Selim Işık’s Agony in Oğuz Atay’s "Tutunamayanlar"

Abstract

This paper discusses the source and aspects of agony vexing Selim Işık the protagonist to a suicide at an early age in Oğuz Atay’s Tutunamayanlar. In this respect, Selim Işık’s Sartrianly defiant disposition is demonstrated by drawing upon specific quotations taken from the novel. In the paper, an intertextual method of comparison is occasionally employed by dint of references to another remarkable miserable protagonist in Turkish Literature – namely Doktor Hikmet in Yakup Kadri Karaosmanoğlu’s Bir Sürgün. Besides, throughout the article where available and applicable, references are made to some canonical works of Western Literature including Ibsen’s tragedies, Kafka’s Metamorphosis, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet in order to further substantiate and accentuate the arguments made.

Keywords

• Oğuz Atay
• Selim Işık
• Sartre
• Existence
• Rebel
• Suicide

Oğuz Atay’ın "Tutunamayanlar" Romanında Selim Işık’ın Izdırabı

Öz

This paper discusses the source and aspects of agony vexing Selim Işık the protagonist to a suicide at an early age in Oğuz Atay’s Tutunamayanlar. In this respect, Selim Işık’s Sartrianly defiant disposition is demonstrated by drawing upon specific quotations taken from the novel. In the paper, an intertextual method of comparison is occasionally employed by dint of references to another remarkable miserable protagonist in Turkish Literature – namely Doktor Hikmet in Yakup Kadri Karaosmanoğlu’s Bir Sürgün. Besides, throughout the article where available and applicable, references are made to some canonical works of Western Literature including Ibsen’s tragedies, Kafka’s Metamorphosis, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet in order to further substantiate and accentuate the arguments made.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Oğuz Atay
• Selim Işık
• Sartre
• Existence
• Rebel
• Suicide

Kaynakça

1. Atay, O. (2010). Tutunamayanlar. İstanbul: İletişim Yayınları. Atay, O. (1972, 30 September). Personal Interview. Ibsen, H. (2008). Four Major Plays. Oxford: Oxford World’s Classics. Kafka, F. (1996). The Metamorphosis and Other Stories. New York: Dover Publications. Karaosmanoğlu, Y. K. (2003). Bir Sürgün. İstanbul: İletişim Yayınları. Kılınç, B. (2008). Yabancılaşmış Karakterler ve Politik Eleştiri: Yavuz Turgul Sinemasından Muhsin Bey Örneği. Selçuk İletişim, July, 220-235. Sarıçiçek, M. (2009). Ulysses ve Tutunamayanlar'ın Karşılaştırmalı İncelenmesi. Turkish Studies 4(Winter 2009), 529-560. Sartre, J.P. (2015). Being and Nothingness. London: Routledge. Sartre, J.P. (2000). Huis Clos and Other Plays. London: Penguin Modern Classics. Shakespeare, W. (1982). Hamlet. London: Arden Shakespeare. Störig, H. J. (1963). Kleine Weltgeschichte der Philosophie. München/Zürich: Knaur.