Şafak and Tuhaf Bir Kadın: Female Gaze - Socialism and Society

This research paper is about the two most prominent female writers of the 1970s era and their groundbreaking novels: Şafak by Sevgi Soysal and Tuhaf Bir Kadın by Leyla Erbil.

Both Şafak by Sevgi Soysal and Tuhaf Bir Kadın by Leyla Erbil are novels that came out during a severely heated political era in Turkey: the clash between socialists and the state. Many literary works have been published during the 1970-75 era and they have formed the base of Turkish modernist novels. However, these two novels particularly stand out in terms of their incorporation of multiple controversial topics such as traditional family ties, the corrupted nature of the institution of marriage, the hardships of being both a woman and a socialist in Turkey, the destructive nature of patriarchy that prevents sufficient development, and the bond between the common people and the state.

The 1960s were one of the most leftist eras of Turkish history, it was full of hopes for secular intelligentsia; especially because these intellectuals did not enjoy the Menderes rule. The new constitution resembled the Western type of law and brought about a new freedom approach and writers/artists/intellectuals were highly fond of this approach. Both these novels came out during the 1970s. The government was getting precocious regarding leftist politics and organizations. The 12 March coup was one of the consequences of the dramatic changes in the 1960s. The 1970s was one of the most violent decades in Turkish history. Turkish nationalism became the central power of a civil organization. During these dreadful times, the leftist intelligentsia thought that people needed real literature that could help and support the leftist's enlightenment. Like Sevgi Soysal, some writers chose to produce socialist literature and continued to use modernist literary devices. About four years before Sevgi Soysal’s novel Şafak, Leyla Erbil’s novel, Tuhaf Bir Kadın was published. “The modernization process and socialism undoubtedly created new spaces and incited new roles for women in Turkey; nevertheless, they also regulated these spaces and roles through their own definitions of womanhood” (Akdoğan 4). Women authors started to gain more recognition and produce more works during these times. Both of these novels, even though they have their certain differences, offer a new point of view through the female gaze. There is a critique of the patriarchal culture which is especially important because the party of men that are being criticized are the ones who consider themselves to be liberal and followers of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The following paragraphs will analyze this female gaze and how it differs from the male gaze at the time, incorporating not only politics but also gender and familial issues, the experimental formatting of the novels, and their contributions to the overall storyline.

Sevgi Soysal’s novel Şafak is about the coup era. There are also certain similarities between the protagonist Oya and Sevgi Soysal: the fact that they both served time in prison; therefore, the novel lets us delve into the author’s world through fiction. What makes this novel stand out is that Sevgi Soysal is trying to show her characters from different perspectives and does not want to summarize them, there is no place for generalized personas, which is also why the novel is not directly about the coup. Oya is an observer in the novel and she was observing her environment when the officials came in to take her, Mustafa, Huseyin, and Ali. The reader never gets to understand what Oya was actually doing there and what was the aim of Sevgi Soysal in showing Oya’s inner thoughts as she was observing the household. This serves as one of the main questions of the novel but we do not have a direct answer. This may be in order to emphasize women's role in the revolution: just an observer. The Turkish revolutionary circle was

largely dominated by males and even before that Turkey had a male-dominated culture. The most important concept was namus in Turkish socialist culture; we see that at the beginning of the novel through Mustafa as he interrogates himself in this manner. Later on, we see the importance of namus for women during the “Sorgu” chapter of the novel. The police chief Zekai Bey gives us the information that Oya is married and has a child and the reader obtains this information as if it is something very normal to hide. Oya had to isolate herself from her roles as a wife and a mother; a woman cannot be an independent revolutionary and a mother/wife at the same time. We understand that one must isolate herself from the feminine in order to be accepted in the revolution which is highly masculine. Right after this, Oya is faced with her first question of the night, what was she doing drinking raki with a bunch of men? The interrogation is about Oya’s namus and not about her political beliefs. “Sizin gibi sapiklari temizleyeceğiz anladin mi? Bu vatan senin gibi orospulara kalmayacak. Biz varız çünkü, biz. Allah var! Türklük var! Bu memleketin has evlatları var” (Soysal 87). One must understand that it is not just Zekai Bey who thinks like this, his mentality is a reflection of Turkish society and their thoughts on women taking place in these political platforms. Through Oya’s interactions, Soysal critiques the broader societal structures that perpetuate gender equality. Oya’s gaze reveals the casual misogyny and oppression. Her awareness of these injustices is highly evident in the response she gives to Zekai Bey: “polis misiniz yoksa seksomanyak mi?” (Soysal 85) or “burası orospularla mücadele derneği mi?” (Soysal 87). Through these answers, we understand that Oya is not only aware of these gender structures but she is also frustrated about them and does not hold back from expressing her counterarguments. Oya’s gaze also tells us that she is different from the women around her, meaning the women who obey the cultural norms. When she is at dinner in Ali Bey’s house we see Gülşah and how she is serving the men in the house. Oya, through her keen observation, reaches the conclusion that “Yemeği iştahla çiğneyen erkek avrutlarını seyretmek, görevini yapmışlık duygusunu verir Gülşah'a. İşte tam bu seyre hazır olduğunda açılıverdi kapı. Sanki köfteler iyi pişmemiş, sanki sofrayı erkeklerin önüne zamanında sürmemiş, sanki eline bakan mideleri aç komuşcasına suçlu suçlu bakakaldı kapıya” (Soysal 35). We see two female figures that are tremendously different from each other. While Gülşah gets labeled as a housewife and does even go to the precinct, Oya gets labeled as a whore. Of course, Gülşah represents what a proper wife and a mother looked like in the 1970s.

The protagonist in Leyla Erbil’s Tuhaf Bir Kadın, Nermin, also gives the readers insight into the female gaze. Even though these two female characters have their differences, which will be discussed in the following paragraphs, they both give insight into what it is like to be a female revolutionist in a world governed by men, for men. Through Nermin's eyes, the novel critiques the patriarchal structures that dictate women's lives. Nermin is acutely aware of the limitations imposed on her due to her gender. Her observations and experiences highlight the systemic oppression women face and the ways in which societal norms seek to control and diminish female autonomy. This novel is also a text about mansplaining; the men who are trying to give Nermin some meaningful insight do not seem to like important writers such as Tolstoy or Nazim Hikmet, which shows us the ironic nature of the situation. The bar Nermin goes to is called Lambo and this bar is filled with men who claim to be intellectuals. This is also similar to Oya sitting at a rakı table with multiple men; and later on, both of these characters will be judged because of their decision to sit at the men's table. Even though Nermin shows up at Lambo with her asexual political identity, whenever she tries to engage in a conversation with the men she is mocked or not taken seriously simply because she is a woman (Akdoğan 5). Also, the man who is referred to as “O” approaches Nermin in the same tone: “Ellerine sağlık, pek de güzel yazmışsın ama, şaire olabilmek için daha çok küçüksün. Bunları birkaç ay beklet; yeniden oku bakalım (Erbil 15). This man is undermining Nermin because of her age and mostly because she is a woman. The fact that he appeals to Nermin as “şaire” instead of “şair” highlights that he puts her in a different category than the male poets. Nermin’s interest in socialism most likely derives from her desire to escape her mother and the lifestyle she is trying to enforce on her, which will be mentioned later. After spending some time in Lambo she understands that she cannot be accepted unless she is stripped away from her womanhood, either becomes really manly like Oya or manage to become like a sister (bacı) to these men. The men in Lambo start spreading rumors about her, calling her a whore, claiming that she offered to sleep with some of them. Erbil is also showing us the cynicism in this situation: left wing, socialism, and sin coexist together:“çık git be kadin, insanı günaha sokma” (Erbil 43). Nermin’s friend Meral tells her “Onlar aralarında görmek istemiyorlar Türk kadınını, bakma öyle her birinin Atatürk devrimcisiyim diye aslan kesildiğine, kendileriyle eşit olmamızı, bizim de salt sanat konuşmak için, sanatçı dostlar edinmek için oralara girip çıkmamızı yediremiyorlar erkekliklerine, zora gelince çıkarıp bilmem nerelerini göstermeleri bundan” (Erbil 47,48). The men who claim to be revolutionists and Kemalists cannot abandon their past values, the concept of sin and namus is still very important to them; sometimes even more important than socialism’s mutual cause. This is not the only incident where Nermin is judged by society. In the book's last chapter, Kadın, the common people of the neighborhood start to isolate Nermin and condemn Nermin because she invites men to her house and they discuss politics together, with the company of rakı. As we see in both novels, a woman’s social standing and significance can change vastly as long as there are men and alcohol at the table, no matter how intelligent she is, and it does not matter whether she wants to engage in good deeds for her own people. We see how hypocritical these men at Lambo

are. They also symbolize all men who claim to be revolutionists but are trapped in the old ways. Nermin, like Oya, is very bold when it comes to confronting men “Ataturk, dedim çıkarken, bizi rahat bırakacaksın diye size de genelevler açtı, ama cebinize oraya gidecek parayı koymayı unuttu” (Erbil 44). The men at Lambo freeze as Nermin confronts them about their hypocrisy, Atatürk seems to be the red line and the soft belly of these people but apparently, his values are not.

There are certain differences and similarities between the protagonists and there are also differences in the context of the novels. Both Sevgi Soysak and Leyla Erbil wrote bold, avant-garde, and unapologetic narratives. This paragraph will first examine the context difference and the following paragraphs will examine Oya and Nermin’s personalities. Şafak gives the reader a more clear picture regarding the police force at the time. The most prominent example we see is through jop. In the Sorgu part of Şafak, the narration is through a stream of consciousness and Oya is remembering her prison days. Her inmate Sema has been abused and raped by police officers who use jop as a torture device. Similarly, her other inmate Menekşe was also beaten with jop several times. But she seems to have made peace with this fact, which may indicate that common people are starting to normalize/embrace this sort of treatment from their government. The object becomes a phallic symbol for Oya; moreover, the jop does not just represent an object here: the police holding it represent their superiors, and these superiors eventually represent the state. The state of being subjected to rape, injustice, and torture by the government is of utmost importance. It is the government that tortures Sema by allowing these sorts of unspeakable actions to take place in an environment that is supposed to keep the peace of people and work for the prosperity of the country. The reader also sees the corruptness of power dynamics because throughout the novel, the people at the police station, Zekai and Abdullah,

always take their anger out on others. Zekai takes out his anger on Turgut Bey, on the prisoners and on Abdullah. Abdullah takes his anger on Zekai out on Ali, Mustafa and Hüseyin. Even though Ali is the most innocent, he suffers the most torture, his hospitality drags him into this situation. This is perhaps a reference to the March 12 period when the innocent paid the most price. Meanwhile, in Tuhaf Bir Kadın, there is a strong emphasis on family ties, especially the mother figure. Nermin’s mother Nuriye is the guard of Nermin, the guard of the family as an institution, guard of religion, namus, and virginity. This technique was something new for the 1970s: the mother’s vigil goes from divine to an exhausting, nauseating feeling (Kaya, Yenidüzen). Nuriye represents the values both Oya and Nermin are battling with, what makes it so bold is that it is rendered from a mother figure. The issue of being a woman in 1970s Turkey is discussed through Nuriye. This is unusual also because the reader sees that it is not only men who are against progression and development, the psychological torture is also being done by women. The change in trajectory in Nermin’s search for meaning is highly influenced by her mother. “Kim bunlar, kim olurlarsa olsunlar bana doğru geleni yapacağım, onlardan olacağım ben de. Bizden öncekilere, ablalarımıza benzememek için her şeyi göze alacağım” (Erbil 28). Even though Nermin doesn't actually know anything about socialism, she is influenced by Haluk and decides to follow the same path as them. But she took this path just to "not be like her sisters." If Haluk had defended another view different from the society Nermin grew up in, Nermin would have wanted to join it too. Although not completely, Oya also wants to stand out from the crowd and see herself as a revolutionary in order to believe that she is different. But unlike Oya, Nermin really tries to devote herself to the people in the last chapter, her self-centered side is much less visible than Oya's. The father figure in the novel is also used to give a political message and we see this in the Baba chapter. The question of “who killed Mustafa Suphi” is discussed through his

fragmented narrative which is also an extremely bold narrative because the issue of Mustafa Suphi cannot be discussed without talking about Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Mustafa Suphi is one of the most important figures in the history of the Turkish Republic, the founder of TİP, his ship was sunk while he was trying to go to Soviet Russia with 8 friends. It is presumed that he was killed by the Liberation Organization led by Mustafa Kemal ( Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi Dergisi 12, sy. 34 ). This is a hard question to grapple with because it makes the reader question how nationalist and leftist Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was. It is also very clever that Ataturk is discussed in the Baba chapter of the book, Ataturk being considered the father of the Turks. Ironically, on his deathbed, Hasan, the father, struggles with questions that most communists would ask, even though he was not a communist: Who killed Suphi, and what would have happened to Turkey if he had lived? The Mustafa Suphi incident is important because although the book focuses on women, it is also written to discuss politics, Turkey, and its intellectuals.

If we look at it from a female gaze, Oya’s self-centered viewpoint makes sense and should not be viewed with a negative undertone. She does not identify with women and she does not identify with men: “Oya ne erkek ne kadın... yarı kadın yarı erkek bir yaratık gibi acı çekiyor” (Soysal 36). “Oya becomes surprised by the poor treatment of women during the dinner, and she also realizes that Gülşah and Ziynet, who unconsciously treat her as if she was a man, seem to accept themselves as substandard. Her intellectual capital masculinizes Oya and strips her of her femininity” (Broken Masculinities 99). She is aware that she needs to strip out of her womanly qualities to be considered a revolutionist but she cannot just presume the role of a man even if she wanted to. Her isolated nature makes it hard for her to identify with anyone and as a result, she is lacking in empathy and has a hard time fighting alongside the revolutionaries. Nermin’s struggle as a female and her continuous efforts to educate society toward a better future seem to have stemmed mostly from psychological wounds. She knows she cannot dwell in a society that forces the old traditions on women as her mother. Also, unlike Oya, Nermin is not yet aware that she needs to strip herself out of her female persona and she understands that this is the only way to be accepted as the novel goes on. Both Nermin and Oya want to do something for the society and feel a responsibility but is seems as if Oya takes a more egocentric viewpoint compared to Nermin: “tekmeyle açılan tahta kapı, içeri dolan sivil polisler, basılan ev, ev halkı, kendisini merkez yapmaya alışmış bir ‘ben’in çevresinde döne döne uzaklaştılar” (Soysal 18). Nermin is also not sure about whether her love for her people is genuine, it is a prevailing question even at the end of the book “insanlari seviyor musun acaba sen?” (Erbil 164) but she is certainly more active in her attempts to educate people and make them understand she is making an effort for their well being. She moves to Taşlıtarla, offers piano lessons to children, and tries to educate the housewives about the state of the country when they come to visit... However, beneath all of this, the self centered viewpoint we see in Oya also catches the readers’ attention in Nermin “Acaba halkımı cok sevdigim icin mi bu yola koşmaktayım, yoksa ötekilere olan öfkem mi beni buraya itiyor?” (Erbil 135). Both of these characters are trying to prove something to themselves but Nermin is also trying to prove something to her mother; that she can survive in this system as a woman who has recently parted ways with her husband. Finally, Nermin realizes that her efforts cannot achieve results without loving people, and she is still determined to continue on this path with more determination, because this effort connects her to life, and in this respect, her self-centered attitude is much less compared to Oya. As a result of being female revolutionaries, Nermin and Oya have a disconnection from people they cannot overcome, it is their approach to this that sets them apart. Oya has an immobility that continues throughout the novel, she criticizes herself for making everything about herself but does not take action. For Oya, we see that she loves to imagine herself as a revolutionary but she will revolutionize everything from whom? For local people? Who are these local people? She is serving more to an ideology than to people. There is constantly an active internal effort to make herself stand out: “asıl amacım bu geceyi sıradanlıktan çıkarmak. Şu anda emniyetlerde karakollarda sabahlayan nice yurtdaşımdan değişik kılmak kendimi” (Soysal 121). She states that she has an intransigence that comes from being a revolutionary and that is why she cannot establish properties with people, but being a revolutionary requires embracing the people and fighting for them only after embracing them, this creates a contradictory situation. What is similar in Oya and Nermin beyond a doubt is that they are stubborn characters that do not bow down: Nermin refuses to talk to police officers about Haluk even though she is beaten up and Oya refuses to write a statement because she knows she did nothing wrong, so she does not have to explain herself to anyone. Regardless of their prime motive in the revolution, both protagonists have firm characters; they are already being judged solely on their gender, and showing any sign of weakness will motivate the people who want to exclude them from the revolution.

Tuhaf Bir Kadın’s narrative is deeply fragmented; it is mostly difficult to understand after the first chapter, Kız, which is the most readable chapter of the book. Her expression techniques place her in a unique position in the Turkish literature world (Dik 8). This narration style also reflects the division in Turkey during the 1970s. It is also a reflection of inner turmoil. The fragmented narrative reflects Nermin's psychological state, marked by confusion, conflict, and introspection. This disjointed structure symbolizes her effort to reconcile her identity amid the conflicting demands of society, family, and her personal desires. This fragmentation illustrates the fractured nature of women's lives, often divided between multiple roles and expectations. It disrupts traditional storytelling, which can be seen as a metaphor for challenging the

conventional roles and norms imposed on women. By breaking away from a linear, cohesive narrative, Erbil questions the patriarchal structures that seek to define and confine women's experiences. It also reflects the chaos and contradictions inherent in navigating a patriarchal society. Leyla Erbil is also very bold in terms of sexual expressions, especially in the Kız and Kadın chapters of the novel. Nermin is very eager to lose her virginity and give away her “zar parçası.” She offers it to the men at Lambo, jokes with a man asking for 100 liras to lay with her, and shows her private parts to random boys... But there is something deeper in these narratives, no matter how eager she seems to give her virginity away, we read that it took her years before she could have proper intercourse with her husband Bedri. This shows that, regardless of the stand Nermin takes, social norms imposed on her by Nuriye have left deeply rooted scars. In the last chapter of the novel, Nermin has multiple imaginary sexual partners including Joseph Stalin: “Bayan Nermin, inatçıyımdır ama senin gibi hain değilimdir diye fıkırdadı, ardından da adamın konuşmasına meydan vermeden uzun uzun öptü ağzından” (Erbil 162), “kadının bedeninde dudaklarını dolaştırmaya koyuldu; kalın, sert saçları çenesine, boynuna, omuzlarına sürtüyordu” (Erbil 162). We see that she has finally broken free of societal expectations regarding a woman’s sexuality and is now lying with multiple men, even though they are imaginary. In this chapter, the protagonist is referred to as “Bayan Nermin.” By shifting to the third person and using the formal title "Bayan Nermin," the narrative creates a sense of detachment. This reflects how Nermin is viewed by society—as an objectified figure rather than a fully realized individual. The formal address underscores the distance between Nermin's personal identity and the societal roles imposed on her. Throughout the novel, readers have been immersed in her internal struggles and personal reflections. The final chapter shifts the focus to how society perceives her, emphasizing the contrast between Nermin's internal reality and the external expectations and

judgments placed upon her. The Baba chapter is the hardest chapter to read but it gives us important insight into multiple matters: Nermin’s relationship with her father, her father’s personal thoughts on socialism, the Mustafa Suphi incident, dialogues regarding religion, and so on. The fragmented narrative captures the emotional intensity and turmoil of Nermin's experiences with her father. The abrupt shifts and lack of linear progression reflect her inner chaos and the unresolved tension in their relationship. This technique allows readers to feel the emotional weight and confusion that Nermin endures, providing a deeper understanding of her perspective.

Şafak by Sevgi Soysal also does not follow a linear narrative structure but it is an easier read compared to Tuhaf Bir Kadın. Also “Soysal herself was, without a doubt, a part of the left-wing milieu. Yet, unlike Leyla Erbil, she does not situate the awareness of the sexual body within any form of political engagement as she dates it to an earlier period in life: adolescence, the ‘no man’s land’ between childhood and adulthood that translates into a serious transformation of the body” (Maksudyan and Alkan 115). Soysal employs a realistic narrative style, with detailed descriptions of settings, characters, and events. This realism helps to ground the story in the socio-political context of 1970s Turkey, providing a vivid backdrop against which the characters' lives unfold. The detailed portrayal of daily life, political meetings, and personal interactions enhances the authenticity of the narrative. Şafak often shifts between the perspectives of different characters, providing a multi-faceted view of the story's events and themes. This approach allows readers to see the world through the eyes of various individuals, each with their own experiences, motivations, and struggles. This multiplicity of viewpoints enriches the narrative and underscores the complexity of the socio-political issues being explored. Through the female gaze, Soysal delves deeply into the inner lives of her female characters, particularly Oya. The stream-of-consciousness technique allows readers to experience

the complexities of Oya's thoughts, emotions, and reflections. This introspective depth provides a rich and nuanced portrayal of her struggles with identity, autonomy, and societal expectations. The female gaze in Şafak serves as a powerful critique of patriarchal structures and gender roles. Through Oya's perspective and the experiences of other female characters, Soysal highlights the ways in which women are marginalized, controlled, and oppressed; we see this mostly in the Karakol scene with Zekai Bey. The narrative exposes the limitations and injustices imposed on women, questioning and challenging these norms. Also, The female gaze in Şafak seamlessly intertwines the personal and the political. Oya's personal experiences and reflections are deeply connected to the broader political context of the time. This intersectionality underscores the impact of political events and social changes on women's lives, illustrating how personal and political struggles are interlinked.

Sevgi Soysal's Şafak and Leyla Erbil's Tuhaf Bir Kadın exemplify the impact of the female gaze in literature, challenging traditional narratives and providing profound insights into women's experiences. These essential feminist texts focus on the inner lives of women, questioning patriarchal norms and societal expectations. They critique the constraints placed on women, champion female autonomy, and emphasize the importance of women's perspectives in literature. Through their unique storytelling techniques, Soysal and Erbil reveal the internal struggles of their female protagonists while examining the societal norms that shape and restrict their lives. Together, these works highlight the importance of female voices in literature, enriching the literary landscape and offering a deeper understanding of the complexities of womanhood.

Works Cited

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