Journal of Applied Science Studies - Ozean Publications

Ozean Journal of Applied Sciences 1(1), 2008
went to Paris with him and when he returned, he accomplished to build up the first technology borrowed
from The West. It was the first publishing office in Istanbul and inspiration of Paris had a great role in it
(Karal 1988: 55-58).
Ahmed III, Grand vizier Damat Ibrahim Pasha and people around them were ready and enthusiastic for any
change in social and cultural life. After the return of 28 Mehmed Çelebi Efendi; the French Architecture
affect, the emergence of baroque and rococo style are seen in the buildings that were built according to the
plans he brought from abroad. European affect was not limited in architecture; it spread to the other areas
of life. New palaces and mansions were built along the Bosphorus and The Golden Horn. In spring and
summer great parties were given in which men and women of every class (D’ohsson 118-119) participated
freely.
IV.1. Society and Literature
Literature is a social structure which uses the language, symbols, traditions, understandings and
conceptions created by the society for itself. All norms and components that are materials of literature can
only exist in a society. Moreover, “literature symbolizes life” and “life” is a social reality at the highest
degree. Poets and writers are special members of the society who have importance and status within the
society. They are praised and accepted by the society or the people surrounding them. They write for a
mass of readers whether it exists or not.
In that frame, while the men of literature are expressing and manifesting the society, they both influence the
society and are influenced by the society. Since, art not only recreates life but also shapes it.
A work of literature as a social document, may give clues about the main structure of the society it’s born.
History, a rich source for sociological researches is not as useful as literature in that respect. History looks
at nations or societies only as political communities and studies them in the international affairs dimension.
Historical documents such as treaties, laws, decrees, minutes of meetings ...etc. mean something only when
they are examined by the historians. However, literature can revive human beings with their virtuous, vices,
hopes, passions, loves, anxiety, grief, excitement. Literature can reflect the colors and sounds of all the
classes of the society without any need for a historian (even a historian of literature) to mediate. We can
find our ancestors alive with their clothes, posture, thinking, traditions when we open old pages of a poetry
book (Levend 1988: 53).
Naturally the opposite of this (vice versa) is also a matter of fact. In other words, the social conditions that
work of literature came into being help us to analyze the poet’s or writer’s understanding of art and style. In
Agah Sırrı Levend’s words: “Every work of literature; is a thinking, dreaming, understanding world of its
own age. It caries all properties, leisure, art styles, gossips, beliefs, real and unreal informations about that
period. No matter, how for the Classical Literature is to real life, it followed the tendencies in social life
and caries reflections of them.” (Levend 1980: 7).
In fact, the Classical School of Literature or The Classical Turkish Literature (Akün 1994: 389-390) is not
at a great distance from life. Otherwise, it was impossible for it to grow, expand, and live for nearly 600
years. Maybe the important topics related to the large scale of the society were expressed in an elevated
language and with an artistic approach that most people could not understand. The existence of all kinds of
relations between Classical Literature culture and society is a more probable possibility. It is not logical to
suppose that there was not any relation between Classical literature and the culture (Andrews 2000: 32).
The main reason for accepting Classical Literature belonging to the high society is the idea that it came into
existence in the Ottoman Palaces and mansions (Tanpınar 1976: 10). It takes its name from the Great
Council named Divan. From the very beginning, the Ottoman Palace had been the most charming and
prosperous place of shelter for the poets. Poetry in the Ottoman Empire got richer day by day and became
an outstanding example for the whole world with the attendance and shelter of other cultural circles. In
time, it reached roots of a long history and deepness that can not be seen in Western civilizations (Akün,
Ibid.: 389-394)
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