The Representation of ‘the New Woman’ in Kate Chopin’s the Awakening and in Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil’s Aşk-ı Memnu | Kate Chopin’in Uyanış ile Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil’in Aşk-ı Memnu Romanlarında “Yeni Kadın” Temsiliyeti

Abstract

Social changes often take place when a culture is confronted with the influence of an overpowering, ‘higher’ culture with predetermined sets of values. In Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, the Creole culture is changing due to the influence of the North (of America) and in Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil’s Aşk-ı Memnu, Turkish culture is affected by the West (Europe). The results of these influences are observed best in the characters of women and conceptions about womanhood. Two heroines of these novels, Edna and Bihter, do not conform to the norms of their society, resulting in conflicts in their family and friend circles and leading to their subsequent suicides. They represent the new type of woman or the ‘new woman’, who seeks to set the rules of her own life and enjoys the same social freedom as men do, however, these women cannot manage the overwhelming social changes and eventually falter. The aim of this research is to analyse the periods of big social and political transitions in the communities and the representation of new women in the face of these changes.