The humor theories of Zâtî's Letâyif'i in the context of humor

Humor, as an art, refers to the act of making the current situation ridiculous, funny, and entertaining. Humor exists in Classical Turkish literature, just like in all aspects of life, and it continues to exist through works such as letâyif, hezel, and satire. This study aims to examine Zâtî's Letâyif'i in terms of humor theories and humor creation tools and to determine the elements that constitute the structure and content of latifas, which are a humorous genre, based on the work. Thus, the structure and characteristics of letâyifs, which are a humorous product, have been presented, and an attempt has been made to determine their place among other genres such as hezel and satire. In this context, the work has been analyzed under two main headings by addressing humor theories and humor creation tools. Zâtî's Letâyif'i is examined in five sections based on humor theories and humor creation tools. The first section provides a definition of letâyifnâme, a literary genre, and the work titled Zâtî's Letâyif'i written in this genre. The second section discusses the general definition of humor and how humor is shaped in Classical Turkish poetry. The third section examines examples from humor theories and Zâtî's Letâyif'i. The fourth section explores the relationship between the work and humor creation tools such as profanity, slang, and literary devices. Zâtî's Letâyif'i is examined in this study according to humor theories. One of these theories is the superiority theory, which is based on individuals considering themselves superior to others based on factors such as position and social class. In Zâtî's Letâyif'i, individuals who have equal conditions mock each other based on their achievements in their work or personal qualities, thus establishing superiority. The relief theory, on the other hand, focuses on feelings and thoughts directed towards the subconscious rather than repressed emotions. When a latifa is examined in terms of the incongruity theory, it is observed that in order for laughter to arise, the event is initially introduced in a general way, then elaborated, and finally concluded in an unexpected and surprising manner to create a reverse effect on the reader or listener. In this context, both entertainment and mockery are achieved through the humor created in the work. This study addresses humor creation tools such as profanity, slang, literary devices, and banter that are effective in bringing out humor. The relationships of profanity and slang with concepts such as animals, sexuality, and physical aspects are explained in order to present criticism and comedy in the work. The study examines the extent to which humor through literary devices affects the latifa and the person it is directed at. Banter is one of the fundamental elements in the emergence of humor. In this context, banter is examined under two subheadings: individuals and topics, and examples of latifas are provided under these headings. As a result of the study, the unique characteristics of Zâtî's Letâyif'i as a humorous product have been identified. It is observed that latifas have a plot and a cast of characters. The author provides a brief introduction to the event, followed by developments, and concludes it in a striking manner. In general, but especially in the conclusion section, the author skillfully utilizes humor creation tools, making the short texts impressive through humor. Additionally, latifas in the work can be created as prose or start with prose and end with poetry. Keywords: Humor, Letâyifnâme, Zâtî, Classical Turkish Literature, Satire.