Towards a Theory of Ottoman Allegory

Abstract

With only sporadic mention here and there, Ottoman allegory remains an area of study that has received inadequate attention, particularly in English. 1 Among works that have addressed this field, Peter Heath’s chapter on allegory in Islamic literature(s) constitutes the most comprehensive synopsis that also touches upon Ottoman allegory. 2 Hence, the foremost purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of Ottoman allegorical narratives, most of which are written in mathnawi form. 3 First, the chapter presents the general characteristics of allegorical writing and those unique to classical Ottoman literature, which will result in a (re)definition of allegory. Second, this chapter provides a synopsis of the Ottoman allegorical style of writing by presenting a list of allegorical works. The chapter argues that allegories composed in classical Ottoman literature are not allegorical interpretation 4 but examples of allegorical writing, 5 as they bear the quintessential mark of allegorical writing, which is all the more apparent in the various renditions of the romance called Ḥüsn ü Dil (Beauty and Heart) and in Ḥüsn ü ʿAşq (Beauty and Love), a mathnawi written by Şeyḫ Ġālib.