Aşk-ı Memnu'da cennet imgeleri

Abstract

Aşk-ı Memnu (Forbidden Love) (1900) by Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil (1868-1945) is seen as the “first real novel” in Turkish literature by some critics. It is highly praised for its technical merits and psychological realism. Aşk-ı Memnu is considered to be a naturalist novel, bearing in mind the sound causality relationships in the stories of the characters. The major role played by hereditary and social influences are considered within this framework. At the same time, criticism of the novel noted its isolation from society and its style embellished with fantastic elements. These observations were interpreted as a deficiency in terms of the naturalist literature. Aşk-ı Memnu displays a rich textual creation. Among the observations that can be made in this respect are visions of paradise and abstract descriptions of characters which remind the reader of figures from oral culture. These narrative elements serve a specific end in the novel; they help dissolve the contrasts based on sexuality and chastity. Seen from this perspective, Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil’s usage of the visions of paradise does not harm the naturalist dimension of the novel. In this thesis, it is demonstrated that in Aşk-ı Memnu, the names given to characters as well as descriptions of real or imaginary gardens make references to the mythical narrative of paradise found in the Judaeo-Christian and Islamic traditions. Furthermore, these references that are hidden in details can be related to the characters in the novel and as a result it is revealed that moral values concerning sexuality are parodied. The author highlights the pathological character of a girl’s love for her father by placing the two in a fictional space of paradise. On the other hand, an adulteress visualises her longing for an honorable life with elements of the image of paradise. In addition to these, the emphasis on hereditary sexual drive and the inclination to do the forbidden, also links the novel with the main theme of the narrative of the Garden of Eden.