Research Article

The portrayal of femininity and maternity in Mehmed, My Hawk and The Kalevala

Number: 26 February 21, 2022
  • Serap Sarıbaş *
TR EN

The portrayal of femininity and maternity in Mehmed, My Hawk and The Kalevala

Abstract

Over the last few years there have been alterations in the construction of gender, particularly for women. The concepts of sex and gender are divided with sex remaining biological, and gender becoming constructed. The depiction of the ideal woman as passive, faithful, and obedient thus changed. As the gender issue reforms, motherhood has also begun to be questioned due to its association with the female sex. Women who meet these requirements are labelled “good” mothers, while those who do not are “bad”. Such changes in gender and motherhood led to the distinct characterization of women in daily life and these women began to be portrayed in literature with a special emphasis on their newly constructed female images. Novels and plays that display the changing face of motherhood with careless, nasty and irresponsible mothers have also appeared. However, there are still literary works that represent a more traditional woman and mother. In literature, even the representation of traditional womanhood and motherhood differs since some writers use these women to reveal their weakness, oppression, and vulnerability while others use their literary ability to exhibit how a traditional woman and mother can be strong, dedicated and compassionate to her children. Elias Lönnrot, a well-known literary figure in Finland, with his epic compilation of national folklore, The Kalevala, and Yashar Kemal, one of the most noteworthy authors of Turkish literature, with his renowned Memed, My Hawk, unveil entirely divergent attitudes towards the identities of “woman” and “mother”. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how Kemal portrays womanhood and motherhood positively in Memed, My Hawk, while Lönnrot flaunts a dismissive viewpoint in The Kalevala. Analysis of these two masterpieces from disparate authors and epochs shows their distinctiveness in consideration of the Anatolian and Finnish cultures.

Keywords

References

  1. Arendell, T. (1999). Mothering and motherhood: A decade review. University of California.
  2. Bockemühl, A. (2009). A woman's path: Motherhood, love, and personal development. Rudolf Steiner Press.
  3. Butler, J. (1986). Sex and gender in simone de beauvoir's second sex. Yale French Studies. 72, 35-49.
  4. Choi, P., Henshaw, C., Baker, S., & Tree, J. (2005). Supermum, superwife, supereverything: performing femininity in the transition to motherhood. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 23(2), 167-180.
  5. Dino, G. & Grimbert, J. (1986). The Turkish peasant novel, or the Anatolian theme. World Literature Today, 60(2), 266-275.
  6. Gay, D. E. (1997). The creation of the Kalevala. Jahrbuch für Volksliedforschung, 42, 63-77.
  7. Kemal, Y. (2005). Memed, My Hawk. New York Review Books.
  8. Lönnrot, E. (2008). The Kalevala. Oxford University Press.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Linguistics

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Serap Sarıbaş * This is me
0000-0002-4079-8024
Türkiye

Publication Date

February 21, 2022

Submission Date

December 31, 2021

Acceptance Date

February 20, 2022

Published in Issue

Year 2022 Number: 26

APA
Sarıbaş, S. (2022). The portrayal of femininity and maternity in Mehmed, My Hawk and The Kalevala. RumeliDE Dil Ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi, 26, 1074-1081. https://doi.org/10.29000/rumelide.1074524