworthy.

In this article, the main focus is on the issues of social balance and protection of human rights in society against the backdrop of justice. Koroglu, as an epic hero, has become a symbol of the hero chosen to protect the rights of the oppressed, excluded, and despised and to fight against the oppressors.