Comparative analysis of the nazares written by Zâtîto Karamanlı Nizâmî

A nazire is a poem written by one poet in the same meter, rhyme, and (refrain) as another poet's poem. Serving as an important literary school for a poet's development, nazires are written for various reasons such as self-improvement, a desire to surpass a favored poet, a sense of rivalry, or relying on established poetic forms. Karamanlı Nizâmî, one of the poets of the 15th century, was a well-known figure in his time. The fact that many of his poems appear in poetry collections suggests that Nizâmî was a beloved and widely read poet during his era. It is said that he wrote poetry in three languages, and his poems were well received. He was so popular that he was compared to Ahmet Paşa. Although most of his poems were written as nazire (literary imitations or poetic responses), many poets also composed nazires in response to his works. One such poet who was influenced by Karamanlı Nizâmî and wrote nazires to him was Zâtî. Zâtî was a prominent poet of the 16th century who influenced both his contemporaries and many poets of later generations. As one of the most prolific poets in Ottoman Divan literature, Zâtî frequently incorporated proverbs, idioms, folk expressions, and local elements into his original lines. Just as many nazires were written in response to his poetry, he himself also composed many nazires. One of the poets to whom he wrote such poems was Karamanlı Nizâmî, who had lived a century before him. This study aims to examine the literary interaction between Zâtî and Nizâmî, particularly within the context of nazires. The study first addresses the concept of nazire and its place in Turkish literature. Then, Nizâmî's ghazals and the nazires Zâtî wrote in response to them are identified. These poems are first translated into modern Turkish and annotated. Subsequently, the ghazals of both poets are analyzed through comparative methods. As a result of detailed analysis, the poems are examined in terms of meaning, structure, and style, revealing various similarities between the works.