THE OTHER SIDE OF SATIRE IN BAGHDADLI RUHİ: ÇARH AND DEHR

Abstract

The connection of poet to a locality and society is incontrovertible. The complaint, obloquy, compliment, and religious attitude verbalized by the writer, should be apprehended within this sociological surrounding, in other words immaterial collectivity of that era. Like other people, artists bear witness to their age; but at the same time, they want to form it. A sixteenth century poet Baghdadli Ruhi’s real name is Osman and his only known work is his divan. Ruhi has passed away in 1605 (or 1606), Damascus. In Turkish classical literature, Baghdadli Ruhi is known as one of prominent authors writing moralistic and satiric poets for community. Additionally, his outspokenness is emphasized. If art is wholly mimetic, it is impossible. Like that the art based on just praise is impossible. In other saying, literary authoring cannot be entirely independent from satire. In this context, the terkib-i bend of Bahgdadli Ruhi, in which he has obviously satirized the society and social relations, gained so much reputation and so many nazire has been written for it. By staying out of this poem, I try out revealing another side of his satiric poems with reference to çarh and dehr. The term çarh used in phrases and by rooting in a negative worldview with those words: Çarh-ı denî, Çarh-ı felek, Felek-i süfle, Felek-i süfle-perver (dishonorable, despicable, mean çarh or felek). The term dehr also appears like the other, negative: Güvensiz dehr (insecure dehr), Elem-i dehr (vital concern), Dehr-i dûn (despicable dehr), Dehr-i dil-rubâ (enticer dehr), Fani dehr (ephemeral dehr). I’ve seen the term çarh or the other words used as an alternative to it, like sipihr, cihân etc., as physical, social, and cultural conditions comprising the process of life, in short universe. Likewise, the term dehr/rûzgâr has been seen as the poet’s individual process, self-story, life fluency. My main point is being able to denote both self and social criticism made through these terms.An author creates a new world that does not exist before, with words by taking a journey from outer world to his own inner world. At this point, human is the real subject observed. As a creator character, poets have a societal and moral identity. On the other hand, he has a private area closed to readers. Within this closeness frame, if some signs are pursued, it is possible to make some determinations about the nature of poets and art. Baghdadli Ruhi digresses from poetry dies based upon praise while using dehr and çarh terms, and by using them, he indicates the sharp lines of his life and humanity view. Which is why, Baghdadli Ruhi’s view of time and çarh is chosen. Not the literary style shines constructively but the content indeed out this place.I. The Relation between Baghdadli Ruhi’s Life and Art A sixteenth century poet Baghdadli Ruhi’s real name is Osman and his only known work is his divan. Ruhi was born in Baghdad, died in 1605 (or 1606), Damascus. Baghdadli Ruhi is known as one of prominent authors writing moralistic and satiric poets for community. In Turkish classical literature, Baghdadli Ruhi is known as one of prominent authors writing moralistic and satiric poets for community. Firstly, it should be indicated that an established political system is needed to form a classical literature. When states settle politically and culturally, literature establishes its own die world and influences the author. Like every other author, Ruhi is also under the influence of some dies. As an expat poet, Ruhi who comes to Istanbul the capital city of Ottoman Empire from the city he was born, could not find the reputation he was looking for. One of the reasons underlying his societal criticism is staying empty-handed. With reference to Ruhi’s letters written in verse, it has been proven that he has quite a number of acquaintances. In that case, cannot finding the reputation he was looking for and offering praises to a long protocol list creates his internal stress. II. Çarh and Dehr as the Other Side of Satire An unbreakable link draws the attention between art and morality. In this aspect, satirizing may be counted as a moral action. Satire may not be confronted with a clear language. At that case, message hidden between the lines should be analyzed intently, satire was made of which words or terms should be considered. The terms çarh and dehr that I analyzed not only giving possibility to make self-criticism but also social criticism. A. Çarh (Felek), Çarh-ı Felek, Sipihr, Cihân: Its lexical meanings are circle, sky, fate, and universe. In Ruhi’s divan this word has a negative meaning and phrases composed by çarh and some other words increases this negativity: Çarh-ı denî, Felek-i süfle (dishonorable, despicable, mean çarh or felek,), Zalim çarh (cruel çarh), Çarh-ı bî-dâd (unjust çarh), Vefasız çarh (ungrateful çarh), Çarh-ı kej-rev (awry çarh), Çarh-ı süst-rây (feebleminded çarh), Çarh-ı siyeh-rû (black faced çarh). Ruhi says: “I called out the world as ‘despicable çarh’.” Because it does not have limits tormenting. Even if çarh is described as bedraggled, actually, its residents come and go but it maintains its existence. Because of this agedness it became skillful on tormenting. There is no rebellion to Allah and his creation while mentioning about çarh. Çarh/felek is a planet in the first place. The main concern is about the mechanism set up by people in virtue of their ambition of being profane. If the person remaining in the middle of this oddness is ârif (wise), he should not be defeated by the world. While looking at the dark well of the universe, he should not feel dizzy or throw himself in the drink. B. Dehr, Rûzgâr, Zaman, Ömr: These meanings are given for the term dehr in the dictionary: rûzgâr, devrân, cihân. Philosophers describes dehr as “the infinity extended from pre-eternity to post-eternity” in accordance with time. In Ruhi’s divan, the words used in a phrase with dehr again have negative meanings: Güvensiz dehr (insecure deh

Özet

Şairin bir muhite ve topluma bağı yadsınamaz. Sanatkârın dile getirdiği şikâyet, yergi, övgü ve dinî tutumu bu sosyolojik çember, diğer bir deyişle devrin manevî bütünlüğü içerisinde anlaşılmalıdır. Onlar da diğer insanlar gibi kendi yaşadığı zamana tanıklık eder fakat onu şekillendirmek de ister. 16. yüzyılda yaşamış olan Rûhî-i Bağdâdî'nin gerçek adı Osman'dır ve bilinen tek eseri Divan'ıdır. Rûhî 1605-1606 tarihinde Şam'da vefat etmiştir. Bağdatlı Rûhî, divan edebiyatında halk için ahlâka dair ve hiciv tarzında şiir yazanların önde gelenlerinden görülmüş, açık sözlü ve usta bir şair oluşunun altı çizilmiştir. Tamamen özentiye ve taklite dayalı bir sanat nasıl mümkün değilse, tamamen övgüye dayalı bir sanat da mümkün değildir. Yani edebî mahsul hicivden, zemden tamamen bağımsız olamaz. Bu bağlamda Bağdatlı Rûhî'nin toplumu ve toplumsal ilişkileri apaçık hicvettiği terkib-i bendi çok şöhret bulmuş, birçok kişi tarafından tanzir edilmiştir. Biz bu şiirin dışında kalarak çarh ve dehr kavramlarından hareketle onun hicvinin başka bir yönünü ortaya koymaya çalıştık. Çarh kelimesi şu kelimelerle bir terkip içerisinde, olumsuz bir dünya görüşüne yaslanarak kullanılmıştır: Çarhı denî, Çarh-ı felek, Felek-i süfle, Felek-i süfle-perver (Alçak, aşağı çarh, adi felek). Dehr kavramı da keza diğeri gibi olumsuz bir tablo çizer: Güvensiz dehr, Elem-i dehr (Hayat kaygusu), Dehr-i dûn (Alçak dehr), Dehr-i dil-rubâ (Gönülçelen dehr), Fani dehr. Çarh yahut onun yerine kullanılan sipihri, cihânı v.d. ömür serüvenini ihata eden fiziksel, sosyal ve kültürel şartlar yani âlem olarak; dehr/rûzgâr kavramını ise şairin kişisel serüveni, öz hikâyesi, hayat akışı olarak düşündük. Asıl meselemiz ise bu kavramlar üzerinden yapılan hem özeleştiri hem de toplumsal eleştiriyi gösterebilmektir