HOMELAND AND NATIONAL IDENTITY IN MODERN UZBEK POETRY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ALEXANDER FAYNBERG, ABDULLA ORIPOV, AND OTHER INFLUENTIAL POETS

The concept of homeland (vatan) has long been central to Uzbek literature, serving as a profound symbol of identity, cultural continuity, and emotional belonging. This study examines the treatment of the homeland motif in the works of Alexander Faynberg, Abdulla Oripov, and other influential Uzbek poets such as Muhammad Yusuf, Zulfiya, and Hurshid Devron. Through a comparative literary analysis, the paper explores how these poets articulate personal and collective attachments to the land, employing imagery, symbolism, and narrative techniques to evoke patriotism, nostalgia, and cultural memory. Faynberg’s reflective and introspective poem Vatan is contrasted with Oripov’s impassioned and nationally assertive O‘zbegim, revealing diverse approaches to the same central theme. The study situates these works within historical, social, and political contexts, highlighting the enduring significance of the homeland in Uzbek literature. This research demonstrates that the homeland motif functions both as a personal emotional anchor and as a vehicle for collective identity, bridging individual experience and national consciousness.