THE ORIGINS OF NARRATOLOGY: FROM CLASSICAL POETICS TO EARLY NARRATIVE THEORY

Аннотация

This paper explores the intellectual and historical origins of narratology, tracing its evolution from classical poetics to the emergence of early narrative theory in the modern era. Beginning with foundational insights from ancient Greek philosophy, particularly Aristotle’s Poetics, the study examines how narrative structures, functions, and aesthetics were conceptualized long before narratology became a formalized discipline in the twentieth century. The paper further investigates the transition through medieval and Renaissance literary thought, leading to structuralist and proto-narratological frameworks in the works of Russian Formalists and early European theorists. By integrating comparative examples, including selected Uzbek narrative traditions, the study highlights both universal and culturally specific aspects of storytelling. Ultimately, the paper demonstrates that narratology did not emerge abruptly but rather developed gradually through centuries of theoretical reflection on narrative form, meaning, and function