A study on the women and women education in Peyami Safa's novels

ABSTRACTPeyami Safa wasborn in a familythat is interested in literatureclosely. And, he has got an importantposition in ourliteratureandletters? history. His experiences, his readingsand his observationsaddmulti-dimensionsto his novels. One of thereasonswhywehavechosen Peyami Safa as a topic of dissertation is that his literaryproductsarerich in terms of contentandstructure.Examiningwoman in Peyami Safa?snovels has been a differentexperience. Further, Peyami Safa is an authorwho is appreciatedbywomen in his private life. Moreover, his viewsaboutwomenreflect on his novels. In his newspaperandmagazinearticles, he frequentlymentionsthephonecallsandletterswhich he receivesfromfemalereaders. As a result, he regeneratesthosewomen in his works of art.Wehavestudiedfourteennovels of Peyami Safa, andwehaveemphasizedthewomen?sview of life, their role in thesociety, theirviewsaboutmarriageandeducation, theirlevel of education, theirphysicalappearanceandtheplaceswheretheylive. Although he is an author, he defineswomenfrom a man?sviewpoint. Inadditionto his ideas, wehavealsodiscussedthemales? views on women, andthose men havetakenplace in Peyami Safa?snovels.In her articletitledIdeologicalStructure in Peyami Safa?sNovels, Berna Moranarguesthat ?since AdministrativeReforms, ourauthorshavegonebeyondtheviews in theirownperiodwithregardtowoman, andtheyhaveendeavoredtoabolishsomebeliefsandcustomsthatarestereotyped. However, Peyami Safa is conservative in terms of woman?srights, dutyandplace in society.? (Moran, 1998: 174). Morancontinuestoarguebygivingexamplefrom A Hesitation?sNovel, ?theresult of boththeauthor?sexpressionsto Vildan andall his novels is thatwoman is inferiortoman, shebelongsto her house, and her duty is being a motherand a finemate.It is impossibletosupport Berna Moran?sthoseviews. As a basisto her opinions, Moranindicatesthatfemales do not haveanyfinancialfreedom. Whereas, weknowthat Peyami Safa wisheswomento be educatedandalwaysrunaftertheknowledge. In his articleswhicharegathered in Women-Love-Familynamedwork of art, he criticizesthewomenwhoaregossiper, desiretoimitatesomebody, and do not thinkanyotherthingsexceptfromentertainment. Naturally, byopposingtothementalitythatacceptsmarriage a kind of working as a maid, theauthortellsthegirlsthatmarriage is also a termwhichdemandseffort. Themostimportantthingthat Peyami Safa has emphasized is morality. Thewomen can overcomeallsorts of workbysavingtheirmorality.Peyami Safa viewswomen as a future of thesociety. As thewomanraisestheindividualswhomaintainandshapethesociety, thewomen?seducationshould be givenimportance. Theauthor?sintent on educationdoes not justgraduatingfromcollegesanduniversities. Being a finehousewife, a finemotheralsomeansbeingeducated. Thewoman?sduty is toteachmoralityandcustomsto her children. Womenwhosustainthefamily can eitherenhanceordamagetheprogress of thesocieties.Sinem BEREKETLİ ERDOĞANMay, 2011