THE ROLE OF ALISHER NAVOI'S "KHAMSA" IN SHAPING THE IDEAL OF THE PERFECT MAN IN TURKIC LITERARY TRADITION

The literary heritage of the Turkic world is deeply intertwined with the pursuit of moral and intellectual ideals. Among these, the notion of the “Perfect Man” (Insan-i Kamil) occupies a central place as a guiding model for personal conduct and social leadership. While the concept originates in the rich philosophical and mystical traditions of the Islamic East, its adaptation into Turkic literature achieved a decisive moment in the works of Alisher Navoi. His “Khamsa,” completed between 1483 and 1485, represents the first comprehensive cycle of narrative poems in Chagatai Turkic that both preserves the thematic depth of its Persian predecessors and reinterprets the content in a manner that resonates with the cultural identity of Turkic audiences. This thesis examines how Navoi’s “Khamsa” contributed to the crystallization of the Perfect Man ideal within the Turkic literary canon, influencing not only poetic expression but also ethical discourse and political thought.