The Book of Dede Korkut is mostly recounted in prose but in some cases in verse. It comprises of twelve epic stories and a prologue. The narrative begins in Central Asia, continues in Iran and Anatolia between the 9th and 13th centuries. Most of its action centers in the Azerbaijani Caucasus. The epic story is narrated by a dramatic character, probably Dede Korkut himself. The narrator praises values, customs as well as the nomadic way of life of Oghuz, one of the main branches of the Turkish people. The twelve epic stories are grounded in the themes of revenge, escape, captivity, and pursuit.
The epic stories are revolving around 2 main villains; villains out of society and villains within society. The main adversaries of the Oghuz during the 11th century were Kipchak Turks. However, during the end of the 11th century, Georgians and some Christians living along the Black Sea were the main enemies of Oghuz. The Book of Dede Korkut in some ways defies classification. Rather it follows the adventures of a single family or hero experiencing many trials. Each of the stories focuses on one of the various families of the Oghuz nobility. The epic stories carry values and morals that are important to the social lifestyle of the nomadic Turks.
