Robert Southey’in The Curse Of Kehama (Kehama’nin Laneti) Eserindeki Oryantalist Söylemlerin Bir Analizi

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 10 Sayı: 2, 1046 - 1058, 31.08.2025

Sırma Arslan , Erden El

https://doi.org/10.29110/soylemdergi.1695985

Öz

Oryantalizm Batılı seyyahların Doğu ile ilgili izlenimlerini ele aldıkları eserlerinin sonucu olarak ortaya çıktı. Böylelikle, Batılı seyyahların Doğu’yu gizemli, egzotik ve ruhani bir yer olarak tanıtmaları üzerine Oryantalist anlatılar çok hızlı bir şekilde yaygınlaştı. Romantik Dönemde Oryantal masallar özellikle de Galland’ın Binbir Gece Masalları’nı İngilizceye çevirisiyle birlikte popüler kültürün bir parçası oldu. Bu noktada, Oryantalist yazarlar Batılı bakış açısıyla bir Doğu imajı sundular. Birçok anlatıda, Oryantalist yazarlar Doğuluları şeytanlaştırdılar ve onların ırksal, kültürel ve dinî farklılıklarından dolayı onları “barbar” olarak tarif ettiler. İngilizler, Hintlilerin ilkel, mantıksız ve de dindar olduklarını öne sürerek Hindistan’daki yayılmacı politikalarını ve sömürgeci uygulamalarını haklı çıkarmaya çalıştılar. Üstelik İncil’i yayma görevini üstlendiler ve Hintlileri Hristiyanlığa geçmeleri için zorladılar. Bu konuyla ilgili olarak, Robert Southey sömürgecilik fikrini ve misyonerlik faaliyetlerini eserlerinde destekledi. Southey, Oryantal masallarında Hristiyan olmayan kesimlerin ritüellerini ilkel, insanlık dışı, hatta şeytani uygulamalar olarak betimledi. Dahası, Southey bu anlatılarda muhafazakâr görüşlerine yer verdi ve Batılı değerlerin üstünlüğünü savundu. The Curse of Kehama (Kehama’nın Laneti) başlıklı Oryantal masalında, Southey Hindu tanrılarını bedensel şekillerinin tasvirlerinden dolayı küçümsemektedir ve Hindu mitlerini inanılmayacak kadar saçma bulmaktadır. Bu yüzden, bu makale Robert Southey’in The Curse of Kehama (Kehama’nın Laneti) başlıklı eserindeki Oryantalist söylemleri incelemeyi ve Hinduizm ile ilgili ideolojik ifadeleri ortaya çıkarmayı hedeflemektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Oryantal masal , Oryantalizm , Sömürgecilik , Hinduizm , Romantik edebiyat

An Analysis of Orientalist Discourses in Robert Southey’s The Curse of Kehama

Öz

Orientalism emerged as the consequence of Western travellers’ works in which they conveyed their observations related to the Orient. Thus, upon the Western travellers’ introduction of the Orient as a mysterious, exotic, and spiritual place, Orientalist narratives became widespread in Western literature rapidly. In the Romantic Period, Oriental tales became a part of popular culture, especially with Galland’s translation of Arabian Nights into English. At this point, Orientalist writers suggested an image of the Orient through the Western lenses. In many narratives, Orientalist writers demonized the Easterners and described them as “barbaric” due to their racial, cultural, and religious differences. The English attempted to justify their expansionist policy and colonial practices in India by arguing that Indians were primitive, irrational, and spiritual. Furthermore, they undertook the quest for Evangelisation of Indians and forced them to convert to Christianity. Regarding this issue, Robert Southey promoted the idea of colonialism and missionary activities in his works. In his Oriental tales, Southey depicted the rituals of non-Christian populations as primitive, inhumane, and even fiendish practices. Moreover, Southey employed his conservative notions in these narratives and defended the superiority of Western values. In his Oriental tale entitled The Curse of Kehama, Southey scorns Hindu Gods because of the portrayal of their bodily shapes and finds Hindu myths too nonsensical to believe. Therefore, this article aims to analyse the Orientalist discourses in Robert Southey’s work The Curse of Kehama and to reveal ideological expressions regarding Hinduism.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Oriental tale , Orientalism , Colonialism , Hinduism , Romantic literature

Etik Beyan

Bu çalışmanın hazırlanma sürecinde bilimsel ve etik ilkelere uyulduğu ve yararlanılan tüm çalışmaların kaynakçada belirtildiği beyan olunur / It is declared that scientific and ethical principles have been followed while carrying out and writing this study and that all the sources used have been properly cited.

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