The Perceptions of Gypsies in Melih Cevdet’s Novel Raziye

The existence of literary texts shaped by their relationship with the phenomenon of life forms the foundation of the sociology of literature. It is possible to evaluate many texts in modern Turkish literature within this framework. The fundamental reason is that literature cannot be independent of the sociological context of life. Melih Cevdet Anday, who established himself as one of the leading figures of the Garip poetry movement early in his literary career, has also written novels. In Raziye (1975), a novel by Melih Cevdet Anday that explores a variety of social themes, particular attention is given to provincial life and to the presence of Gypsy communities existing alongside it. The approach of the narrative characters, shaped by socialist ideology and humanist impulses, towards the nomadic Gypsies takes finds concrete expression in a perspective of male patriarchal power and domination. The fact that the novel character is a “beautiful Gipsy girl” also draws attention to the image of a woman defying patriarchal power. However, what really stands out are the ways in which the Gipsies are portrayed. This article evaluates how the Gypsies in Melih Cevdet's novel Raziye are perceived by the narrator, his uncle Dayı, who is a guiding character, and the villagers living on the Aegean coast, within the scope of literary sociology. This will bring to light new findings regarding the portrayal of Romani in modern Turkish literature. In addition to a text-centered analytical approach, emphasis will also be placed on sociological contexts.