Religion and belief perceptions in the Turkish novel (1929-1933)

Researchers state religion is as old as human history and belief is an essential requirement in human life. In this respect, there is almost no place and no society religion has not affected. It is very natural that literary texts, closely related with and deeply root in social life, includes religions and religious issues. Turkish literature is rather rich about religious issues. Inasmuch as we could see classic works of Turkish literature depend on religion and belief. A relatively more secular discourse found in literary works after Tanzimat (Reformation) Era is a result of the social change Ottoman Empire went through. This secular discourse becomes even more distinct especially after post-Republic period in line with the political and social environment. However, religion continues to be a significant content matter of literary works written in this period. Religious content matters found in the novels give information about literary, social and political state of the said period. Moreover they reveal the structure of these novels in respect of content and language. In this thesis, religion and sense belief are identified over religious content matters in Turkish novels written between 1929 and 1933. In this novels Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Shamanism, Tengrism, Paganism, Old Egyptian and Sumerian beliefs and Greek mythology are included. Elements of these religions are sometimes explicitly presented to the readers, and sometimes they are just implicitly referred. Religious elements included in the novels are generally not conveyed to the reader due to religious interests, instead, they are handled as content matters. In addition to this, in novels with a particular thesis, it is also observed that a sense of belief, whether positive or negative, is put forward in these novels.