Ghulam Zafari’s Role in the History of Uzbek Dramaturgy

Olim Usmanov

Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature named after Alisher Navoi, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Keywords: Ghulam Zafari, Theatre, Play, Literature, Halima.

Abstract: Ghulam Zafari is a significant figure in Uzbek modern literature. He distinguished himself as a poet, dramatist,

folklorist, and musicologist. Regarded as the founder of Uzbek children's drama and the author of the first

Uzbek musical drama, Ghulam Zafari holds a pivotal position in the literary history of the country. His play,

"Halima", garnered substantial popularity among the Uzbek people during the 1920s and 1930s. Esteemed

figures of Uzbek literature, including Fitrat, Cholpon, and Abdulla Qadiri, as well as Russian art critics like

B. Pestovsky and V. Ouspensky, highly rated his work. Ghulam Zafari left a lasting legacy in 20th-century

Uzbek culture. This article provides a succinct analysis of Ghulam Zafari's life and his masterpieces, drawing

upon an archival analysis of newspapers published at the beginning of the 20

century.

1 INTRODUCTION

The first quarter of the 20th century marked a period

of dramatic changes in the history of Uzbek literature

and culture. Having developed within the cultural

environment of the East for a thousand years, Uzbek

literature started to exhibit elements typical of

Western literature during this period. Poetry took on

a more social tone, the new poetic style "barmoq"

replaced the traditional aruz, and novels and other

prose genres emerged. One of the most significant

innovations of this period was the rise of a new,

European-style theatre, which catalysed the rapid

development of dramaturgy. Many Uzbek writers of

this era endeavoured to create dramatic artworks. In

particular, Ghulam Zafari, with his deep affection for

the theatre, established the genre of children’s drama

and musical drama in Uzbek literature.

A new European-style theatre deeply permeated the

cultural life of the Uzbek people. Following the

emergence of drama as a genre in Uzbek literature, it

quickly became one of the dominant literary forms.

The Uzbek population greeted this art form with

enthusiasm, recognising the theatre as a potent

instrument for influencing the public mind.

Consequently, numerous renowned writers of that

time exhibited considerable interest in producing

dramatic artworks. The allure of theatre captivated

Corresponding author

progressive intellectuals and the youth with its

magnetism. This heightened interest, particularly

following Behbudi’s acclaimed work "Padarkush",

led to the emergence of numerous new dramas. The

rise of the Uzbek theatre was a historical necessity.

Other Turkic nations, including the Turks, Tatars, and

Azerbaijanis, had initiated this process slightly earlier

and had made certain contributions to the creation of

the new Uzbek theatre.

At the dawn of the last century, there were many who

failed to appreciate the potential of theatre in serving

the development of the nation, thus condemning it.

However, thanks to the efforts of dedicated

intellectuals, the nation, which was in the midst of a

national renaissance, came to understand that theatre

acted as a school and mirror, revealing its

shortcomings and inconsistencies. Despite resistance

from the regional administration of the Russian

Empire and local adversaries, theatre flourished.

2 METHODOLOGY

In this article, the dramatist's life and legacy were

studied using the qualitative content analysis method,

based on archival materials. Specifically, we analysed

Ghulam Zafari's dramatic works through the lens of

Russian theatre critic B. Pestovsky's thoughts, which

472

Usmanov, O.

Ghulam Zafari’s Role in the History of Uzbek Dramaturgy.

DOI: 10.5220/0012490800003792

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 1st Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies (PAMIR 2023), pages 472-477

ISBN: 978-989-758-687-3

were published in the 3rd and 4th issues of "Inqilob"

magazine in 1922. We derived certain conclusions

from the announcements and brief reviews about the

presentations of several short plays by Ghulam Zafari

in "Ishtirokyun" newspaper and in the issue of

"Turkiston" newspaper dated October 4, 1919. We

discovered, through a review in the "Ishtirokyun"

newspaper on September 14 of the same year, that the

first performance of the drama "Halima" began on

September 10, 1920. During the 1920s, the Uzbek

people showed great interest in the drama "Halima".

National Uzbek tunes were appropriately used, and

the work received high praise from many Uzbek

intellectuals. This fact is substantiated by Cholpon's

review of the work, which was published in the

December 16, 1922 issue of the "Turkiston"

newspaper.

3 DISCUSSION

Ghulam Zafari played a unique role in introducing the

Uzbek people to theatre. His dramatic work began

before the changes of 1917. A Russian theatre critic

of the time, B.A. Pestovsky, writes the following in

the article "History of the Uzbek Theatre": "Comrade

Zafari's dedication to the world of theatre, art and

literature in general, had a significant and fruitful

impact on the nation." Indeed, Ghulam Zafari's love

for the theatre was exceptional. He was driven by the

desire to incorporate the best traditions of folk theatre

into modern theatre, to create truly national dramatic

works imbued with the essence of Uzbek national art,

and to resonate with the spirit of the people.

According to Pestovsky, Ghulam Zafari, like a

number of leading artists of his time, was influenced

by Mahmudhoja Behbudi's work "Padarkush", and in

1915 he wrote a drama entitled "Unfortunate

Apprentice". However, the play was not published.

It was impossible to instantly dispel ignorance that

had been entrenched in the minds of the people for

centuries. Therefore, it was necessary to initiate this

work by educating children, instilling in their pure

hearts feelings of patriotism, faith in the future, and

enlightenment. Recognising that the role of modern

theatre is incomparable in implementing this noble

work, Ghulam Zafari began to write small stage plays

based on the lives of children and young people,

contemporaneously, of a moral and promotional

nature, and he laid the cornerstone for children's

drama in Uzbek literature.

That period was challenging for the local people in

the region, and Ghulam Zafari encouraged all

enlightened individuals to work collaboratively in all

areas, including preparing children for a bright future

and educating them in an enlightened way. Works

such as "Spring", "Viola", "Wish", "Resistance",

"Merciful Disciple", "In the graveyard", "Rabbit",

"Tatimboy father", "Children of Freedom", written by

the playwright in the late 1910s - early 1920s, were

created for this purpose. These works were first

performed on amateur stages and later on professional

theatre stages. In the play "Wish", written in 1919 and

staged the same year, the playwright expresses his

noble desires and views through the character of

Murad, the main character of the play. According to

Murad, in order for the nation to progress, all its

members must be enlightened. "So, why aren't

women able to receive education? After all, half of

humanity is made up of women, isn't it?! If women

are illiterate, doesn't that mean that half of society will

be illiterate?!"

The intellectuals of that time placed significant

emphasis on the education of women and girls. They

deeply understood that the future of the nation is in

the hands of mothers. Every person receives their

initial upbringing, first and foremost, from their

mother. Therefore, the enlightenment of the mother

guarantees the bright future of the nation. The same

idea is proposed in the play "Wish".

This play was performed together with Ghulam

Zafari’s plays "Dishonest Son" and "Merciful

Disciple" by the theatre troupe led by Mannon

Uyghur on October 4, 1919. It's noteworthy that this

work was the first performance of the State Theatre

for children. This performance was also shown

together with the works of Fitrat and Mannon Uighur,

who were close friends of Ghulam Zafari. In the

October 4, 1919 issue of the "Ishtirokyun"

newspaper, there is the following notice:

On Saturday, October 4, 1919, on the “Turon” stage,

the following will be performed by the Artists Union:

1. “Tilak” is a one-act educational and didactic play.

Writer: Ghulam Zafari.

2. “Dishonest Son”. A scene that depicts the grim

situation of a merciless son. Writer: Ghulam Zafari.

3. “The Merciful Disciple” An operatic scene

depicting the Merciful Disciple. Writer: Ghulam

Zafari.

4. “Recitation”. The works of the famous poet Fitrat

Effendi will be performed.

Ghulam Zafari’s Role in the History of Uzbek Dramaturgy

473

5. “House of Science”. A one-act comedy depicting

the concepts of science of arrogant, ignorant people.

Writer: Uighur.

6. “Turkistani Doctor” A one-act comedy (comedy)

showing the procedures performed by a so-called

doctor. Writer: Uighur.

Ghulam Zafari’s "The Merciful Disciple" is a single-

view drama, written in a very simple and

understandable way. One of the advanced students

meets a beggar boy on the street and invites him to

school. He says that there is sufficient food and

clothing, and that he can receive a good education.

The student promises to provide a place in his house

for the sick mother and sister of the beggar boy.

During this period, the socio-economic situation

in the country was challenging. Orphans, left

parentless due to societal upheavals and class

conflicts, were surviving on the streets or resorting to

various corrupt means. This situation also deeply

affected the nationalist writer, Ghulam Zafari. As a

result of his profound suffering, he penned the play

“In the Graveyard”. In this work, the lamentation of

an orphan child at his mother's grave, his sighs and

wails, and the spectral cries of his mother's spirit

emerging from the grave are portrayed in a starkly

dramatic fashion. People who lived during this period

and watched the play remember that the piece had a

profound impact on the audience, stirring their

emotions.

Ghulam Zafari, a firm believer that enlightenment is

the only path to save the nation from destruction,

urged people to pursue education in nearly all of his

works. This play also concludes with school children

approaching the grave, inviting the orphan child to

join them at school – an invitation which he accepts.

Such an ending naturally created an element of

artificiality within the work. However, this

characteristic was commonplace among the works of

most writers of that time, as the great process taking

place – the national revival – required propaganda

from the intellectuals.

Ghulam Zafari also celebrated youth, beauty, and

love in the one-act musical dramas “Children of

Freedom” and “Tuygunoy”, which were inspired by

the lives of young people. Both of these works portray

the vibrant moments of two young men and women

in love and their friends, delighting in the joy of youth

and love in a beautiful spring garden. “Children of

Freedom” and “Tuygunoy” were performed in 1921

by a theatre troupe led by Mannon Uyghur and were

showcased in numerous industrial towns in all the

country's cities for several years. Later, they were

included in the main repertoire of the ethnographic

ensemble organised by Qori Yakubov. In 1923, both

productions were performed by an Uzbek concert

group at an agricultural exhibition held in Moscow,

with the author in attendance.

In 1925, at the World Exhibition of Decorative Arts

held in Paris, Qori Yaqubov and Tamarakhonim

performed the play “Children of Freedom”. The

libretto was translated into French and German and

published. The play's straightforward dramaturgy,

pleasant and playful melodies attracted and piqued

the interest of the European audience in Uzbek art.

In addition to the dramas mentioned above, Ghulam

Zafari also created stage works such as “Chin Temir

Batir”, “Gulasal”, “Buzuklik Armughoni”,

“Pakhtakhon”, “New Man”, “Walk and Wedding”.

Unfortunately, such works were not preserved due to

their not being published in a timely manner. It should

also be considered that the stage works created by

Ghulam Zafari were pioneering attempts at musical

drama. Therefore, it is natural for the plays to have

certain imperfections and shortcomings. However,

despite this, these works found their way into the

hearts of the people during that time and received

their appreciation and respect.

The most significant work that secured Ghulam

Zafari's place in the history of Uzbek culture is his

drama “Halima”. “Halima” was staged many times in

the 20s and 30s of the 20th century. It was also

performed in the summer of 1930 by the ensemble of

the Uzbek Music Theater on the stages of Moscow

and Leningrad. “Halima” was the first musical drama

created in the history of Uzbek culture, and it gained

unparalleled fame during its time.

Uzbek people, who could not fully comprehend the

musical dramas of Tatar, Azerbaijani, and other

nations due to language barriers, longed to see such

dramas in the Uzbek language. Ghulam Zafari, who

felt this strong need deeply, began by creating small

stage works and, after gaining a certain level of skill,

he completed writing the drama “Halima” towards the

end of 1919. The theatrical life of the drama began on

10th September 1920. The play was directed by

Mannon Uighur. “Ishtirokyun” newspaper reported

this: “On Tuesday, 14th September 1920, the five-act

opera “Halima” will be performed by Uzbek Soviet

artists in the “Rohat” park of the old city. Writer:

Ghulam Zafari. This work is a tragedy drawn from

real life. The music was performed on local musical

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instruments, in the Uzbek language. The performance

starts at 7:30...” From that day, the drama “Halima”

was shown continuously on the stage of the Uzbek

theatre until the repressive Stalinist regime

suppressed it in 1937, and every performance deeply

moved the hearts of the audience.

In Cholpon’s review of “Halima”, written in the 16

December 1922 issue of the “Turkistan” newspaper,

we read the following words: “On 11 December, in

the “Turon” theatre building, we saw “Halima”

performed - perhaps for the hundredth time... Despite

the fact that the work was performed on the old stage,

the building was filled to capacity". At that time, the

term opera was used instead of musical drama. Fitrat

also referred to this work as an "opera". “Ghulam

Zafari took the first step on the path of opera,” he

wrote in his book “Literary Rules”. B. A. Pestovsky,

in his article “History of Uzbek Theatre”, said:

“Today, the founder of Uzbek opera is Ghulam

Zafari”. In collaboration with Ghulam Zafari, there

was a constant effort to enhance the theatricality of

the play. As a result of intense collaboration between

the author and the theatre team, “Halima” became one

of the most perfected stage works of its time.

As a result of close collaboration between the author

and the theatre team, the events of the play were

enriched year by year, and the range of music and

instruments expanded. The playwright himself chose

the music for the play. The musicians were also

invited by Ghulam Zafari himself.

Thus, as a result of the tireless efforts of the author

and the theatre team, “Halima” became one of the

most perfected stage plays of its time. Although the

play was staged time and again, the theatre was

always packed, the audience savoured the play and

watched it with tears in their eyes. A work that

received such an outpouring of public affection was a

rare event in the history of Uzbek theatre. “Halima”

is a symbol of people’s love for theatre, and the role

of Halima has become a favourite role of Uzbek

actresses. Masuma Qoriyeva, Tursunoy Saidazimova,

Lutfikhanim Sarimsokova, and Halima Nosirova

became known for the first time through this role. The

skill of Abror Hidoyatov, who played the role of

Ne’mat, deserves special praise. The Uzbek National

Academic Drama Theatre, which has been operating

for 42 years in the building where the Uzbek Drama

Theatre is located, raised its first curtain in this

building with the musical drama “Halima”. “Halima”

was the first play of the first Uzbek musical theatre

established in Samarkand in 1929, based on the

experimental ethnographic ensemble under the

leadership of Qori Yaqubov. Its premiere took place

on 10 August 1929 in Samarkand. The performance

was enriched with new music and melodies and was

shown for the first time with the participation of the

Uzbek national and symphony orchestra. The musical

drama “Halima” and its author, despite being so

famous, also had a tragic fate. From the end of the 20s

and the 30s, the Soviet authorities began to attempt to

make literature and works of art fully serve their

interests. "Do we need the work of “Halima” by 'class

conscious' people in this era? Can it meet the

requirements of Soviet policy?" Such questions were

raised. “Halima” was a somewhat “raw” work in

terms of covering issues of class struggle. Because the

author himself was one of those creators who, in the

words of “class-conscious” critics, “did not fully

realise the importance of the Soviet reality.” Some

critics interpreted the work, which was highly

appreciated by writers like Fitrat and Cholpon, and

most importantly, received the incomparable love of

the people, as "...the feeling of hatred, struggle... does

not reach the social vein of the construction that

enslaved women and girls”. Such unfounded

accusations gradually increased and reached a climax

in 1937: Ghulam Zafari was repressed, and “Halima”

was banished from the stage.

In the 70s of the last century, the drama “Halima” was

reworked by Turob Tola and staged at the Mukimi

Theatre. In this “reworked” play, the main characters

are more politically “mature”, and even Ne’mat and

Zakir are portrayed as revolutionaries. This

contradicts Ghulam Zafari's original intention and

obscures the authenticity of the work. Therefore, the

“reworked” drama was not accepted by the people,

and it justifiably provoked objections.

The musical drama “Halima” was not published in

time. Only a copy of the play, which was kept in the

archives of the Institute of Art Studies and was placed

in Andijan in 1926, has survived to the present day.

This play consists of four acts and contains more than

ten songs - arias, duets, choral pieces. After all, it is

challenging to describe the state of the hero’s inner

world, which is extremely vibrant and the feelings are

so heartfelt, that they can only be vividly expressed

through songs.

Posters and reviews published at the time described

the work as a "tragedy." However, this tragedy was

not limited to just two young people. As a result of

various evils caused by misconception, ignorance,

and the inadequacy of civil society, the issue of

Ghulam Zafari’s Role in the History of Uzbek Dramaturgy

475

personal freedom in the country was in a miserable

state.

The author uses folk songs and tunes to reveal the

feelings of the main characters. Although no special

music was written for the drama, it was selected from

the musical heritage of the people, yet no artificiality

can be felt in the work. On the contrary, the behaviour

of the characters, the text of the songs, and the music

show an organic balance. While creating the drama

"Halima," the playwright focuses on making the work

popular and tapping into the realm of people's spirit

and interest. Ghulam Zafari, who conducted research

on Uzbek music and folklore, realised that folk art is

an infinite ocean and a priceless treasure. In his

articles on the history of Uzbek theatre and music,

written around the 20s, he emphasised that Uzbek

cultural heritage is very rich and ancient, and that it

can be effectively used in modern literature. The

enjoyment of folk art was one of the factors that

ensured the success of the playwright's works.

The songs and music in the work dynamically

increase, sharpen, and become more intense in

proportion to the events. Finally, at the end of the

fourth act, the work reaches its climax. The dramatist

vividly described the situation that shakes the

viewer's heart and reaches the peak of emotions, using

various possibilities of stage art. Halima's state before

death is similar to that of the mad Ophelia in

Shakespeare's Hamlet. Halima's last aria, sung in a

semi-conscious state, undoubtedly caused strong

emotions in the audience of that time. Russian theatre

expert B. Pestovsky, who saw "Halima" on the stage

of "Turon" in the 20s, writes: "In the first act, the aria

of the young man who fell in love with Halima, and

in the fifth act, the Uzbek wedding and Halima's death

were very moving. Even a person who has no

knowledge of music and no sense of music will be

deeply affected by this piece."

In his review of the drama "Halima," Fitrat

commented on the success of the work: "Ghulam

Zafari has a new quality that is not found in many of

our writers. Ghulam knows our national tunes very

well. In fact, the songs and melodies embedded in the

text of the drama have a charming and magical power

that moves everyone. Through the sad arias of Ne’mat

and Halima, the main characters of the work, the

dreams that burst out from the depths of their hearts,

at the same time, the suffocating atmosphere of the

time are vividly described. This is one of the factors

that ensured the success of the drama and gained

popularity among the people.

4 CONCLUSION

Based on the opinions and considerations presented

in this article, a few important conclusions can be

drawn. Initially, the emergence of European-style

theatre in Turkestan was a historical necessity.

Among many Uzbek writers, Ghulam Zafari holds a

special place in laying its foundation. He was one of

the first actors, playwrights, and directors of the

Uzbek theatre. He expressed his life’s story and

original ideas through small stage works, sought and

found ways to instil enlightenment in the hearts of

young people. Ghulam Zafari’s small stage works

served as a stepping-stone in the creation of the

musical drama “Halima”. The play “Halima” was an

absolute novelty for both Uzbek dramaturgy and

Uzbek theatre art.

Moreover, Ghulam Zafari brought the melodies of

folklore into dramaturgy and was the first to

understand that this important part of the centuries-

old heritage can be one of the leading factors in the

development of written literature. He correctly

understood that the theatre is a new form of art that

can influence all layers of the public, actively

participated in changing people’s consciousness and

worldview with his works, and tried to bring it to the

level of a conscious member of society. For this

purpose, he also used elements of sentimental

literature. Based on the ideas described above, it can

be said that Ghulam Zafari, as a dramatist, is a creator

who made a great contribution to the expansion of the

horizons of Uzbek theatre.

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