An Overview of Modern Tunisian Novel

Yıl 2019, , 69 - 96, 29.12.2019

Turgay Gökgöz

https://doi.org/10.32330/nusha.623074

Cited By: 2

Öz

Abstract

Tunisia, which
became independent in 1956, completed its development very late in the literary
context due to policies implemented during the French colonial period. In
Tunisia as a result of literary translations made in French, translation
movements started and a rebirth literature occured. In the process of time original
works were published and the genres of story and novel were laid. While the
first novels written in the genre were in experimental condition, they were
found to be weak in both technical and artistic contexts. Nevertheless, story
and novel proceeded the ground work of artistic basis for the novel was
provided. In fact, throughout the first studies, it was observed that there was
a study on the novel genre in Tunisia before the novel of Zaynab, which
was published in Egypt in 1914 and belonged to Muhammad Husayn Haykal. While
all these developments took place, it was considered that newspapers and
magazines made the major contribution to the development of literary genres in
Tunisia. These magazines and newspapers elucidated for advertising literary works,
critics and authors. In these socalled magazines, not only the products produced
in Tunisia, but also the works written in Algeria that witnessed the French
invasion and themes they dealts with will be elaborated. In this study, it is
aimed to inform the genesis and development of the novel in historical context
and the literary products produced during this process and the genres where the
novel is separated.

Structured
Abstract

In 1881,
Tunisia was occupied by the French. This country, which had many censorship and
published stages during the French occupation, gained its independence in 1956.
Not only Tunisia but also the Maghreb countries, such as Algeria and Morocco,
completed their literary development late because of the French occupation and
the policies implemented by the colony and the influence of the French
language. Therefore, it is seen that the first samples of literary genres such
as short stories and novels appeared in these countries later than their
counterparts in eastern Arab countries. To determine the authenticity of
Tunisian literature, we must first recall that it was subjected to two major
influences. First of all, in the literary context, Tunisia is an integral part
of Arab literature produced in an area extending from Mauritania in the West to
Iraq in the East. The second is an ancient French colony, only 120 kilometers
from Italy. For this reason, it was influenced by European ideas both because
of geographical proximity and translations from the West.

            After the French occupation, Tunisia
lived between the years of 1956-1987, the founding leader of the country Habib Bourguiba. However,
political changes did not fundamentally change the content of Tunisian literary
texts, and the departure of Bourguiba had
almost no influence on Tunisian literature. Therefore, it would be better to
look at other instruments other than politics in order to understand the
literature of this period. During this period, approximately 680 literary works
were published by Tunisian writers, especially from independence to the 1990s,
of which 270 were poetry collections and 100 were novels.

The political
and social events taking place in the Arab countries were a major obstacle to
the reflection of the literary works produced in these countries to other Arab
countries. Although writers and literary works in Tunisia are under a
repressive regime and heavy censorship by the French, it is seen that they have
made considerable progress in all genres of literature. However, these studies
were carried out through local newspapers for a long time and were confined to
narrow borders. In spite of all these negativities, it is obvious that as early
as 1905 there were some exits about the genre of story.

In Tunisia, it
should be mentioned that Taher al-Haddad (1901/1935), who could be considered
as a starting point in the genres of stories and novels, and who could be
considered as a pioneer in the issue of the rights of workers and women,
carried out in this early period. In terms of the geography of North Africa,
many novels have been published since the early years in Tunisia, although the
Arab novel did not appear too soon compared to its neighbors. When looking at
Arab novelists in Tunisia probably the first of these, Mahmud al-Mas'adî who
was professor of Higher Education in France. His expertise in Arabic literature
enabled him to gain excellent competence in both Arabic and French cultures.
Taha Husayn once mentioned him as follows:

” This
Tunisian litterateur has become truly erudite in Arabic culture and has
completed his studies in France, where he has reached an excellent standard in
his knowledge of French literature. He has been much influenced by the renowned
French philosophical writer Albert Camus ”.

In any case,
al-Mas'adî’s novels show a broad culture and intellectual depth. According to
some researchers, the definitive beginning of Tunisian novel is based on
translations up to the attempts to create original texts. These early essays
are not adequate in terms of having the simplest characteristics of artistic
Tunisian novels, but they are similar in terms of being short, and discourses
are distinguished by the superiority of ideas rather than the characteristics
of novel art.

The most vivid
use of medium in French colonialism was newspaper articles. At the same time,
these intellectual writings, which were used as a weapon against imperialism,
had an important role in the development of the prose style in the countries
under colonialism. Journalism plays an important role in the publication of
novels and short stories in modern Tunisian literature so this situation has
continued until just before independence.

Modern Tunisian
literature has made significant progress in the literary context after
Tunisia's liberation from the French occupation in 1956. Especially as a result
of the studies conducted before the independence in general, literature in
particular, the novel genre has achieved an artistic momentum. Both this
effect and developments in the printing of literary products positively
affected the increase in the number of readers and literature. Especially
after the independence of Tunisia, it is seen that literary works are given at
a very serious level and the genre in question is divided into various genres
such as national, social and mental novels. According to these genres, various
writings were written by the authors, and at the same time, various themes,
especially the problems in Tunisian society, were dealt with in various studies
and a critical attitude was taken when necessary.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Novel, Tunisian Literature, North Africa

MODERN TUNUS ROMANINA BİR BAKIŞ

Öz

1956 yılında
bağımsızlığına kavuşan Tunus, Fransız sömürgesi döneminde uygulanan politikalar
nedeniyle edebi bağlamda gelişimini geç tamamlamıştır. Tunus’ta Fransızcadan
yapılan edebi çeviriler neticesinde tercüme hareketleri başlamış ve edebi
anlamda bir canlanma yaşanmıştır. Zamanla özgün eserler verilmeye çalışılmış ve
öykü ile roman türlerinin temelleri atılmıştır. Roman türünde kaleme alınan ilk
çalışmaların deneme vaziyetinde olduğu görülürken aynı zamanda hem teknik hem
de sanatsal bağlamda zayıf kaldıkları görülmüştür. Buna rağmen bu çalışmalar
devam etmiş ve sanatsal anlamda romanın oluşumuna dair bir zemin
hazırlanmıştır. Aslında ilk çalışmalar yapılırken Muhammed Hüseyin Heykel’e ait
olan ve 1914 yılında Mısır’da yayımlanan Zeyneb romanından daha önce
Tunus’ta roman türüne dair bir çalışma yapıldığı da gözlenmiştir. Bütün bu
gelişmeler yaşanırken Tunus’ta edebi türlerin gelişimine dair en büyük katkının
gazeteler ve dergiler tarafından sağlandığı görülmektedir. Söz konusu bu
dergiler ve gazeteler üretilen edebi ürünlerin, eleştirilerin ve yazarların
tanıtılması hususunda adeta bir meşale olmuşlardır. Söz konusu dergiler ve
gazetelerde sadece Tunus’ta ortaya konulan ürünlere yer verilmeyip aynı zamanda
Fransız işgaline sahne olan bir diğer ülke Cezayir’de de kaleme alınan
çalışmalar ve yazarların hangi konuları işledikleri görülecektir. Söz konusu bu
çalışmada tarihi bağlamda roman türünün doğuşu ile gelişimi ve bu gelişim
esnasında üretilen edebi ürünler ile romanın ayrıldığı türlere dair detaylı
bilgi verilmesi amaçlanmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Roman, Tunus Edebiyatı, Kuzey Afrika

Kaynakça

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