The Hybrid Genre In Karakalpak Children’s Literature (Based On Sh. Seitov’s “Qiyal Atawy”)

Abstract

This article investigates the genre status of Sh. Seyitov’s “Qıyal Atawı” (Dream Island). While the author calls it a “novel in verse”, opponents claim it is a poem. Using textual analysis, comparative genre theory, and historical exemplars (Pushkin, Goethe, Byron, Lermontov), the study finds that the work occupies a liminal position: it satisfies many novella/short-novel (повесть) criteria ‒ plot structure, multiple protagonists, episodic composition ‒ yet its poetic form, lyrical digressions and sustained verse-cadence align it with epic/poetic narratives (poems, verse-novels). The article argues for treating “Qıyal Atawı” as a hybrid genre ‒ an authentic instance of the verse-novel phenomenon ‒ and discusses implications for genre theory and pedagogy.