Fantastic novel :|a genre of dubious existence in the shadow of Ottoman/Turkish modernization (1875-1960)

Abstract

This dissertation examines fantastic novel genre in Turkish literature within the period between the late nineteenth century when the novel emerged as a new genre and the mid twentieth century which marks a turning point in terms of fantastic novel. The novel is perceived as a means by which the authors represent the modernization process they favor since they claim an active role in shaping of modernization discourse, starting from Tanzimat period, the Constitutional period and the declaration of the Republic till nineteen sixties. Within this context, the fantastic novel is materialized as a function to convey the authors’ own argumentations on modernization. The fantastic novel aims either to impose a modernization which is based on the rational, materialist and positivist world view or to include spiritual and mystical world view into the modernization. Nevertheless, it does not become widespread due to the social and the literary reasons, apart from the fact that it becomes a popular genre in nineteen forties when the modernization discourse loses its strictness and the publishing industry flourishes and diversifies. Having discussed some of those social and literary reasons, this dissertation concludes that the fantastic novel cannot display itself as a central genre but remains as a peripheral one within the time period of the scope of this dissertation.