HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MEMOIR GENRE

SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 10 OCTOBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 32 HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MEMOIR GENRE M. Muhammadzokirova1, I. Adizova2 Doctoral student of the Department of History of Uzbek Literature and Textology, Faculty of Uzbek Philology, Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature named after Alisher Navoi1 Professor of the Department of History of Uzbek Literature and Textology, Faculty of Uzbek Philology, Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature named after Alisher Navoi2 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17461732 Abstract. This article analyzes the stages of formation, development, and historical development of the memoir genre in literature. First of all, starting from the first examples of memoirs, their form and content aspects are highlighted, and it is shown how the specific features of this genre changed under the influence of social and cultural factors in different periods. In particular, on the example of examples of Eastern and Western literature, the functional possibilities of the memoir genre, its artistic and aesthetic requirements, and the role of the writer's personality are analyzed as an important factor. In the course of the research, it is substantiated that this genre is based on the combination of historicity, fact, and personal experiences, its place and significance in the development of literary thought. The article is rich in scientific conclusions about the specific artistic criteria of the memoir genre, its enrichment in terms of form, and its place in modern literature. Keywords: memoir genre, History, “Tunyuquq” inscription, “Badoe ul-vaqoe”, “Baburnama”. Introduction Memoirs are considered literary works in which the author's memories of events in the past, in which he directly participated or witnessed them, are narrated. They are an important component of literature as a source of information about unique personal life experiences and historical events of the time. Their main task is to reflect past events based on the author's memoirs or any historical documents. In this regard, there are two approaches to memoirs. The boundaries of this genre, that is, the description of real historical realities and the expression of the author's inner experiences, require the understanding of its nature, taking into account aesthetic and historiographical criteria. While an approach from an aesthetic standpoint contributes to the formation of the literary reputation of works in this genre, it is insufficient for understanding the genre characteristics of memoirs. The historiographical approach cannot encompass the artistic nature of this genre. However, it clearly demonstrates one of the main qualities of the genre - the authenticity of the material and the absence of artistic fabrication (Сутаева, 1998). The value of memoirs as historical documents is determined by the essence of the events underlying them, the consistency and accuracy of their narration (Quronov et al., 2013). Subsequently, during the development of the genre, its boundaries significantly expanded and changed. The structure has become more complex, and elements such as composition, the system of images, language, and narrative form have been improved. As a result, the memoir genre became an independent and full-fledged genre of fiction (Гордиенко & Малышева, 2012). SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 10 OCTOBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 33 Method In this research, the historical-biographical method was used based on the literaryhistorical approach which is a literary analysis method that connects a literary work to the author's life and the socio-historical context in which it was created. It posits that understanding an author's biography and the events of their time-including political, economic, and cultural circumstances— enhances the understanding of their literary work. Discussion Characteristics of the memoir genre are first seen in examples of ancient literature. In particular, the “first” historians: Herodotus, Thucydides, and Xenophon can be partially recognized as memoirists. It should be noted that the birth of history, and later philosophy, coincided with the birth of memoirs as a genre. The author of the first complete historical work - “History”, describing the Greco-Persian wars and the customs of many peoples of his time, the great Greek historian Herodotus, participated together with Paniasides in the rebellion against the ruler of Halicarnassus, Ligdamides. Ligdamides suppressed the rebellion by force, and Paniasis was sentenced to death, while Herodotus was expelled from the country. After this, the future historian decided to embark on a journey through Asian countries. He traveled on foot through many lands and peoples, many countries, and wrote the work “History” based on reliable information gathered through events he personally witnessed and other witnesses. The work consists of nine books, each containing one hundred and fifty or more stories. The writing history of another Greek historian, Thucydides, is similar to Herodotus’s. He was born into a wealthy Athenian aristocratic family; he inherited from his relatives the gold mines on the coast of Thrace. He received a good education and maintained good relations with the philosophers and naturalists of his time. Thucydides actively participated in political life. During the Peloponnesian War (424), he was a strategist and commander of the Athenian squadron near the coast of Thrace. However, the Spartan commander was severely condemned and persecuted in Athens for not being able to prevent Brasides from capturing Amphipol. Having spent 20 years in exile far from his homeland, Thucydides collected material for his historical work. In 404, after the end of the war, he returned to Athens. The work "History" (8 books), devoted to the history of the Peloponnesian War, is considered the pinnacle of ancient historiography [1] This work was written based on the events that Thucydides personally witnessed. It should be especially noted that the author was one of the first Western historians to introduce chronological systematization, which is reflected in the work. In it, events are narrated over the years. Thucydides participated in this war on the side of the Athenian-led Union of Delos, as the commander of the Athenian army, but the author, in describing the events of the war, does not take sides with either side and objectively analyzes the events from the point of view of a third person. In the above-mentioned works of Herodotus and Thucydides, the memoir genre is based on events about the past that the author personally participated in or witnessed; the narration of the event in the first person; the abundance of events and factual materials; chronological systematization; the use of plot methods characteristic of works of art is rare, but the use of figurative means is appropriate. Nevertheless, the authors' objective attitude towards events is the basis for our partial acceptance of them as memoirists. In Eastern literature, memoirs have long been formed as a unique literary genre. In many cases, they are created by historical figures and analyze the political, social, and cultural landscape of their time from the author's point of view. Since these works were created with the direct participation of the author, they truthfully and SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 10 OCTOBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 34 accurately depict the spirit of the time, the character of historical figures, the sequence of political events, and the details of social life. The most ancient Eastern literary monuments are common literary monuments of the peoples who have lived in Central Asia since ancient times. These common spiritual treasures include myths, legends, songs, lyric poems, heroic epics, the Avesta, the sacred book of Zoroastrianism, and the Orkhon-Yenisei inscriptions. Among them, if we consider only the Tonyukuk inscription as an example of the memoir genre, then in the Bilge Khagan inscription, certain characteristic features of the genre are noticeable. The author of the Bilge Khagan inscription is Yollug Tigin, and due to the fact that this inscription was damaged over the centuries, the events are not consistent. It mainly accurately narrates the events of how Bilge Khagan, at what age, led an army to subjugate which peoples. Especially, at the age of twenty-two, he marched on Tabgach and decisively defeated Chacha Sangun's eighty-thousand-strong army. At the age of twenty-six, he attacked and defeated the Kyrgyz people. In the same year, he subjugated the Az people. At the age of twenty-seven, he again marched against the Kyrgyz Khagan. Kongman (Sayan) crossed the river and attacked the Kyrgyz people at night, while the entire nation was asleep, killed the Kyrgyz khagan, and annexed his state to the Turkic Khaganate. In the same year, he attacked the Turgesh people, killed their khagan and shadi, and seized their state. At the age of thirty, he marched on Beshbaliq, killing many of his soldiers. It was difficult to capture Beshbalik - he made six trips. Because the nobility of Beshbaliq came to Bilga Khagan, the Khagan pardoned the inhabitants of Beshbaliq and saved the city. At the age of thirty-one, due to the fact that the Karluk people had distanced themselves from the Turkic Khaganate, he marched against them. The battle took place at a place called Tamgiduq bash, and the Karluks were defeated. At the age of thirty-four, the Oghuz fled and joined the Tabgach Khaganate. He led an army and defeated them. He was shad and khagan for nineteen years. Thus, there is a chronological system in the inscription. Only the most important dates in the life of the main character are highlighted, and the events are formed in a meaningful connection with each other. In illuminating the character of Bilge Khagan, descriptions the characteristics of folklore heroes were not used, but only in their proper place, and artistic means of depiction were used to prove the events. The participant and narrator of the events is Bilge Khagan himself. On this basis, there are such kind of opinions: "unlike the Kultigin inscription, Bilge Khagan's inscription should be considered to belong to the memoir genre" (Rahmonov, 2014). At this point, we consider that it is expedient to clarify this point. Of course, at first glance, this inscription seems like an example of the memoir genre. The reason is that the events are narrated year after year, with precision, from the main character's perspective. Notably, the author of this inscription is Yollug Tigin (not Bilge Khagan!). If this inscription, along with the above-mentioned features, also showed the commonality of the author, main character, and narrator, we would undoubtedly accept it as a unique example of the memoir genre. The Tonyuquq inscription is dedicated to Tonyuquq, the closest advisor, commander, and loyal partner of Eltarish Khagan, the founder of the Second Turkic Khaganate. The author, main character, and narrator of the inscription is also Tonyukuk himself. In particular, it begins as follows: Bilga To‘nyuquq – ban. O‘zum Tabg‘ach alinga qilintim. Turk bo‘dun Tabg‘achqa ko‘rur arti (Is’hoqov et al., 2009). SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 10 OCTOBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 35 Meaning: I am Bilge Tonyukuk. I myself grew up in the Tabgach people. At that time, the Turkish people were dependent on the Tabgach (Is’hoqov et al., 2009). From the quoted excerpt, it is clear that the author’s name is recorded in the inscription as Bilge Tonyukuk. The word bilga attached to Tonyukuk’s name is a title given to him, meaning “knowledgeable”, “scholar”. This word, used together with the author’s name, proves that he was a great sage, an advisor to the Khagan. In the work, Tonyukuk chronologically describes the most important events of the collapse of the First Turkic Khaganate, the fragmentation of Turkic tribes, and the re-establishment of the Second Turkic Khaganate. Events are concisely expressed, and the entire historical period or certain historical events are vividly represented before the reader's eyes through few words, but deep content. The author, describing the fall of the First Turkic Khaganate and the dependence of the Turkic Khaganate on China, says: “Tangri ancha tamis arinch: Qan bartim, qaningin qo‘dub ichikding, ichikduk uchun tangri “o‘l” tamis arinch, turk bo‘dun o‘lti, alqinti, yoq bo‘lti. Turk sir bo‘dun yarinta bo‘d qalmadi” (Is’hoqov et al., 2009). Meaning: “It seems Tengri said this: I gave him a khan. You abandoned your khan and surrendered. God must have told him to die because he surrendered to the Tabgach. The Turkic people died, disappeared, ended. Not a single clan remained on the land of the Turkic people” (Is’hoqov et al., 2009). In the above passage, we can clearly observe the author’s subjective attitude towards the events. It seems that the tragedy of the Turkic Khaganate is the personal tragedy of Tonyukuk. Tonyukuk considers the fate of the people as his own fate, the interests of the people as his own, and the success of the people as his own success. He always lives with the concerns of the people and the country. As a military commander and advisor to the Khagan, he fought for the country’s independence. In describing the events of the re-establishment of the Second Turkic Khaganate, the author quotes the words of the enemy: “O‘g‘uzda antan ko‘rug kalti. Ko‘rug sabi antag‘: To‘quz o‘g‘uz bo‘dun uza qag‘an o‘lurti, tir, Tabg‘achg‘aru Qo‘ni Sangunug idmis, Qitangg‘aru To‘ngra Samig‘ idmis, sab ancha idmis: Azqinga turk bo‘dun yo‘riyur armis, qag‘ani alp armis, ayg‘uchisi bilga armis. O‘l aki kishi bar arsar, sani Tabg‘achig‘ o‘lurtachi tirman” (Is’hoqov et al., 2009). Meaning: “At that time, an observer came from the Oghuz. The observer’s words are as follows: he says that a khagan ruled over the Nine Oghuz people. He sent Kuni Sangun to the Tabgach, and Tongra Sam to China. He sent word to them that a small number of Turks were here. His Khagan was a warrior, his advisor a scholar. If those two are alive, they will kill you - the Tabgach” (Is’hoqov et al., 2009). Through this passage, the author proves the accuracy of the events taking place. He indicates that he is a meticulous observer. Thus, taking into account the peculiarities of the memoir genre observed in the Tonyukuk inscription, we can accept it as the first example of the memoir genre in ancient Turkic literature. Some features of the memoir genre can also be observed in the works of one of the leading figures of world literature, the poet, scholar, and great statesman Nizamiddin Mir Alisher Navoi “Khamsat ul-muttahayyirin,” “Holoti Pahlavon Muhammad,” and “Holoti Sayyid Hasan Ardasher.” Mir Alisher Navoi was not only a sultan of the realm of words, a great statesman and public figure, but also a figure who demonstrated his own high moral standards in teacher-student, friendship-brotherly relations. He established close friendship and mentor-student relationships with many prominent figures of his time, such as Abdurrahman Jami, Sayyid Hasan Ardasher, and Pahlavon Muhammad. In order to perpetuate the memory of his SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 10 OCTOBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 36 teacher and friends, he created the works “Khamsat ul-muttahayyirin,” “Holoti Sayyid Hasan Ardasher” and “Holoti Pahlavon Muhammad” based on real events that occurred during their life and creative path, in which the author personally participated or witnessed. Navoi dedicated his work “Khamsat ul-muttahayyirin” to illuminating the life path and scientific-spiritual activities of his teacher Abdurrahman Jami. In the introductory part of the work, the author describes in a consistent sequence the birth of his teacher, his lineage, his childhood and youth, the places where he studied, his teachers, mentors, the level of maturity in the external and internal sciences, and finally, the periods when he met with him. This part is a description of events based on reliable information gathered through other witnesses, which the author did not personally witness. The author concisely and accurately describes these aspects of Jami’s life, entering into his main goal - that is, the narration of events he saw with his own eyes and witnessed personally. The article “Previous” of the work serves the fulfillment of the author’s purpose. This section extensively covers the relationship between Alisher Navoi and Abdurahman Jami. The proverb consists of 17 separate stories on various topics. But all of them, as a whole, reflect different aspects of the relationship between the two creators. The stories are narrated from the author’s perspective. A consistent chronological order is not observed in the narration of events. Nevertheless, in stories based on real events, the author’s subjective attitude towards the object of depiction is clearly visible. In particular, in story 15, it is narrated that Jami’s son Safiuddin Muhammad dies. This deeply saddened Navoiy. The sultan of the realm of words goes to his teacher with a group of companions to offer condolences, but he cannot find words to console the father who has lost his son and express his deep sorrow from this event. Characteristics of the memoir genre present in the work “Khamsat ul-muttahayyirin” are also observed in the works “Holoti Sayyid Hasan Ardasher” and “Holoti Pahlavon Muhammad.” The work “Badoe ul-vaqoe,” which is an important source for the history of the culture of the peoples of Central Asia, is considered one of the unique examples of the memoir genre. The author of the work is Zayniddin ibn Abdujalil Vasifi. His work reflects the scientific, literary, historical, and cultural life of Khorasan, Mawarannahr, Turkestan, and Iran from 1517 to 1532. The work consists of an introduction and 54 chapters, and its parts do not have a complete plot. The general aspect connecting the parts of the work is the personality of Zayniddin Vasifi. He is simultaneously the central character and narrator of the events. In the work, the author reflects historical and political events from the point of view of their direct participant. In particular, according to the author, in 918 AH, 1512 AD, the hardship and famine in Samarkand reached such a level that the poor and destitute spent their nights gathering grain from Parvin’s harvest. On one such momentous day, a student of knowledge came to Zayniddin Vosifiy, informed him of his condition, and asked for help. The state of the knowledge seekers reached such a point that “...two of them, unable to bear the impatience of hunger, sold and ate their coats. And from the severity of the cold, they surrendered their souls to the One who gave them life” (Vosifiy, 1979). That same evening, one of Zayniddin Vosifiy’s close friends, Abdulali Balxiy, also came to Vosifiy’s chamber, worried about the knowledge seekers. The two friends consulted and decided to write an ode praising Abusaid Sultan in the description of the year of famine. Hoping to receive gifts from the king and help the knowledge seekers, they finished writing the qasida that very night. At dawn, they set off for Konigil to move it and return it to its owner. The king ordered that Vosifiy and Balxiy be given ten fat sheep, twenty man of flour, a hundred khani in money, SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 10 OCTOBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 37 and four trees for firewood as gifts for the qasida. Vasifi took them to the madrasa and spent that winter himself with the students and several other poor people in the madrasa. In the summer of 1512, Amir Najmi Soniy invaded Samarkand with an army of eighty thousand. Vosifi, who was currently in Samarkand and was a direct witness to the events, describes this invasion as follows: “...Najmi the Second soared in the heavens of honor, glory, and heroism that the sun of the celestial dome, illuminating the world, seemed to him even lower than a particle. The Qizilbash party was a pair of horsemen in the valley of rebellion and hopelessness, showing great zeal” (Vosifiy, 1979). According to the author, at this time Ubaydulla Khan and Sultan Jonibek were in the vicinity of Karmina, while Kuchkunji Khan and Temur Khan were in Miyankol with the other sultans. While they all decided to retreat, the sultans’ successor, Sayyid Abdulla, arrived in Bukhara from the Turkestan region. Meeting with Ubaydulla Khan, he urges the sultan to fight for Bukhara. At this time, news arrived that Najmi the Second had captured Qarshi, was carrying out a mass extermination, and had no intention of leaving any living creature alive. The author describes the state of Ubaydulla Khan upon hearing this news as follows: “Ubaydulla Khan began to cry and said: “O Mahdum, how can one stand against this community?” (Vosifiy, 1979). From the above passage, it is clear that Vasifi described the events vividly and realistically. The author not only praises the ruler, but also vividly reveals his weaknesses. The features of authenticity and subjectivity of the memoir are also reflected in these places. The work also contains reliable information about such creators as Navoi, Kasim Ali Kanuni, Chaqar, Changi, Ustad Hasan Udi, Hafiz Basir, Ustad Sheikh Noyi, and Mawlana Binoi. We also consider the work “Baburnama”, which is considered an important and unique monument of world literature and source studies, as an example of the memoir genre. The author of the work, Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur, was a great king, a classical poet, a theorist, literary scholar, jurist, linguist, ethnographer, and expert in the animal and plant world. This work is a vivid example of how versatile he is. In “Baburnama”, the historical and political events that took place in 1494-1529 in Central Asia, Afghanistan, and India are described year by year with great accuracy, which are directly related to the author’s life, creative, and political activities. Babur Mirza purposefully sorted the information in the work, reviewed it, and noted only those that “are worth writing”, “are worth hearing”. Through this, the plot is purposefully directed. The author expresses the following thoughts about this in the work: “…yana bitilgudek nima nazarg‘a kelsa, tahrir qilg‘umdir; eshitulgudek nima eshitilsa, tahrir qilg‘umdur” (Bobur, 2020). Although the work is based on real events, the author's subjective view plays a significant role. The author evaluates historical and cultural processes through his personal experience and observations. In particular, Babur critically describes the internal conflicts and mutual hostilities between the Timurid princes and considers these events the main reason for the weakening of the Timurids. Moreover, this work is not only an expression of Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur’s life path, military campaigns, successes and defeats, as well as his inner feelings and emotional turmoil towards them, but also a source of vast scientific information corresponding to nearly fifty fields of modern branched sciences. In particular, Babur writes about the personality and work of Hilali: “ Yana Hiloliy edi. Bu tarixda ham bordur. G‘azallari hamvor va rangin va kam xadshadur. … Bisyor qaviy hofizasi bor emish, o‘ttuz-qirq ming bayt yodida bor emish” (Bobur, 2020). In the course of the information about the aforementioned Hilali, Babur pays special attention to the problems of content and composition of the theory of literature related to his work, SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 10 OCTOBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 38 sharply criticizes the issue of the logic of images: “Bir masnaviysi bor “hafif” bahrida “Shoh va Darvish”qa mavsum, agarchi ba’zi baytlari tavre voqe bo‘lubtur, vale bu masnaviyning mazmun na ustuxonbandlig‘i bisyor kovak va xarobtur. Shuaroyi motaqaddam ishq va oshiqliq uchun masnaviylarkim aytibdurlar, oshiqliqni erga va ma’shuqluqni xotung‘a nisbat qilibturlar. Hiloliy darvishni oshiq qilibtur, shohni ma’shuq” (Bobur, 2020). Another remarkable example of the memoir genre is the work “My Years in Kremlin”, created by N. Mukhitdinov in 1995. The events of 1922-1991 are described chronologically, without emotional coloring, and these events are narrated from the perspective of one of the characters. The work also presents factual materials known only in narrow circles: “...these memoirs are not only the author’s personal observations, reflections, but also, in essence, a documentary work”(Muhitdinov, 1995). The author of the three-volume memoir, Nuritdin Akramovich Mukhitdinov, was a person who played an important role in the political life of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic and held many government positions (Muhitdinov, 1995). In the work, he describes the sequence of events he witnessed down to the smallest details, and at some points, he shows a panorama of historical events, which are interpreted in textbooks from different angles. Conclusion If the first forms of the memoir genre appeared in the form of chronological documents and historical records, then later the author’s position, personal observations, aesthetic criteria, and means of artistic expression became increasingly stronger in them. Today, the memoir genre is becoming an object of scientific research not only as a historical and artistic source, but also as a means of studying the complex socio-cultural relations between the individual and society. REFERENCES 1. Сутаева, З. (1998). Жанровые особенности автобиографической и мемуарной прозы: На материале творчества А. С. Пушкина, П. А. Вяземского, Н. Г. Чернышевского (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Mocква. 2. Quronov, D., Mamajonov, Z., & Sheraliyeva, M. (2013). Adabiyotshunoslik lug‘ati. Akademnashr. 3. Гордиенко, Н., & Малышева, М. (2012). Художественные особенности мемуаров А.М. Топорова. Актуальные проблемы филологии(2). 28-31. 4. Rahmonov, N. (2017). 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