The image of the Turk in Bulgarian literature

This study investigates the image of the Turk as represented in various genres and texts of Bulgarian literature. Until now, image studies have mostly focused on poetry within Turkish literature. In contrast, our research adopts a broader and more integrative approach by examining both the oral traditions of Bulgarian literature such as folk songs, legends, and proverbsand its written forms, including novels, short stories, poems, memoirs, and biographies. During the analysis, several criteria were considered: the number of editions of each work, special editions published on national holidays, whether the works were used for propaganda purposes, their reflection in daily life and visual media, and whether they were included in school textbooks. The primary objective of the study was to identify key works in which the image of the Turk appears. After this identification, the works were examined under two main categories: positive Turkish image and negative Turkish image. These categories were determined based on the most frequently repeated images within the texts. The study analyzes these images within the context of literary depictions and characterizations found in the relevant texts. In doing so, it seeks to identify the attributes used to describe Turks in Bulgarian literature. It was found that novels, stories, and poems written as state-commissioned propaganda often drew from negative stereotypes and contributed significantly to the formation of a negative Turkish image. In conclusion, the study reveals that literary works in Bulgarian literature predominantly portray Turks with negative connotations. However, although less frequent, representations of the "good Turk" are also present. Keywords: literature, image, nationalism, the other, Turk, Bulgarian.