GEOFFREY CHAUCER’IN THE HOUSE OF FAME VE THE PARLIAMENT OF BIRDS ESERLERİNDE ORTA ÇAĞ HAYVAN SEMBOLİZMİ GELENEĞİ

Öz

Açıklamalar ve çizimler ile hayvanlar hakkında bilgi veren bir katalog niteliği taşıyan ve İngilizce bestiary olarak bilinen ‘hayvan sembolizmi’ kitapları Orta Çağ’da oldukça yaygındır. Varlık zincirinde insana en yakın olarak yaratılan ‘hayvan’ eski zamanlardan beri insan yaşamında büyük bir rol oynamış çoğu zaman insanlara yiyecek ve giyecek sağlayarak yaşamlarını kolaylaştırmıştır. Öte yandan Orta Çağ’da çoğunlukla tarım ve ulaşımda kullanılmaya başlanan hayvanlar, yalnızca birer av olmaktan öteye geçerek yaşamın her alanında insanların yanında olan en sadık dostlarına dönüşmüştür. Hayvanların insan yaşamında bu denli büyük bir role sahip olması insanların bu varlıkları tanıma isteğini arttırmış bu da hayvan motiflerinin ve sembolizmin edebiyatta da sıkça kullanılmasına neden olmuştur. Özellikle o dönemde oldukça popüler olan alegori ve sembolizm etkisi hayvanlara çeşitli mistik ve ruhani anlamlar atfedilmesine ve edebi eserlerde sıklıkla kullanılmalarına ortam hazırlamıştır. Hayvan sembolizmi, böylelikle, din olgusunun hâkim olduğu Orta Çağ’da din ve ahlak dersleri vermede önemli bir araç haline gelmiş ve birçok edebi esere esin kaynağı olarak oldukça popüler bir geleneğe dönüşmüştür. Bu bağlamda Orta Çağ’daki bestiary geleneğinden yola çıkan bu çalışma İngiltere’nin ve İngiliz edebiyatının ilk büyük şairi olarak addedilen Geoffrey Chaucer’ın (1340-1400) The House of Fame (Şöhret Evi) ve The Parliment of Birds (Kuşlar Meclisi) eserlerinde hayvan sembolizminin izini sürmektedir. Böylelikle, çalışma Chaucer'ın hayvan sembolizmi mirasını bazen Orta Çağ'ın Hristiyan öğretilerinin merkezinde yer alan geleneğin aksine didaktik kaygı gütmeden okuyucuyu sadece eğlendirmek bazen de dinin yanı sıra bilimsel konularda bilgilendirmek için kullanarak, geleneğe farklı bir bakış açısı getirdiğini göstermeyi amaçlamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Geoffrey Chaucer
• The Parliament of Birds
• The House of Fame
• hayvan sembolizmi
• bestiary

THE MEDIEVAL BESTIARY TRADITION IN GEOFFREY CHAUCER'S THE HOUSE OF FAME AND THE PARLIAMENT OF BIRDS

Öz

Books on animal symbolism, the catalogues including data on many animals together with descriptions and illustrations also known as bestiaries in English, were quite common during the Middle Ages. The 'animal', which was created as the closest to humans in the chain of beings, has made life easier for humans since ancient times especially by providing them with food and clothes. In the Middle Ages, however, most of these animals were employed for agriculture and transportation which turned them into the most devoted friends of human more than just preys. Thus, people’s desire to know animals better increased. This led to the frequent use of animal motifs and symbolism in literature as well. Especially with the influence allegory and symbolism, which were quite popular at the time, various mystical and spiritual meanings were ascribed to animals. In the Middle Ages marked by religion, animal symbolism became a crucial medium for teaching religion and morality as well as a source for inspiration for many literary works. Based on the Medieval bestiary tradition this study traces animal symbolism in The House of Fame and The Parliament of Birds by Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400), who is regarded as the first great poet of English literature. In so doing, the study aims to demonstrate how Chaucer contributed a unique viewpoint to the tradition at the core of Middle Ages Christian teachings, sometimes using his legacy of animal symbolism to entertain the reader without any didactic concern and other times to educate them on various scientific topics as well as religion.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Animal symbolism
• Bestiary
• Geoffrey Chaucer
• The House of Fame
• The Parliment of Birds

Kaynakça

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