Masculinity in Sema Kaygusuz's novels: A study on the Barbarian's Laughter

The changes in the norms of social reality that have been taken for granted from past to present have necessitated diversified fields of study and differentiated the visibility of experiences. While femininities have become important themes in literature with their own possibilities of existence, masculinities have not only been experienced through the acceptability of hegemonic masculinity as in the past, but fragilities have also become important themes. Femininities and masculinities were not considered as two diametrically opposed existences, and their possibilities of transformation were taken into consideration. The feminist perspective is quite functional not only for making sense of women's experiences but also for gaining awareness about the formations of masculinity. Because femininity and masculinity are not essences. This study has emerged in order to examine the possibility that a feminine language, in her own words, provides for the narration of masculinities in Sema Kaygusuz's novels. Kaygusuz's emphasis on femininity reminds the reader of being more competent, constructive, healing and related to nature. The first two of the author's three novels, Yere Düşen Dualar (Prayers Falling to the Ground) and Yüzünde Bir Yer (A Place on the Face), are analyzed in general terms in order to provide integrity and reference. Then, the novel Barbarın Kahkahası (The Barbarian's Laughter) was analyzed in detail and divided into themes using the deductive thematic analysis method. After the four main masculinity themes of hegemonic, subaltern, marginal and collaborative masculinities were identified, they were further analyzed in detail by dividing them into sub-themes. During the analysis, attention was drawn to the ways in which masculinity is constructed and the reflections of masculine agency on women and men. In addition, by drawing attention to the ecofeminist fiction in the author's works, the holistic existence of masculinity was tried to be explained. The study revealed that the transitivity of masculinity is particularly striking for hegemonic and subaltern masculinities. These representations, which draw the image of two extremes, express extremely fluid relations.