Detection and analysis of character types in Kazakse epic

Epics are narratives that are formed around the life of a hero and consist of the conflict of various opposites. The representatives of the ideas, values and ideals of the parties in this conflict are the character types. Character types play a role in the structure of the epic by exhibiting characteristic actions during the conflict. This thesis on Kazakh epic types aims to identify the types that make up the structure of the epic and to name and analyze these character types consistently. In line with the "Identification and Translation of Turkic World Epics and their Dissemination in Turkish" project, 47 epics from the 11-volume "Kazakh Epics" published by the Turkish Language Association have been determined as the subject matter of this thesis. This study first used the structuralist method to divide the texts into parts and identify 46 recurring characteristic verbs, and then classified the types using the typology method. While using these methods, it utilized past studies and adopted original criteria. In line with the determined criteria, the character types in Kazakh epics were divided into three as hero, positive and negative character types. Then, these types were analyzed under the headings of positive and negative character types in line with their relationship with the hero. As a result of the related classifications, positive types in Kazakh epics were determined as "the hero's helper, extraordinary savior, ideal father, ideal lover, ideal mother, messenger and mediator" character types, while negative types were determined as "enemy, traitor, cruel parent, rival, false hero, deceiver and informer" character types. The actions displayed by these identified types have been separately examined. During the examination, the information obtained was presented with tables and graphs, focusing on the structural and contextual functions of these actions. Thus, for the first time, all character types in Kazakh epics have been identified and analyzed with a "structuralist method".