Traditions of the Historical-Biographical Novel in Uzbek Literature

This article examines the formation and evolution of the historical-biographical novel as a distinct genre within Uzbek literature. Tracing its trajectory from the foundational historical prose of the 1920s through the mature biographical narratives of the Soviet decades and into the reinterpretations of the independence period, the study identifies the artistic principles that have come to define the national tradition of the genre. Particular attention is devoted to the interplay between documentary evidence and creative imagination, the psychological reconstruction of historical personalities, and the role of such narratives in articulating national identity. The analysis draws on the novels of Oybek, Odil Yoqubov, Pirimqul Qodirov and Mirmuhsin, arguing that the Uzbek historical-biographical novel developed a recognisable poetics of its own rather than merely reproducing imported models.