Defense of the dissertation of Kazhytay Balnur for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the specialty «8D02314 - Literary studies»
L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, a dissertation defense for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by Kazhytay Balnur on the topic «"The Poetics of the Oxymoron in modern Kazakh Prose"» to the educational program «8D02314 – Literary studies».
The dissertation was carried out at the «Kazakh Literature education department» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.
The language of defense is kazakh
Official reviewers:
– Takirov Sarzhan Uakhitpvich – Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Kazakh Literature, Academician E.A. Buketov Karaganda National Research University (Karaganda, Kazakhstan);
– Kalieva Almira Kairytaevna – Candidate of Philological Sciences, Deputy Director General for Research, M.O. Auezov Institute of Literature and Art (Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan).
Temporary members of the Dissertation Council:
– Ekrem Ayan – Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Professor at Mugla Sitki Kocman University (Mugla, Turkey);
– Daurenbekova Laura Nugaibekovna – Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Kazakh Language and Literature, A.K. Kusainov Eurasian Humanities Institute (Astana, Kazakhstan);
– Khudaibergenov Nurbol Dzhumagalievich – Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Chief Researcher at the M.O. Auezov Institute of Literature and Art (Almaty, Kazakhstan).
Scientific advisors:
– Orazbek Maktagul Sotsialkyzy – Doctor of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Kazakh Literature, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan);
– Saifulina Flera Sagitovna – Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor of the Department of Tatar Literature at Kazan Federal University (Kazan, Russian Federation).
The defense will take place on February 26, 2026, at 03:00 PM in the Dissertation Council for the training direction «8D023 – Languages and literature» in the specialty «8D02314 – Literary studies» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. The meeting of the dissertation council will be held in both offline and online formats.
Link: https://clc.li/FkBWt
Address: Astana, K. Satpayev St., 2, Educational and Administrative Building, Room 101.
Abstract (English): The dissertation by Kazhytay Balnur Kyzyrbekovna on the topic “ The Poetics of the Oxymoron in modern Kazakh Prose” has been prepared for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the educational program 8D02314 – Literary Studies. ABSTRACT Relevance of the Research Topic. Despite being used as an artistic technique in contemporary Kazakh prose, the phenomenon of oxymoron has not yet received in-depth development in literary theory. In literary studies, such tropes as metaphor, metonymy, epithet, simile, allegory, etc., have become independent objects of research as means of expressing the language and style of a literary work, the author’s worldview in depicting characters and plot events, and the artistic world; it is known that there are individual studies dedicated to these artistic devices. The need to specifically examine the artistic nature and function of oxymoron in the context of national literature is considered relevant; in Kazakh literary scholarship, although this phenomenon has appeared in separate articles and studies, it has not become the subject of an independent research work. It is evident that oxymoron is one of the important artistic devices that serve to reveal the plot conflict, the author’s stance, the ideological content of a work, and the psychology of characters. It is a multifaceted and complex category that accumulates within itself the functions of epithet, simile, hyperbole, litotes, antithesis, antonym, binary opposition, metaphor, and other stylistic devices in the literary text. In the mentality, culture, and literature of contemporary Kazakh society—standing at the intersection of an era of globalization and national revival—complex internal contradictions and a dilemma of values are emerging. In Kazakh prose, which has entered the postcolonial period, the contradictions and conflicts between tradition and innovation, Eastern and Western civilizations, colonial consciousness and independent consciousness are systematically depicted in literary works and appear as important factors defining the ideological and artistic core of these works. Theoretical Significance of the Research. The present study is based on scientific works and concepts in international and Kazakh literary scholarship regarding oxymoron and its poetic function. Definitions and statements related to oxymoron from various dictionaries and academic studies have been systematized. In particular, the works of the following researchers were considered: M. Bakhtin (“Ауызша шығармашылықтың эстетикасы” [Aesthetics of Verbal Creativity]), V. V. Vinogradov (“Көркем сөйлеу теориясы туралы” [On the Theory of Artistic Speech]), Yu. M. Lotman (“Көркем мәтін құрылымы” [The Structure of the Artistic Text]), L. N. Timofeev (“A. Блок поэзиясындағы контраст поэтикасы” [The Poetics of Contrast]), as well as A. Baitursynuly’s “Әдебиет танытқыш” (Guide to Literature), Z. Kabdolov’s “Сөз өнері” (The Art of the Word), and the “Dictionary of Literary Terms” compiled by Z. Akhmetov and T. Shangbayev. The works of such scholars as A. Baitursynuly, Z. Kabdolov, Z. Akhmetov, R. Nurgali, S. Kaskabasov, D. Kamzabek, F. Saifullina, S. Kondybay, Zh. Aımukhambet, Q. Baitanasova, S. Zhumagul, Zh. Zharylkapov, S. Takirov, M. Orazbek, A. Kaliyeva, G. Saulembek, and others, which were utilized during the research, form the methodological basis of the study. Object of Research. The phenomenon of oxymoron in the artistic works of contemporary Kazakh prose was taken as the object of research. More specifically, the oxymoronic depictions and their artistic resolutions in the works of Kazakh prose from the independence period constitute the research object, including: “Zharnak” and “Kesik bas – tiri tulyp” by M. Magauin; “Parassat maidany” by T. Abdik; “Meshkey” by T. Nurmagambetov; “Bas” by R. Otarbayev; “Men – zhyndymyn” by T. Sauketay; “Taltus” and “Bektorynyn qazynasy” by T. Asemkulov; “Ölmeıtin kus” and “Zhakondanyn zhanary” by Zh. Qorgasbek; “Tuazhat” and “Oba jyldy sawyq” by A. Altay; “Zhatbauyr” and “O düniyedegi kezdesu” by D. Ramazan; “Gülder men kitaplar” by D. Amantay; “Mylqaudyn sybyry” by Zh. Shamuratova; and “Bassyz bori” by M. Malik. The artistic techniques formed through the deliberate convergence of opposite-meaning concepts in these writers’ works have been systematized, and their structural, semantic, and aesthetic characteristics have been examined as a relevant object of analysis in this research. Level of Study of the Topic. Although the concept of oxymoron in literary poetics was initially evaluated as a “wrong metaphor,” over time it was recognized to perform a special aesthetic function, and oxymoron attained the status of an independent stylistic figure. In the 19th century, the term “oxymoron” entered scholarly usage, giving a precise name to a phenomenon that had been examined within the framework of antithesis and contrast in literary studies. For instance, Russian stylistic scholars V. V. Vinogradov and L. N. Timofeev explained oxymoron as a special type of epithet and simile, noting that the combination of opposite semantic elements generates a new symbolic meaning. However, these researchers did not single out oxymoron as an independent poetic method, considering it only as one of the manifestations of the poetics of contrast. In authoritative linguistic works of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the term “oxymoron” also rarely appeared as a distinct term. Researchers have pointed out that the Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language, V. Dal’s “Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language” (1882), the “Great Encyclopedia” edited by S. Yuzhakov (1896), the famous encyclopedic dictionary compiled by F. A. Brockhaus and I. A. Efron (1897 edition), and the Granat Encyclopedic Dictionary (1910–1920) did not include a definition of “oxymoron.” This indicates that understanding oxymoron as an independent literary category had not become established up to the 20th century. Kazakh literary scholars engaged in stylistics have also characterized oxymoron in terms close to the above definitions. For example, A. Aıgabyluly writes: “Sometimes masters of the word put opposite concepts into a single syntactic combination, using antonyms to create an oxymoron. This method helps in literature to compare and more clearly reveal the intended idea.” Literary scholars Zh. Aımunhambet and N. Kobeeva state: “At the foundation of the phenomenon of oxymoronic depiction, which originates from the ‘binary opposition’ underlying mythology and later transforms into a dyadic image opening the way to new poetic possibilities, lies the dialectical law of contradiction and the unity of opposites—an assertion that needs no proof.” Zh. K. Adilbekova and N. A. Yrsymbetova consider oxymoron to be a variety of the juxtaposition (antithesis) method. These authors noted that in the structure of a literary work, oxymoron serves to intensify the emotional tone of words and to reveal the wholeness of opposites. Indeed, when used correctly, oxymoron sharpens the tension in a work’s plotline and helps to expose the essence of a character. Purpose and Objectives of the Research. The main aim of the research is to analyze and study the place, significance, and artistic function of oxymoron poetics in contemporary Kazakh prose – with regard to characters’ psychology, plot conflict, landscape, artistic detail, and types of imagery – from psychoanalytical, aesthetic, and philosophical perspectives. To achieve this aim, the plan is to consider the nature of oxymoron from various angles based on theoretical works in Kazakh and foreign literary studies, and to analyze the types and functions of the oxymoron technique in modern prose. In accordance with this aim, the following research objectives were defined: systematize the aspects of how the concept of oxymoron has been studied in global and Kazakh humanities; analyze, drawing on fundamental works by Kazakh and foreign researchers, the theoretical basis of oxymoron as a literary category; determine the role of oxymoron in depicting the nature, inner world, and psychological state of literary characters; examine the aesthetic and poetic characteristics of work titles and authorial usages based on oxymoron; substantiate the role of oxymoronic titles underlying a work’s theme in conveying the author’s idea and authorial position; analyze from the content of works the use of oxymoron as a means of depicting duality in a character’s nature (split consciousness) and the formation of unconscious traits; reveal the forms of oxymoronic depiction in contemporary postmodernist and postcolonial prose and investigate it as an artistic mechanism for conveying the dialectic between the individual and the world. Scientific Novelty of the Research. The phenomenon of oxymoron in contemporary Kazakh prose has, for the first time, become the subject of a comprehensive literary-theoretical analysis. The scientific novelties and new findings achieved in the research are as follows: 1. The phenomenon of oxymoron in modern Kazakh prose is examined in literary scholarship as an independent object of study; its theoretical foundations and historical origins have been systematized. Previously, oxymoron was discussed only within the scope of antithesis and contrast, whereas in this work it is researched as a separate poetic category, and the concept of “oxymoron poetics in contemporary Kazakh prose” has been introduced into scholarly discourse. 2. The continuity of folkloric and classical traditions has been established. The poetic basis of opposing concepts originates in Kazakh folklore, as clearly seen in the fairy tales “Ayaz bi,” “Tazsha bala,” and Kazakh proverbs. In the fairy tale “Ayaz bi,” the “bad” young man (a character named Zhaman) brought before the khan as “the worst person” turns out to be the wisest, best person and becomes the khan’s vizier. Here, the noble quality of a man considered socially lowest and labeled “bad” is revealed. In other words, one can discern an oxymoronic notion of “bad good.” 3. The artistic and poetic variants of oxymoron in the prose works of a number of writers—M. Magauin, T. Abdik, T. Nurmagambetov, T. Sauketay, R. Otarbayev, T. Asemkulov—have been studied. In particular, the following cases were analyzed: the split personality of characters in the works of M. Magauin and T. Abdik; the transformation of the character and the entire society into slaves of an insatiable appetite in T. Nurmagambetov’s novel “Meshkey”; the doubling of the protagonist in T. Sauketay’s work “Men – zhyndymyn”; a dried bone acquiring speech in R. Otarbayev’s narratives; and the psychology of an “old child” in T. Asemkulov’s novel. The distinctive features of how oxymoronic techniques are realized in accordance with each author’s style and ideological intent have been identified. 4. The role of oxymoron in contemporary Kazakh prose for depicting internal psychological conflicts, as well as the contradictions and moral dilemmas in societal consciousness after the colonial and totalitarian periods, has been specifically examined. As a result, a new scholarly conclusion was drawn that oxymoron can be considered not only as an artistic method but also as a cognitive tool reflecting the historical and social experience of the nation and the spiritual state of the era. Theses Submitted for Defense: Based on the results of the research, the following main scientific propositions are submitted for defense: 1. Oxymoron is a poetic phenomenon that, by uniting mutually contradictory words and concepts, generates a new qualitative meaning, thereby revealing the unity of opposites in a literary work. While it originates from the principle of antithesis in literature, it has developed into an independent artistic method through its distinct structural and semantic features. 2. Literary scholars view oxymoron as an implied, witty idea of the author which, being one manifestation of the principle of contrast and contradiction in a literary work, portrays societal conflict and the turbulent inner world of a character. 3. In contemporary Kazakh prose, oxymoron is widely employed as an important artistic-stylistic device and plays a key role in revealing the ideological and thematic core of a work. Kazakh writers use oxymoron not only at the lexical level but also within the plot, the system of images, and the narrative thread, turning it into an effective tool for conveying national identity and depicting complex contradictions. 4. In Kazakh literature, phrases that unite opposites—such as Abai’s “ащы тәтті өмір” (“bitter sweet life”), “жақсы өлім” (“good death”), and Magzhan Zhumabaev’s “қара күн” (“black day”), “тәтті у” (“sweet poison”), “Әлдиле, өлім, әлдиле” (“Lullaby, death, lullaby”), “жер бетін топан басса екен” (“if only a flood would cover the earth”)—hint at the author’s deeply held, hidden thoughts about life’s truths by combining contradictions. 5. In depicting life’s complex contradictions, writers have created oxymoronic notions and images through their artistic imagination—what can be termed authorial oxymorons. For example, in Victor Hugo’s novel “The Man Who Laughs,” to entertain the wealthy, healthy children are deliberately maimed and made to look comical; Hugo notes, “A wolf never bites; but with people this happens often,” attributing to humans a predatory trait characteristic of a wolf. Through the image of a character whose “head is alive – face is dead,” the author signifies the spiritual death of human nature. Gwynplaine’s laughter is in fact a mask for inner agony and perpetual tragedy. Research Methods. The category of oxymoron in fiction is characterized by features that involve deeply revealing a character’s psychology and shaping imagery. To study this phenomenon, a comparative method was applied first. It was used to analyze and compare the manifestations of oxymorons across different literary eras and national schools, as well as to identify their typological, semantic, and stylistic characteristics. The comparative-contrastive method allowed, by correlating the structural elements of oxymoron and their semantic junctures, to reveal their psychological function in the portrayal of a character. Publications Produced Within the Dissertation: Articles in Web of Science / Scopus: 1. The Duality of the Mask Archetype in Works of Art // Res Militaris (Revue europeenee d’etudes). – 2022. – Vol. 12, Iss. 3. – pp. 921-927. https://resmilitaris.net/uploads/paper/640d215344e9cbc6da0091669efa29ff.pdf 2. Oxymoron in Victor Hugo’s Novel “The Man Who Laughs”: A Stylistic and Rhetorical Analysis // Forum for Linguistic Studies. – 2025. – No. 7(6). – pp. 376-388. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i6.9514 Articles in journals recommended by the Kazakhstan Ministry of Science: 1. Oxymoron – a Poetic Category // “Keruen” Scientific Journal of the M. O. Auezov Institute of Literature and Art. – No. 76(3), 2022. – pp. 37-47. https://doi.org/10.53871/2078-8134.2022.3-03 2. The Role of Oxymoron in Revealing a Character’s Psychology) // Bulletin of Toraigyrov University: Philology Series. – 2023. – No. 2. – pp. 132-140. https://doi.org/10.48081/ZVUK4682 3. Oxymoronic interpretation of the postcolonial personality // Bulletin of the Eurasian Humanities Institute. – 2024. – No. 2. – pp. 119-126. https://doi.org/10.55808/1999-4214.2024-2.12 4. Oxymoronic Depiction in Askar Altay’s Novel “Tuazhat”) // Bulletin of the Eurasian Humanities Institute. – 2025. – No. 2. – pp. 111-119. (ISSN 2957-5095) https://doi.org/10.55808/1999-4214.2025-2.12 Conference Proceedings: 1. The Nature of Oxymoron in Abai’s Poetry // Abai’s Works in the Contemporary Humanities Space: proceedings of the republican theoretical conference, November 12, 2020, pp. 206-211. 2. Comparative Characteristics of Oxymoron) // G. Ibragimov: Writer, Critic, Methodologist, Public Figure: proceedings of the international scientific-practical conference of young scholars dedicated to the 135th anniversary of the Tatar literature classic, public and statesman Galimdzhan Ibragimov, Kazan, March 11–12, 2022, pp. 104-106. 3. Parameters of the Correlation between Oxymoron and Paradox // Ізденістер мен жаңалықтар филология ғылымында (“Research and Innovations in Philological Science”): proceedings of the VI international scientific-practical conference for doctoral and master’s students, April 11, 2023, pp. 115-121. 4. The Phraseological Meaning of Oxymoron in Kazakh Literature) // Proceedings of the international scientific-practical conference dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Department of Tatar Language and Literature of Kazan State University and the 220th anniversary of Kazan University, Kazan, November 22–23, 2024, pp. 142-145. 5. The Role of Oxymoronic Depiction in the Novel “Men – zhyndymyn”) // Proceedings of the international scientific-practical conference “Filologiyalyq zertteu bagyttary” (“Directions of Philological Research”) dedicated to the 85th anniversary of academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan, prominent public figure and literary scholar Rymgali Nurgali; Kazakhstan: Astana, April 16, 2025, pp. 147-153. 6. Oxymoron in Kazakh and Tatar Prose: Based on the Works of Aigul Kemelbayeva and Guzel Yakhina) // National Literatures of the Volga Region Republics: Problems of Intercultural Communication, October 22–24, 2025, pp. 344-348.
'/%3e%3cpath%20fill-rule='evenodd'%20clip-rule='evenodd'%20d='M17.5427%2012.684C17.1383%2011.7889%2016.7126%2011.771%2016.3278%2011.7553C16.0132%2011.7419%2015.6529%2011.7427%2015.2932%2011.7427C14.9333%2011.7427%2014.3483%2011.8774%2013.8537%2012.4152C13.3587%2012.9531%2011.9639%2014.2533%2011.9639%2016.8978C11.9639%2019.5426%2013.8987%2022.098%2014.1684%2022.4569C14.4383%2022.8153%2017.9033%2028.4156%2023.3907%2030.5701C27.9513%2032.3606%2028.8793%2032.0045%2029.8692%2031.9149C30.8591%2031.8253%2033.0633%2030.6149%2033.5133%2029.3597C33.9632%2028.1048%2033.9632%2027.0291%2033.8282%2026.8043C33.6932%2026.5803%2033.3333%2026.4459%2032.7933%2026.1771C32.2534%2025.9083%2029.5992%2024.6078%2029.1043%2024.4286C28.6093%2024.2494%2028.2494%2024.1598%2027.8894%2024.6979C27.5295%2025.2355%2026.4954%2026.4459%2026.1804%2026.8043C25.8655%2027.1635%2025.5505%2027.2083%2025.0105%2026.9395C24.4706%2026.6699%2022.7318%2026.1029%2020.6691%2024.2717C19.0641%2022.8472%2017.9806%2021.0877%2017.6656%2020.5496C17.3506%2020.012%2017.6318%2019.7209%2017.9027%2019.4529C18.1451%2019.2121%2018.4426%2018.8254%2018.7126%2018.5116C18.982%2018.1977%2019.072%2017.9737%2019.252%2017.6153C19.4319%2017.2564%2019.342%2016.9425%2019.207%2016.6737C19.072%2016.405%2018.0228%2013.7468%2017.5427%2012.684Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cdefs%3e%3clinearGradient%20id='paint0_linear_181_11959'%20x1='22.8525'%20y1='42.8177'%20x2='22.8525'%20y2='0.921701'%20gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse'%3e%3cstop%20stop-color='%2320B038'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='1'%20stop-color='%2360D66A'/%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
