METAPHOR AS A MEANS OF EXPRESSING NATIONAL WORLDVIEW: A COMPARISON OF UZBEK AND RUSSIAN LITERATURE

The article examines metaphor as a key instrument of artistic thinking and a means of expressing the national worldview. Based on examples from Uzbek and Russian literature, it analyzes the peculiarities of metaphorical models that reflect the mentality, values, and cultural dominants of the two peoples. A comparative analysis is conducted of metaphors found in the works of classical Uzbek writers such as Alisher Navoi and Abdulla Qadiri, and Russian authors including Alexander Pushkin and Leo Tolstoy. The study concludes that metaphor is not only a literary device but also a cultural code that makes it possible to reconstruct the spiritual experience of a people.