A study on game within the world of Turkish epic

In this study, game and game-related concepts in variantized Turkish epic epics are discussed. The aim of the study is to examine the cultural background of the games in Turkish epic epics, to determine the context, structure, function of the identified games and the place of the game in epic fiction. The study consists of "Introduction" and seven chapters.In the "Introduction" section, the concepts of epic and game, the characteristics and elementsof the game, the relationship of the game with camness and cultural memory are discussed. In the study, games in Turkish epics were analyzed by using document scanning and comparison techniques from qualitative research methods. This study aims to analyze the plays in epics by including "Structuralist", "Contextual" and "Functional" folklore theories from text-centered theories. Under the heading "Games Mentioned in the Epics", the ways of playing forty different games identified in the epics are given. Under the heading "Games in terms of Context", games are categorized according to their purpose, time, place and players. In this section, the games in the epics are analyzed in terms of their place in transitional periods, hunting, entertaining guests, seasonal festivals, kagan appointments and wars, as well as the relationship between children and games. Under the heading "Games in terms of Meaning", games are evaluated as entertainment, test and race, gambling, cheating, dance and theater based on their meanings in TDK's definition of games. Under the title of "Structure of Games in Epics"; game name, players, game tools/toys, performance environments of games, reward and punishment elements were analyzed. The functions of the identified games, limited to their context in the epic texts, are given under the heading "Functions of Games in Epics". Under the title "The Place of the Game in Epic Fiction", the games were analyzed within the framework of people, event, space, time, narrator/audience and epic rules and it was seen that the game has an important place in epic fiction. Games have a role that cannot be separated from epic fiction. It was also seen that the games in epics can be evaluated in terms of context, structure and function. It was concluded that the narrative structure can also be applied to the game and that the context of the game plays a fundamental role in creating meaning. The games in Turkish epic epics were evaluated as a whole in terms of game, structure, context and function, and the relationship of the game with the epic in terms of fiction was revealed. Games affect the event, the main character, the main story in epics. Epic fiction can change depending on the games played by the heroes of the epic.