"Recreation" between XV. and XVI. century Anatolian Turkish mathnawis

The aim of the dissertation is to describe how the concept of recreation, which means musical and verbal kind of entertainment, is treated in early Turkish Literature. Accordingly, recreational descriptions in 40 Turkish Mathnawis written in Anatolian region were examined. One of the genres rich in recreational content is mathnawis which are built on stories. In early Turkish Literature from 13. Century to 18. Century It is seen that various mathnawis among translated and non-translated ones are narrated for different purposes in Anatolian Region. The examined mathnawis reveal that recreations are described depending on a specific subject list. First, the description of the time and setting is given, and then the reasons why recreations are held is stated. Next, various rituals which are held with recreational tools are told. After that, people who are available in the recreations are mentioned. During drinking part, a description of dining, wine, music, and poetry follows each other. Finally, recreation is ended after gift giving part. It is considered that recreations in mathnawis are established on wine, music and poetry. The rest of the patterns remain as complementary and embellishing of the whole body. Although the entertainment patterns in mathnawis are fictional, they are significant and rich in terms of reflecting the socio-cultural period in which they are written. In the first section of the study, information was given about the historical development of the definition and concept of "recreation". The findings achieved by examining the portrayal of recreations are illustrated in two sections The titles given to recreations, the reasons for the creation of recreations, the portrayal of the time and setting during recreations, tools used, the preparation phases and the available people in recreations are studied in the second section under the title external components. The description of dining in recreations, wine, music, gift giving, and the sample poems are examined in the third section. Key words: Mathnawi, Recreation, Wine, Music, Poetry