Theater search of Garip movement poets

Until the 18th century, the language of theatrical plays was poetry. The sociological, economic, and social developments in Europe, along with the influence of the Enlightenment, initiated a period of "Westernization" in the Ottoman Empire. With the proclamation of the Tanzimat Edict, new literary genres such as criticism, theater, and novels were introduced into our literature. During this process, changes in the perception of art emerged through our writers who turned towards the West, leading to the questioning and even the abandonment of Divan poetry, which had been repetitive for 600 years. Following this period, three young poets who were introduced to theater during their high school years and embarked on a quest for new poetry started the Garip movement by creating a poetic approach that opposed the romanticism and exclusivity of traditional poetry. This new type of poetry, which focused on ordinary people and everyday life, emphasized personifications and narrativity, and bore theatrical features while successfully transforming the language of art into a colloquial language. One of these three poets, Orhan Veli, incorporated theatrical elements into his poetry, concentrated his translation efforts on theatrical plays, and engaged in stage work. However, his early death prevented his literary career from developing into a long-lasting journey. Nonetheless, Melih Cevdet and Oktay Rifat, after the innovations brought by the Garip movement and the fulfillment of its mission, turned to new pursuits. Their search and evolution in poetry were also reflected in their theatrical plays; the form, themes, and perceptions in their poetry showed parallels with their theatrical works.