The analysis of Bey Böyrek narratives acording to the Hero's Journey

The similarities in folk narratives can be observed in many cultures. Thus,this has been a main issue of many folklore theories. This study can also be regardedwithin the same context. Our study based on the method of Joseph Campbell whichhe applied on some myths and folk tales taken from different geographies. Hecollected his work in his well known book named ?The Hero with A TousandFaces?. Campbell, in his book, has the idea that the adventure of the hero in the folknarratives is an extensive form of the formula stated as ?leaving-initiation- return?presented in the initiation rituals. In this thesis, this method has been applied on thefour variants of Bey Boyrek narratives and the narrative named ?Bay Büre Beg OğlıBamsı Beyrek Boyı? in the Dede Korkut Book.Throughout the narrative, the adventures of the hero form a definitestructure. This dissertation argues that this structure is interrelated to the structureand the eternal movement of the universe. Bamsı Beyrek and Bey Böyrek, just asthe earth?s motion around the sun, return to the starting point of the adventure,having been transformed in the end of the narrative. In the thesis, universalmovement has been thought to be initiation of the world which forms a model forthe initiation rituals in the world. Samples for this model can be found also inTurkish culture. The adventure has similarities with the processes in the rituals oftransition to the adolescence, in the acceptance of a shaman candidate to theShamanism after reaching spiritual perfection, in shaman ceremonies and being amature person who selects the way of Sufism as well.Acts of the main character has been read with the universal formula whichtake part in the structure of initiation ceremonies. Where ?Leaving Home? is a signof growing, ?initiation ? is a hard transition process. On the other hand ?ComingBack? is a sign of transformed character?s abandoning his old life and joining theadults? community and his renaissance. In these three basic processes, the situationsand person that the hero meets and frequently repeat in the folk narratives have beenconsidered as archetype.