ARCHETYPES OF FORBIDDEN LOVE AND TRAGIC FATE: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TRISTAN AND ISOLDE AND TOHIR AND ZUHRA.

Abstract

This study explores the archetypes of forbidden love and tragic fate in two seminal medieval romances: the European courtly tale Tristan and Isolde and the Uzbek folk epic Tohir and Zuhra. Though emerging from distinct cultural and historical contexts, both narratives dramatize the tension between individual desire and collective obligation, positioning love as a force that defies social, moral, and political boundaries. The analysis highlights how the motif of forbidden love functions as a transgressive challenge to established norms feudal loyalty and Christian morality in Europe, clan honor and parental authority in Central Asia. Equally significant is the archetype of tragic fate, which resolves the lovers’ struggle through death or separation, offering cultural catharsis while reinforcing communal values. By comparing the written tradition of European romance with the oral performance of Central Asian epic, the article underscores differences in narrative style, audience reception, and symbolic imagery. Ultimately, this comparative study reveals both the universality of love as destiny and the cultural specificity of its tragic resolution, contributing to broader discussions in comparative literature, medieval studies, and cross-cultural poetics.