Essays on Literature (Book)

Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar’s work Edebiyat Üzerine Makaleler is a compilation that reflects the author’s literary perspective, his views on Türk literature, and his critical approach. The book consists of articles originally published in various journals and newspapers.

Edebiyat Üzerine Makaleler comprises articles in which Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, one of the most important figures of Republican-era Turkish literature, articulates his views on literature, his literary philosophy, and his critiques, written at various times and places. The first edition of this work was published in 1969 and was prepared for publication by Zeynep Kerman.

“This book brings together Tanpınar’s articles on literature published in various journals and newspapers, his writings for the İslâm Ansiklopedisi, and his studies contributed to anthology introductions or collaborative volumes.”^【1】 

The book examines Tanpınar’s assessments of the interaction between Western and Turkish literature, the transformation of Turkish poetry, the development of literary genres, his evaluations of the evolution of Turkish literature after the Tanzimat period, his views on halk and divan literature, his independent thoughts on Western literature, his essays on major literary figures of his time in both Turkish and Western literature, and numerous other critical observations.

Edebiyat Üzerine Makaleler is composed of nine chapters, titled as follows:

• On Poetry
• On the Novel
• On Criticism, Language, Translation, and Theater
• General Issues of Turkish Literature: Eras, Generations, and Movements
• Folk and Divan Literature
• From the Tanzimat to the Republic
• Yahya Kemal Beyatlı
• The Republican Era
• Western Literature