ELİT TEORİLERİ BAĞLAMINDA MELLE SEVDAGAR DESTANI’NDA ÇATIŞMA VE UZLAŞMA YÖNTEMLERİ
THE METHODS OF CONFLICT AND RECONCILIATION IN THE MELLE SEVDAGAR EPIC IN THE CONTEXT OF ELITE THEORY

Summary/Abstract: Although social changes have influenced how societies are governed, one of the least altered aspects from past to present is the reality that societies have been ruled by certain elites. Power either shifts among elites or those who come to power eventually become part of the elite themselves. Social transformations, regardless of a society’s level of civilization, have been reflected in folk narratives throughout history. Folk narratives such as epics, tales, and legends are among the genres where struggles between elites are most frequently observed. This study aims to analyze the Melle Sevdagar Epic, a significant branch of the Köroğlu Epic in the Uzbek tradition, within the framework of elite theories, evaluating the dynamics of conflict and reconciliation within the narrative. The study specifically examines power struggles among noble characters such as Avazhan, Köroğlu, and Ahmet Serdar, and the outcomes of these struggles. The Melle Sevdagar Epic was chosen for its incorporation of both individual heroism and interelite conflicts, as well as the existence of four different versions. The theoretical framework provided by elite theories has served as an effective tool in understanding the power relations in the epic. The study concludes that conflicts in the narrative generally result not in death but in reconciliation, stemming from shared interests among elites, the belief in sacred bloodlines, and the desire to maintain social stability. This analysis is significant for its potential to shed light on how traditional narratives represent power and for offering insights into the historical codes of social reconciliation in Turkish folk literature.

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