GAFUR GULYAM AND THE THEME OF WAR IN HIS WORKS

Abstract

Gafur Gulyam (1903–1966) is one of the outstanding Uzbek poets of the 20th century, whose work became a vivid embodiment of socialist realism in national literature. His lyrics, saturated with humanism, patriotism, and reflections on the fates of the people, gained particular acuteness during the years of the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945). The theme of war in Gulyam's works does not reduce to a simple description of combat actions; it is revealed through the prism of emotional experience, international brotherhood, and faith in victory. The poet, who experienced the Civil War in childhood and became a street child, saw the Great Patriotic War as the culmination of the struggle for peace and justice. His war lyrics, collected in the anthology I Am Coming from the East (1943), became a bridge between Uzbek tradition and Soviet multinational culture, enhancing the civic resonance of poetry. In this philological article, we will examine the poet's biography, the evolution of his work, the key motifs of war in his lyrics, stylistic features, and legacy. The analysis is based on the texts of the works, historical context, and the comparative-historical method, which allows us to see how Gulyam integrates elements of folklore and classical Uzbek poetry into modern discourse.