Father-son relationship in Turkish epic

Epics illuminate the history of a nation and reflect the social, cultural, and other aspects of the society in which they were created. One of the key concepts addressed in epics is the family. These epics discuss the family structure, the roles of family members, and the relationships between them. This study explores how the family structure is depicted in Turkish epics and how the father-son relationship is shaped within the patriarchal structure of Turkish society. By examining a wide range of Turkish epics, this research analyzes the roles of sons and fathers, as well as the impact of fathers on the lives of epic heroes and the events in the epics. The Oghuz Khan Epic, the Dede Korkut Stories, the Köroğlu Stories, and the epics from Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Uzbek, Turkmen, Tatar-Bashkir, and Siberian traditions were studied individually. The study investigates whether father and son types appear in these epics and then identifies the roles and relationships of fathers and sons. The conclusion presents a general evaluation based on the findings, discussing the contributions of the father-son relationship in Turkish epics to folklore studies. Keywords: Family, epic, Turkish epics, father, son, father-son relationships