The sexual discourses and power relations in the three masnavis of Nev'î-Zâde Atâyî

Love, the main topic of Divan literature, includes a wide spectrum from ideal love to sexual love. However, previous research did not place importance on obscene topics but concentrated more on ideal love. According to the little existing research available, because obscenity is accepted as a taboo, it is sometimes veiled with a mystical point of view and at other times it is used as an agent of externalization to be used for other apparent ideological purposes. In this study, we investigate a scientifically objective perspective how the sexual mentality of society is reflected in literature from. For this purpose we analyse the works of Atâyî, Sâkînâme, Nefhâtü'l-ezhâr, Sohbetü'l-ebkâr, in terms of how they reflect the social structure of that period. The analysis is based on Michel Foucault's sexual discourses and power conceptions. In the first section, Nevʻi-zade Atâyî's use of obscene subjects in his Nefhâtül-ezhâr ve Sohbet'ül-ebkâr masnavis, in Sâkînâme is examined. It is observed that in his masnavis, the obscene expression go from elegant expressions to slang. In the second section, aspects of masnavis are discussed such as their three-part structure, their intended audience, and the broad appeal of their topics. These realist obscene stories in the masnavis and Atâyî's ethical advice give information about 17th century power and power relationships. With these ethical admonitions intended to warn society, Atayi gains power and develops "power" on a micro level. In this study, this power's relation to desire, woman, pederasty and punishment are emphasized. In addition to this, we examine the elite male group Atayi and the way the power relationships during the Ottoman Empire were shaped in the 17th century. Key Words: Obscenity, sexual discourse, realistic texts, power