The construction of the modern woman in the plays of Musahipzade Celal

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MODERN WOMAN IN THE PLAYS OF MUSAHIPZADE CELAL ABSTRACT In this research project; the theatre origin of modern feminism in the plays of Musahipzade Celal, who had taken the first steps into national Turkish theatre and has a special place in our theatre literature with his work on bridging the gap between traditional art and daily life, building the comedy of tradition and making the value of Turkish language visible, will be discussed. In this work, the way how the theatre genres are used and adapted to take the female rights forward and represent the feminist imagination within the socially conscious forms of playwriting in Turkey after the declaration of republic, is also being discussed. The reaction that has given to this early feminist elements by theatre critics and audiences is being analysed. In the second chapter, the reflections of the plays that have written with the inspiration that the playwrights get from traditional Turkish theatre, people and communal problems, and the changing family structure, is being discussed. This chapter is being examined in two parts; Turkish playwriting before and after the republic. In the third chapter; "the changed life of woman with the republic" has examined within the notions of pre-republic era and 1926 Turkish Civil Law and women rights. This law, which has been declared in republic era, has destroyed the taboos on taking women as second-class citizens. In the fourth chapter; the life of Musahipzade Celal and the events through his professional writing life have taken together with the improvements of female characters in his plays. During the youth of Musahipzade Celal, female audiences were newly experiencing the theatre-going process though they were special stagings for only female audiences or female audiences were only allowed to be seated behind a tulle curtain. The rights that the republic has given to women made the modernity visible in women's lives as it became visible in everyplace. Musahipzade Celal has served this transition to the audience with his female characters in his plays. Keywords: Musahipzade Celal, Feminism, Women Rights, Modern Woman in Theatre Plays