In literary sources of Europe the information of the biography and works of the great Turkmen poet and thinker Magtymguly Phyragy first started to appear in the middle of the 19th century. In 1842 the Polish scholar L.Khodzko-Boreyko published a short biography of Magtymguly and his three poems in English in London. The Hungarian orientalist, traveller, professor of the Budapest university A. Vambery published 31 poems and 9 extracts from the works of Magtymguly in Arabic script and translated them into German under the title “The language of the Turkmen and Divan of Magtymguly” in 1879. This material became part of his book under the title “Journey to Central Asia” which was released out of print in Saint-Petersburg in 1865. It contained wide information on the life of the Turkmen in general and on the biography of Magtymguly in particular.
In 1872 «Reports of the Kazakh branch of the Russian Geographic Society” for the first time the Russian translation of two poems of Magtymguly were published. Its translator was F.Bakulin, an official of the Caucuses stronghold in Gurgan. This work for word translation which was accompanied with the article “Songs of Turkmens and their poet Magtymguly” was a first attempt to make available poems of Magtymguly in Russian. It is these works of those people written in the mid-19th century, became an initial stage of researches to study the works of the classic of the Turkmen classic literature. In this way Europe has discovered the Turkmen poet for itself.
The 20th century has become very fruitful in study of the works of Magtymguly and publication of his valued works in Russia. In 1907 the orientalist N. A. Ostroumov published a number of poems of Magtymguly in Turkmen in a Turkestan newspaper and in 1911 published a book under the long title “Magtymguly. Dissemination of mystic poems composed by the Sufi Magtymguly, a Garrygala Turkmen from the clan of Gokleng who died in the second half of the 18th century of our calendar among the Turkmens of the Zakaspii region”. A great contribution was also made by the Russian scholar, academician A.N. Samoilovich who had done much to collect, and study the literary legacy of peoples of Central Asia on the basis of materials collected mainly during his trips to Turkmenistan in 1902, 1906, 1907 and 1908. This scholar who has made a great contribution to the study of Turkmen literature, in 1908-1909 and 1914 composed and published «Index to songs of Magtymguly” and “Supplement to the Index” which included 197 poems of Magtymguly. In addition to compilation of the index to poems of Magtymguly, he for the first time expressed his scientific pint of view on the literary legacy of the poet. It is interesting that in 1910 and 1911 the works of Magtymguly were published in Bukhara and Tashkent, in 1912 in Astrakhan. The first work of Magtymguly with commentary was released out of print under the title “Divan of Magtymguly” in Istanbul in 1921.
In the 1920-ties of the 20th century a systematic collection and publication of the works of Magtymguly started. Manuscripts of his works, historical data, evidence of his relatives and contemporaries as well as folklore materials were discovered. Scholars conduct all –round analysis of the literary legacy of Magtymguly.
From 1940 in many cities of Russia and former soviet republics the selected poems of Magtymguly with prefaces and commentaries were published repeatedly. At the same time, the works of the Turkmen poet were published as separate collected works in Mongol, Vietnamese, Polish, French and other languages.
A great contribution to the research of the works of Magtymguly was made by Ye. E. Bertels. His article of the life and works of Magtymguly and his book “Magtymguly” published in Moscow in 1948 is well-known. In one of his works the scholar notes: “for understanding all the depth and achievements of his entire creative work one should be very resourceful and energetic in his strive to know and realize the true meaning of his every work, every line of his poem, its every word”.
Turkmen scholars have also carried out much work in publication of works of Magtymguly Phyragy and research of his life and works: academician B. Garriyev and professor M.Kosayev, Turkologist Z. Muhammedova and many others. In the new historical period of the Turkmen state many manuscripts of Magtymguly which for different reasons had happened to be in various parts of the world, were brought back to his native land.
Turkmen Magtymguly scholars studying unknown manuscripts of the poet publish them on the basis of the collected poems of Magtymguly, conduct research work and their results are published in monographs and articles.
In 1872 «Reports of the Kazakh branch of the Russian Geographic Society” for the first time the Russian translation of two poems of Magtymguly were published. Its translator was F.Bakulin, an official of the Caucuses stronghold in Gurgan. This work for word translation which was accompanied with the article “Songs of Turkmens and their poet Magtymguly” was a first attempt to make available poems of Magtymguly in Russian. It is these works of those people written in the mid-19th century, became an initial stage of researches to study the works of the classic of the Turkmen classic literature. In this way Europe has discovered the Turkmen poet for itself.
The 20th century has become very fruitful in study of the works of Magtymguly and publication of his valued works in Russia. In 1907 the orientalist N. A. Ostroumov published a number of poems of Magtymguly in Turkmen in a Turkestan newspaper and in 1911 published a book under the long title “Magtymguly. Dissemination of mystic poems composed by the Sufi Magtymguly, a Garrygala Turkmen from the clan of Gokleng who died in the second half of the 18th century of our calendar among the Turkmens of the Zakaspii region”. A great contribution was also made by the Russian scholar, academician A.N. Samoilovich who had done much to collect, and study the literary legacy of peoples of Central Asia on the basis of materials collected mainly during his trips to Turkmenistan in 1902, 1906, 1907 and 1908. This scholar who has made a great contribution to the study of Turkmen literature, in 1908-1909 and 1914 composed and published «Index to songs of Magtymguly” and “Supplement to the Index” which included 197 poems of Magtymguly. In addition to compilation of the index to poems of Magtymguly, he for the first time expressed his scientific pint of view on the literary legacy of the poet. It is interesting that in 1910 and 1911 the works of Magtymguly were published in Bukhara and Tashkent, in 1912 in Astrakhan. The first work of Magtymguly with commentary was released out of print under the title “Divan of Magtymguly” in Istanbul in 1921.
In the 1920-ties of the 20th century a systematic collection and publication of the works of Magtymguly started. Manuscripts of his works, historical data, evidence of his relatives and contemporaries as well as folklore materials were discovered. Scholars conduct all –round analysis of the literary legacy of Magtymguly.
From 1940 in many cities of Russia and former soviet republics the selected poems of Magtymguly with prefaces and commentaries were published repeatedly. At the same time, the works of the Turkmen poet were published as separate collected works in Mongol, Vietnamese, Polish, French and other languages.
A great contribution to the research of the works of Magtymguly was made by Ye. E. Bertels. His article of the life and works of Magtymguly and his book “Magtymguly” published in Moscow in 1948 is well-known. In one of his works the scholar notes: “for understanding all the depth and achievements of his entire creative work one should be very resourceful and energetic in his strive to know and realize the true meaning of his every work, every line of his poem, its every word”.
Turkmen scholars have also carried out much work in publication of works of Magtymguly Phyragy and research of his life and works: academician B. Garriyev and professor M.Kosayev, Turkologist Z. Muhammedova and many others. In the new historical period of the Turkmen state many manuscripts of Magtymguly which for different reasons had happened to be in various parts of the world, were brought back to his native land.
Turkmen Magtymguly scholars studying unknown manuscripts of the poet publish them on the basis of the collected poems of Magtymguly, conduct research work and their results are published in monographs and articles.
