Metaphor, as one of the most expressive and multifunctional stylistic devices, plays a vital role in enriching the aesthetic and semantic depth of literary texts. This article explores the stylistic functions of metaphor within selected literary works, focusing on how metaphors shape the tone, imagery, and thematic coherence of narratives. Through a comparative stylistic analysis, the paper highlights the cognitive, emotional, and evaluative dimensions of metaphorical language, offering a practical framework for literary interpretation. Additionally, the study provides a methodological guide for analyzing metaphor in both classical and contemporary texts, aiming to foster deeper engagement with figurative language in literary discourse. The findings suggest that metaphor is not merely a decorative element but a core mechanism of meaning construction in literature.

metaphor, stylistic function, literary text, figurative language, stylistic analysis, narrative imagery, semantic depth, cognitive linguistics, metaphor interpretation, literary discourse

Charteris-Black, J. (2019). Metaphors in the Press. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11982-5

Gibbs, R. W. (2017). Metaphor Wars: Conceptual Metaphors in Human Life. Cambridge University Press.

Kövecses, Z. (2020). Metaphor: A Practical Introduction (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (2008). Metaphors We Live By (New ed.). University of Chicago Press.

Semino, E. (2019). Metaphor in Discourse. Cambridge University Press.

Steen, G. J. (2017). Deliberate Metaphor Theory: Basic Assumptions, Main Tenets, and Empirical Evidence. In B. Hampe (Ed.), Metaphor: Embodied Cognition and Discourse (pp. 237–262). Cambridge University Press.

Yusupova, G. A. (2022). Badiiy matnda stilistik vositalarning semantik-funksional xususiyatlari. Toshkent: O‘zbekiston Milliy Ensiklopediyasi.

Akbarova, D. (2021). The Role of Metaphor in Uzbek Literary Texts: Cognitive and Aesthetic Aspects. Philological Studies, 6(2), 45–52.

Tursunov, S. (2023). Cognitive Metaphors in Uzbek and English Prose: Comparative Analysis. Uzbek Journal of Philology, 8(1), 67–75.

Searle, J. R. (2015). Metaphor and Thought: Revisited. Philosophy and Rhetoric, 48(1), 3–17. https://doi.org/10.5325/philrhet.48.1.0003