Mother motif in Türkish folk literature

As a living branch of our literature, Turkish folk literature has a dynamic structure and follows the change and innovation. Just like a mirror to the society it is part of, Turkish folk literature is a bridge that has been passing the traditions, customs, culture, beliefs and values of the society through generations with its abundant diversity of products. On the one hand, products of Turkish folk literature, applying to each member of the society using a straightforward and understandable language, also carry some profound meaning interlaced with symbols. Most things within these works have been employed as a tool or a symbolism to imply other meanings. Therefore, in order to fully understand Turkish folk literature and convey its messages to future generations, it is necessary to be able to decipher the meaning behind what is visible and to read these works from different perspectives. The mother, who has preserved her value and importance from the beginning of human history to the present day with her ability to bring a living being into the world, and who will not lose any of this value and importance even when worldly life comes to an end, occupies a very important place in folk literature products, which are extremely valuable for society and culture. The mother, who appears in almost every text with her positive and negative characteristics, is not just an individual who biologically brings a child into the world; she is a force that nourishes, raises, protects, and educates the child, enabling them to hold on to life, and preserves family unity and thus social order by regulating family relationships. With her wisdom, patience, courage, and self-sacrifice, the mother builds the future of both the child and society; with her negative characteristics of rejection, pushing away, and depriving the child of attention and love, she has a decisive influence on the identity of the child and, consequently, society. Since the earliest times, the mother has been considered sacred and held in high esteem in Turkish communities, and she is a multifaceted and rich motif that can be evaluated from religious, psychological, symbolic, and many other perspectives. As a result of this multifaceted and detailed study, it has been determined that the mother, who is present in almost every genre of Turkish folk literature, has a significant impact on both the individual and society, and beyond being merely a biological (physical) entity, she also carries deep meanings as an archetype and symbol in the collective memory.