Özet
ON ÂLİ BEY’S NARRATıVE SEYYARELER: IF GODDESSES SOLD HAPPINESS, WHAT WOULD MAN NOT DO?
Seyyareler, published in Cairo in 1897, is a humor narrative written by Director Âli Bey (1844-1899), a prominent humorist of the Tanzimat period. This paper will provide a text-based reading of the work for the purpose of analysis. Seyyareler is noteworthy for its characteristics of satire based on Roman mythology. Throughout the narrative, social degeneration spread from top to bottom is criticized subtly within the atmosphere of a fairy tale. Along with Neptune and Pluto, Jupiter decides to assign the seven planets to travel to Earth and to sell things that would make people happy. In the introduction of events occurring in a theatrical atmosphere, the elements of fairy tale and myth are employed. A world view that prioritizes material value over anything else is emphasized, and, as such, a situation that relates to a solution, as in fairy tales and myths, is not reflected. People’s dissatisfaction, their wish to achieve their desires without any effort, and their ambition and greed are portrayed through a humorist style.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Planet, Roman mythology, goddess, happinness, satire