The transformation of ressentiment from Tanzimat to Republic: Nezihe Muhiddin and Leylâ Erbil

Leyla Erbil, in addition to her handling the social and political facts in her literal work, has a unique place in Turkish literature because of her expression techniques. Nezihe Muhiddin, on the other hand, has reflected the problems of her own era to her works; critized the institution of slavery and concubinage. The facts that both Leyla Erbil and Nezihe Muhiddin adapt the sociological aspects of the life to literary texts, and they focus on woman issues make them significant to consider in this work.The aim of this paper is to make comparisons of these two writers who both examine the social events. This comperative work aims to evaluate/explain the problems occured due to the social statue of women, and how these problems are concluded; thus how these conclusions are reflected on literature. Considering the social statue of women; Nietzche's technical term "ressentiment", for which he uses to explain the slavery ethics, will be highlighted in the paper.In the first chapter, some background the information is presented about the identity of writers and their works which are examined in this paper. The works studied are Benliğim Benimdir!(I Am The Master!), Güzellik Kraliçesi (Beauty Queen), Sus Kalbim Sus (Hush Now Hush) which are written by Nezihe Muhiddin, and Leyla Erbil's Tuhaf Bir Kadın(A Strange Woman), Karanlığın Günü(The Day of Darkness), Üç Başlı Ejderha(Three Headed Dragon), Mektup Aşkları(Love in Letters), Cüce(The Dwarf) and Kalan (Remains).After the second chapter, titled as "The Notions that can be Associated with Modernism" which includes the explanation of the "ressentiment and triangular desire" , the modernisation process in Turkey is historically examined in the third chapter, titled as " The Critical view on Turkish Modernisation Project." A new perspective is brought by means of hegemonical menhood and gender.The emergence of ressentiment and the transformation of ressentiment in women's modernization process are examined and explained with the examples from the chosen works, in the last chapter titled as " The Ressentiment of Women on Literal Level".Key words: ressentiment, triangular desire, modernisation, women authors.