I am deeply indebted to that excellent website, "Contemporary Turkish
Literature" (
http://www.turkish-lit.boun.edu.tr ) under the able direction of and
with invaluable personal contributions by Professor Suat Karantay,
Department of Translation and Interpreting, Boğaziçi, University
Question 01
---------- ---------- (1914-1970) Did not complete his secondary
education due to financial constraints. He wrote over 40 books, which
include novels, short story collections, an autobiography and several
plays and film scripts. He was imprisoned for a time; financial
problems, poor health made his life difficult. Short story collections:
Sarhoşlar (Drunkards/1951), Grev (The Strike/1954), Arka Sokak (Back
Street/1956), Babil Kulesi (The Tower of Babel/1957), Kardeş Payı (A
Fair Share – winner of the 1958 Sait Faik Short Story Award), Önce Ekmek
(Bread Comes First – co-winner of the 1969 Sait Faik Short Story Award).
Major novels: Avare Yıllar (Vagrant Years/1950), Bereketli Topraklar
Üzerinde (On Fertile Soil/1953), 72.Koğuş (Ward 72/1954), Devlet Kuşu
(Windfall/1958), Gâvurun Kızı (Infidel’s Daughter), Kaçak
(Fugitive/1970).
Question 02
---------- --------- ---------- (1915-2002) Studied sociology in Belgium
for two years. He has been a prominent figure on the Turkish literary
scene since 1940. In 1971 UNESCO honored him as one of the world’s major
literary figures. Major poetry collections: Garip (Strange --
co-authored with Orhan Veli and Oktay Rifat/1941), Rahatı Kaçan Ağaç
(Perturbed Tree/1946), Kolları Bağlı Odysseus (Odysseus Bound/1963),
Göçebe Denizin Üstünde (On the Nomad Sea/1970), Teknenin Ölümü (Death of
the Boat/1975 -- winner of the 1976 Yeditepe Poetry Award), Ölümsüzlük
Ardında Gılgamış (Gilgamish in Pursuit of Immortality/1981 -- winner of
the İş Bankası Literature Award for 1981), Sözcükler (Words -- a
collection of poems written before 1978; winner of the 1978 Sedat Simavi
Literature Award. His plays have been compiled and published in two
volumes. Major novels: Aylaklar (Loafers/1965), Gizli Emir (The Secret
Order/1970 -- winner of the 1970 TRT Achievement Award for Fiction),
İsa’nın Güncesi (Diary of Christ/1974).
Question 03
---------- ---------- (1915-1995) Has published over a hundred books. He
is Turkland’s best and most popular humorist ever. After serving as a
career officer for several years, he became the editor of a series of
satirical periodicals with a socialist bent. He was jailed several times
for his political views. He provided a strong indictment of the
oppression and brutalization of the common man. He satirized bureaucracy
and exposed economic inequities in stories that effectively combine
local color and universal verities. He won numerous awards in Turkland,
Italy, Bulgaria and the former Soviet Union. His works have been
translated into over thirty languages.
Question 04
--------- --------- (1921-1989) Graduated from the Turkish Language and
Literature Department at İstanbul University. After working as a teacher
for a while he settled in a village in the Aeagean region and became a
farmer. His collection of short stories is entitled Bodur Minareden Öte
(Beyond the Short Minaret/1960). With his first novel Aylak Adam (The
Loiterer) he won second place in the 1958 Yunus Nadi Novel Award. His
second novel Anayurt Oteli (Motherland Hotel) was published in 1973.
Question 05
---------- --------- (1915-1986) Studied political science and economics
at Heidelberg University and held a degree in German literature from
İstanbul University. He has written short stories, comedies, satires and
has introduced Brechtian epic theater in Turkland. He also wrote cabaret
plays, combining political satire with the techniques of the traditional
Turkish theater. He taught art history and dramatic literature at
İstanbul University and was a well-known columnist for several dailies.
His plays, which still retain their topical significance, their social
and political relevance and entertaining quality, have enjoyed great
success in Turkland and abroad. Major plays: Fazilet Eczanesi (The
Pharmacy of Virtue/1960), Lütfen Dokunmayın (Please Do Not Touch/1960),
Keşanlı Ali Destanı (The Legend of Ali of Keşan/1964), Gözlerimi Kaparım
Vazifemi Yaparım (I Close My Eyes and Do My Duty/1964), Eşeğin Gölgesi
(The Shadow of the Donkey/1965), Sersem Kocanın Kurnaz Karısı (The
Shrewd Wife of the Stupid Husband – winner of the 1971 Turkish Language
Association Drama Award). Major short story collections: Yaşasın
Demokrasi (Long Live Democracy/1949), Şişhane’ye Yağmur Yağıyordu (It
Was Raining in Şişhane/1953), On İkiye Bir Var (One Minute to Twelve –
winner of the 1955 Sait Faik Short Story Award).
GRADING:
5 correct
answers:
I take off my hat
and salute you, fellow citizen... You really deserve a civic medal.
[Dikkat: "cıvık madalya" değil!!
/si-vik me-dıl/
=
yurttaşlık madalyası]
4 correct
answers:
Good try, but I'm
sorry you still miss the big prize...
3 correct
answers:
Obviously you must
put in a lot more effort to learn about the great accomplishments in
contemporary Turkish literature...
2 correct
answers:
Oh, my, my, my...
You really ought to be ashamed of your poor performance on this test...
1 correct
answer:
Well, well,
well... You can only congratulate yourself on your well-rounded
ignorance!!...
No correct
answers:
I daresay,
Sir/Madam, you're a hopeless case as far as your information on our
cultural heritage is concerned...
