Humor in Safahat

Safahat, one of the immortal works of Mehmet Âkif Ersoy, is accepted by the majority among the greatest works of Turkish literature. In his masterpiece, Âkif skillfully reflects the period in which he lived in many aspects. However, in this period when Safahat was written, the Ottoman Empire faced with several problems such as wars, dissolution, and decline. Thus, it was expected that humor was not adopted in Safahat. Nonetheless, the current study indicates that humor, one of the narrative techniques used in Safahat, took an important place in this work. Humorous elements were frequently used in all chapters except Hakkın Sesleri, which is the Third Book. Mehmet Akif criticized the faults, mistakes, inappropriate and absurd behaviors in his surroundings with a ready wit. He sometimes, especially in dialogs, employed humor for entertainment and pastime. It is obvious that he made use of humor in Safahat. It was aimed in this study to demonstrate the elements and the importance of humor in Safahat.

Keywords

Mehmet Âkif, Safahat, Humor in Literature, Poetry Studies, Modern Turkish Literature.