Cumhuriyet’in Kuruluş Dönemi Türk Oyun Yazarlığında Etik – İdeolojik İdealizasyon

Abstract

The process of transition of Turkish theater from traditional (text-free) theater to Western (written) theater was not carried out by itself but by official republican ideology. The aim of this article is to investigate the idealization function of theatrical texts in this period. For this purpose, theoretical studies about 1923-1946 and theater plays written in this period were searched. Significant similarities were found in the dramatic structures of the plays. The reason for this similarity is that the state encouraged and controlled the theater during this period. In order to idealize the Republic in the period, the value of the Ottoman Empire was negated and the necessity of protecting national values was emphasized. Ideal men and women are also designed accordingly. Thus, the characteristics of the ideal woman are those who protect the national culture of Anatolia and are ready to sacrifice everything for her country and family. The characteristics of an ideal man are defined as vigorous, hardworking and courageous. This was a new era for writers, too; the dramatic texts they wrote were a new genre. Therefore, it is not surprising that they are stuck between the concepts of National Struggle, Republic, Western values and national values. On the other hand, writers who wrote on other topics were excluded. There was inevitably a status quo bias for the authors. For these reasons, current and reallife issues such as the effects of the revolutions on the people and the problems of the groups that mutually label each other have been ignored. The aim was not to discuss what exists; it was to show what the ideal be. From today's point of view, it is necessary to say that Turkish theater is still not interested enough in the foundation years of the Republic and the stories here are not over.