THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN NAVOI'S LITERARY UNIVERSE A REFLECTION OF TIMURID SOCIETY AND IDEALS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70248/jolale.v2i1.1849Abstract
Alisher Navoi, a seminal figure of the Timurid Renaissance, offers a literary universe where women play a critical role in reflecting and shaping societal and philosophical ideals. Rooted in the rich cultural and intellectual milieu of the Timurid Empire, Navoi’s works intertwine themes of virtue, wisdom, and spiritual transcendence with intricate depictions of female characters. This study employs a multidisciplinary approach, including literary analysis, historical contextualization, and philosophical inquiry, to examine Navoi’s portrayal of women. The objectives of this research are to explore the dual narrative of empowerment and limitation faced by women in Navoi’s literary works, assess how these portrayals align with Timurid cultural ideals, and analyze their symbolic significance within Sufi philosophy. The research findings reveal that women in Navoi’s narratives serve as both literary ideals and reflections of historical realities. The results suggest that while Navoi’s depiction of women is progressive in certain aspects, it remains confined within the patriarchal structures of his time. This study contributes to a broader understanding of gender roles and cultural identity in the Timurid Renaissance.
Keywords: Alisher Navoi, Timurid Renaissance, Gender Dynamics, Sufism, Female Empowerment
References
Ahmed, Leila. 2012. Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate. Yale University Press.
Akbarova, Saodat Masudovna. 2023. ‘Cultural Processes In The Period Of Amir Temur And Timurids’, November. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.10138460.
Balabanlilar, Lisa. 2010. ‘The Begims of the Mystic Feast: Turco-Mongol Tradition in the Mughal Harem’. The Journal of Asian Studies 69 (1): 123–47. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021911809992543.
Binbaş, Evrim. 2018. ‘Condominial Sovereignty and Condominial Messianism in the Timurid Empire: Historiographical and Numismatic Evidence’. Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient 61 (1–2): 172–202. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685209-12341447.
Blair, Sheila S., and Jonathan M. Bloom. 1996. The Art and Architecture of Islam. The Yale University Press Pelican History of Art Series.
Das, Debalina. 2021. ‘Leili O Majnun: A Transcendental Influence On Literature’. Ssrn Electronic Journal. Https://Doi.Org/10.2139/Ssrn.3823359.
Deweese, Devin. 1994. Islamization And Native Religion In The Golden Horde. The Pennsylvania State University Press.
Farman, Muhammad, Ali Akgül, Saud Fahad Aldosary, Kottakkaran Sooppy Nisar, and Aqeel Ahmad. 2022. ‘Fractional Order Model for Complex Layla and Majnun Love Story with Chaotic Behaviour’. Alexandria Engineering Journal 61 (9): 6725–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2021.12.018.
Green, Nile, ed. 2019. ‘2 Women and Religious Patronage in the Timurid Empire’. In Afghanistan’s Islam, 56–70. University of California Press. https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520967373-007.
‘How Did Navoi’s Poetry Save the Timurid Prince?’ n.d. The Project «Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan in the World Collections». Accessed 1 March 2025. https://legacy.uz/en/how-did-navois-poetry-save-the-timurid-prince/.
Karımı, Pune. 2024. ‘A Comparative Exploration of Gender Representations in Persian Sufi Literature and Modern Literary Works’. Bilimname, no. 51 (April), 351–76. https://doi.org/10.28949/bilimname.1403175.
Kurbanov, Abdulkhamid. 2019. ‘THE POEM “FARHAD AND SHIRIN” BY ALISHIR NAVAI: SUFISTIC INTERPRETATION’. Theoretical & Applied Science 72 (04): 277–82. https://doi.org/10.15863/TAS.2019.04.72.31.
Meisami, Julie Scott. 1987. Medieval Persian Court Poetry.
Nasrullayev, Elmurod. 2023. ‘The Enlightenment Of Navoi: A New Era And A New Interpretation’. International Journal Of Literature And Languages 03 (01): 10–17. https://doi.org/10.37547/ijll/Volume03Issue01-02.
Pardaeva, Markhabo Davlatovna. 2022. ‘Sufi Views of Alisher Navoi’. International Journal of Culture and Modernity 20 (2022): 4–8.
Schimmel, Annemarie. 2011. Mystical Dimensions of Islam. University of North Carolina Press.
Shakirova, Shohida Yusupovna. 2021. ‘The Role Of Women In The Diplomatic Relations Of The Timurids’. The American Journal of Social Science and Education Innovations 03 (07): 6–8. https://doi.org/10.37547/tajssei/Volume03Issue07-02.
Sims-Williams, Nicholas. 1997. New Light on Ancient Afghanistan: The Decipherment of Bactrian : An Inaugural Lecture Delivered on 1 February 1996. School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
Subtelny, Maria Eva. 1997. ‘The Timurid Legacy: A Reaffirmation and a Reassessment’. Cahiers d’Asie Centrale 3 (4): 9–19.
Szuppe, Maria. 2006. ‘Beatrice Forbes Manz. « Women in Timurid Dynastic Politics », in : Guity Nashat & Lois Beck, Eds., Women in Iran from the Rise of Islam to 1800. University of Illinois Press, Urbana and Chicago, 2003, Pp. 121-139.’ Abstracta Iranica Volume 27. https://doi.org/10.4000/abstractairanica.5913.
