Theses supervised by Yrd. Doç. Dr. Özlem Özen
10 theses · Kütahya Dumlupınar University
The female exploration in a patriarchal society as reflected in Virginia Woolf's 'The Voyage Out' and Halide Edip-Adivar's 'Handan'
The present thesis examines the female explorations and the emergence of `new women identity? in patriarchal Victorian and Ottoman societies in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by focusing on Virginia Woolf?s The Voyage Out and Halide Edip-Adıvar?s Handan. The two novels are analyzed and evaluated by putting the feminist approach and the mental attitudes appropriate to the historical contexts of the mentioned periods in the centre.The first chapter points to the social transformations in Victorian England and Ottoman Empire concerning `the new women identity?. Moreover, the psychoanalytic theories related to the construction of gender roles and identity acquisition process are emphasized to clarify better the relationship between women and men.In the second chapter, the personal life stories and women perceptions of Virginia Woolf and Halide Edip-Adıvar are studied in details by making a comparative analysis in order to form a sound basis for the evaluation and analysis of the novels in terms of new and independent female identity explorations in patriarchal societies.In the last chapter of the thesis, the precedent novels of the writers, The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf and Handan by Halide Edip-Adıvar, are compared and examined through the feminist psychoanalytic approach to show the existential struggles and the self-identity explorations of women in their patriarchal societies.At the end of the thesis, it is concluded that the patriarchal system and its dictates based on religion and moral values play an important role in the female identity formation process, and set a bar against women in their search to gain their self-esteems and independent women identities. Naturally, it is also seen that Virginia Woolf and Halide Edip-Adıvar, as being women and writers having been brought up in such kinds of patriarchal societies, are not able to become free from the social, political and ethic influences of their eras, which affects the subjective experience and female creativity shaping their literary works.
A thematic comparison of metaphysical poetry and sufi literature
The present thesis is a research on the 17th century English Metaphysical poetry, which is compared to the Turkish Sufi literature that appeared in Anatolia in the 12th century starting with Ahmed Yesevi.Poems by John Donne and George Herbert representing Metaphysical poetry and Ahmed Yesevi and Yunus Emre in Sufi literature are explained with their general thematic aspects. The love of God, death, and unity of entity (Vahdet-i Vücud) are main topics emphasized in poems, and relation to which the similarities and differences are stated in the comparative part of the thesis.
Albee?nin absürt oyunlarındaki değişen erkeklik ve kadınlık sosyal değerlerinin ?Amerikan rüyası?nın hayali gerçekliği bakımından sunumu
The present thesis, entitled ?The Presentation of Changing Social Values of Masculinity And Femininity In Accordance With The Illusionary Reality of ?American Dream? In Edward Albee?s Absurdist Plays?, is a research on the status of masculinity and femininity in the plays of American Absurdist playwright, Edward Albee.The starting point of the present study is our consideration of the male myth in American culture and its mutually chancing social values of masculinity and femininity in American culture in relation to the Theatre of the Absurd which is expressed primarily in the plays The Zoo Story and The American Dream by Edward Albee.In the first chapter of the of our study, entitled The Concept of Absurd and The Theatre of Absurd we have attempted to discuss the Theatre of The Absurd and its historical lineage in accordance with the main European representatives. Albee?s biography and dramaturgy, along with his major works, are also presented in the first chapter. Our second chapter, entitled The Concept of Masculinity in Edward Albee?s Absurdist Drama presents the changing social values of masculinity and femininity in the American society by taking and illustrating parts from The Zoo Story and American Dream as revealing Albee?s concerns about the American society, the ways in which he deals with concepts of masculinity and femininity in relation to American dream as an important aspect of his works.
Suicidality in The Bell Jar
The main interest of this thesis is to examine the reasons of suicide attempts of the protagonist and how the similarities between the author and the protagonist are reflected in Sylvia Plath?s novel, The Bell Jar.In the first part of this thesis informs the development of feminism and the gender roles in American society. Lack of rights for women, double standards of society, differences between sexes are considered as reasons of feminist movement. In this way, depression of women how lead them to suicide has been discussed. The theme of suicide and how it was used by female writers has been emphasized.In the second chapter, the thematic patterns such as an autobiographical novel, the significance of the title, the suicidality and the identity crisis have been examined. The protagonist?s search for identity , relationship with her mother how attributed to her pyschological problems have been analyzed.In the conclusion part, the treatment of the protagonist after her last suicide attempt has been discussed by giving the similarites with Sylvia Plath?s life.Keywords: Suicidality, Sylvia Plath, Feminism, Identity Crisis.
The concept of isolation in Sylvia Plath's works
In this study it is emphasized how the isolation and death concept ofSylvia Plath?s works applied into the poetry pattern. Foreknowledge on isolation is putforward and the period of the poet is analyzed related to the works and past. Generally,twentieth century is the concept of isolation, and in detail, it is the examination of theisolation related works of Sylvia Plath who is a writer of the Post modern period.In the first chapter, the concept of isolation is explained in a social way and itsevolutions are given from the beginning of history. The concept of isolation is evaluatedin sociological, psychological and theoretical ways.In the second chapter the themes of death and suicide developing related to theconcept of isolation are explained in Plath's works. The poems with the comparativeanalysis and The Bell Jar are presented by an analysis deeply made in the concepts ofisolation and death.
A comparison between hard-boiled detective fiction and postmodern detective fiction with references to The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, and The New York Trilogy
The aim of this study is to compare hard-boiled detective fiction and postmodern detective fiction in a profound way, particularly to emphasize the importance of The New York Trilogy as a prominent example of postmodern detective fiction. In this respect, from its starting point preliminaries of detective genre are delineated with examples from its progenitors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Agatha Christie. Furthermore, the development of the genre through the historical process and variety of both detective prototype and the genre are summarized under main titles. Regarding postmodern or metaphysical or anti-detective fiction, Paul Auster?s trilogy puts forth the genre?s differences into consideration although it seems that postmodern detective fiction is a continuation of hard-boiled one at first glance. In other words, the trilogy deconstructs all pivotal characteristics of hard-boiled fiction with references to postmodern literary theory such as uncertainty, identity crisis, multiplicity, intertextuality, and urban life. Therefore, this study focuses on a transformation from hard-boiled detective fiction to postmodern detective fiction using examples from notable representatives of both genres like Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Paul Auster comparatively.Key Words: Detective Prototypes, Hard-Boiled Detective Fiction, Anti-Detective Fiction, Characteristics Of Postmodern Literary Theory.
Victims of incest: Portrayals of women as reflected in the novels of Toni Morrison and Zülfü Livaneli
The aim of this thesis is to illustrate adverse effects of racism and sexism on black women in the United States and adverse effects of sexism and custom on women in the east of Turkey by focusing on Toni Morrison?s The Bluest Eye and Zülfü Livaneli?s Mutluluk. Infact, the common points examined in the novels are marginalized woman and exploitation of woman?s body in patriarchal societies.The first chapter points out with the novel of Toni Morrison the position of black woman in the racist and sexist black community by emphasizing on a little woman, who turns to insanity in order to cope with outcasting from society after her violation. Black woman in the novel internalizes the attitude of beauty, belonging to whites, and so begins to embrace racial discrimination, ruining woman and causing her losing self-esteem.In the second chapter, the struggle of woman in a society, which gender discrimination and oppression on woman exist, has been explained with Zülfü Livaneli?s novel and it has been highlighted that how woman is seen as statue of honour and can be killed in the name of honour in case of necessity. It has been analyzed in the novel that in such a society, how a little woman coped with custom and managed to discover her self-identity.The last chapter represents comparative analysis of woman characters sharing the same destiny although they are from different races - one is black and other is white in The Bluest Eye and Mutluluk. It has been emphasized on the viewpoint of repressive societies on woman and it has been concluded in the chapter that how women are scorned and marginalized and how some concepts like beauty and honour are abused.Keywords: Racism, Sexism, Custom, Self-Esteem, Honour?
The gothic tradition in the novels of the Bronte sisters: Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre
After the reign of Queen Victoria, the 19th century is called as a Victorian Era in England. The era becomes the symbol of stability and development in many fields of life, economy, policy, social way of life and arts. However the social, economic and moral changes have led many contradictions. As usual the writers of the era are influenced by the society and depicted the contradictions in their works. The realistic and the serious topics of the Victorian Age is heightened and softened with the optimism of the Romantic Age.In this study, both realistic and romantic elements mainly the gothic elements in the novels of the Victorian period writers, especially Emily Bronte?s Wuthering Heights and Charlotte Bronte?s Jane Eyre are investigatedIn the first chapter features of the Romantic Period and the Victorian Age also the main genres of the Victorian Age are mentioned. The gothic, the development of the gothic novel and how the gothic elements are used in realistic novels are analyzed in detail.In the second chapter, how the biographies of Emily Bronte and Charlotte Bronte are reflected in their novels and how the realistic and the gothic elements are used in their novels are analyzed with the examples.In the last part of the thesis it is mentioned that although written in the Victorian Age the two novels have the realistic and the romantic elements. As a result, it is concluded that the romantic elements of the previous age are not disappeared but continued in the Victorian Age.
Halide Edip Adıvar?ın ?Seviyye Talip? ve Michael Cunningham?ın ?Saatler? eserlerinde kadının özgürlük arayışı
The present thesis examines the restrictive effects of patriarchal system and the female quest for freedom who try to get rid of these oppressions in the patriarchal Victorian and Ottoman societies by focusing on Michael Cunningham?s The Hours and Halide Edib Adıvar?s Seviyye Talip. The two novels are analyzed and evaluated by putting the feminist and comparative approach on the basis of the historical contexts and cultural traits of the mentioned countries. Feminism that forms the basic point for this thesis and the superiority relationship between men and women are analyzed and subsequently the transformations of the female identity from tradition to modernity in the West and Ottoman Empire are explained in the first part. In the second part; the personal life stories and women perceptions of Michael Cunningham; Virginia Woolf who is claimed to give him muse and Halide Edib Adıvar are studied in details with the analyses of causal connections. Afterwards, female quest for freedom in the Hours and Seviyye Talip is analyzed on different points. At the end of the thesis, it is concluded that in the east or west ? even if the periods are different - the patriarchal system and conservative constitutions related to the religious-cultural norms are universal and unavoidable factors for shepherding women towards freedom quest. As a result, it is also seen that Halide Edib Adıvar, a woman writer brought up in such a country, is exposed to the social norms of the mentioned period, as well, and she reflects her personal experiences in her works naturally. Similarly, Cunningham analyses women issue successfully thanks to his talent of empathy.Keywords: Patriarchal, Oppression, Freedom, Quest, Woman, Feminism, Struggle
The anti-militarist attitude of Virginia Woolf as a step that shapes her perception of feminism
The concrete aim of this thesis is to examine the debatable understanding of feminism of Virginia Woolf who was one of the most important woman writers of the 20th century and to analyze her anti-militarist attitude that constituted almost the core of her perception of feminism.The feminist conception of Virginia Woolf is found inconsistent and paradoxical because she sometimes carried out work supporting the feminist movement but she usually expressed her feelings against feminists. The matter stressed in the study is that Woolf did not only support the feminist ideology to prove women?s existence in the patriarchal society, but substantially upheld it to emphasize the great importance of women to prevent war. In the first chapter of our study, we touch upon the 20th century in which Virginia Woolf lived and the events that left a mark on the period by stressing especially the world wars. Besides, such prominent ideologies of the century as militarism, anti-militarism, feminism and anti-militarist feminism are put across. In the second chapter, the life of Virginia Woolf is examined within the frame of her experiences that prompted her to be a feminist and an anti-militarist. This chapter also includes how Woolf?s feminist and anti-militarist reflections redounded on some of her works. In the third chapter, Three Guineas, in which Virginia Woolf frankly exhibits her anti-militarist feminist attitudes, is analyzed. In the conclusion, it is deduced that the phenomenon of war, which took an important place in Woolf?s life and is clearly represented in her works, shapes her perception of feminism. Moreover, Woolf made use of feminist ideology as a method to prevent war.Keywords: Anti-militarism, Anti-militarist Feminism, Feminism, Militarism, Patriarchal Society, Three Guineas, War.