Rapture and Revolution: Essays on Turkish Literature

The articles contained in this volume collectively provide a critical overview of Turkish literature from its earliest phases in the sixth century through the Republican period, with pieces detailing literature from the Ottoman Empire to essays dealing with Turkish Literature and Europeanization. In so doing, the author illustrates the evolution of Turkish culture as reflected in the literary experience.

Exploring specific genres and themes, several articles focus on the development of drama from Karagöz and Orta oyunu to contemporary Western theater, the propaganda functions of poetry, and the important role of folk literature. In addition, the volume focuses on some of the leading figures of Turkish literature, from Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, Yunus Emre, and Süleyman the Magnificent to Sait Faik and modern poets such as Nazim Hikmet, Orhan Veli Kanik, and Melih Cevdet Anday. Whether read together or individually, these articles give Western readers a broad and long overdue entry into the rich landscape of traditional and contemporary Turkish literature and culture. For scholars, it is an invaluable resource for courses on Turkish literature and culture.