Key Milestones of the Pre-Rāṭī Period

Abstract

This study addresses the foundation of the Fecr-i Âti literary group, which emerged during the Constitutional era, its literary conception, and its position in modern Turkish literature. The research focuses on the formation process of the group, its literary philosophy, and the influence of Western literature on its development. Furthermore, it investigates the significance of the Fecr-i Âti declaration (manifesto) within the group's literary activities and examines its leading figures. In addition, the characteristics of various literary genres poetry, novel, short story, and theater during the Fecr-i Âti period are explored. In the realm of poetry, the work of its foremost figure, Ahmet Haşim, is analyzed, highlighting his emphasis on individual themes, love, nature, imagination, and symbolism. The group's prose fiction is addressed in terms of love, interpersonal relationships, and psychological states, alongside an examination of prominent playwrights such as Şahabettin Süleyman and Tahsin Nahit. The study concludes that despite its short lifespan, Fecr-i Âti held a significant place in the modernization process of Turkish literature through its orientation toward Western literature and its aesthetic artistic approach.