This paper examines the representation of social values in the poems and Kara Sözler (Book of Words) of Abay Kunanbayev, a prominent figure in the sociocultural and intellectual transformation of 19th-century Kazakh society. More than just a poet, Abay was a moral philosopher and public intellectual who played a pioneering role in the modernization of Kazakh culture. In his poems, Abay emphasizes individual responsibility, moral virtue, diligence, education, and religious consciousness, promoting a value system grounded in personal development. In contrast, his Kara Sözler offers a more direct, systematic, and critical examination of these values, addressing the structural flaws of Kazakh society at the time. The paper presents a comparative analysis of Abay’s poetry and prose, focusing on core themes such as ethics, education, labor, justice, and faith. While his poetry employs a more metaphorical and aesthetic language, the Kara Sözler adopt a straightforward and didactic tone. In both genres, Abay’s ultimate goal is to guide the Kazakh people away from ignorance, laziness, and moral decay, toward the ideal of “adam bol” (“be a true human being”). His vision seeks not only to cultivate virtuous individuals but also to establish a just and enlightened society. Abay’s intellectual legacy continues to influence not only 19th-century Kazakh life but also the sociocultural identity of contemporary Kazakhstan.
Döne ARSLAN (Thu,) studied this question.