By comparing the literary works of two of the greatest playwrights of our time, Önder Cakirtas reveals the similarities and contrasts between their political views and the political backdrop of their respective nations.
In Britain, George Bernard Shaw, the leading British dramatist for the first half of the twentieth century, wrote his plays to explicitly reflect his socialist political and economic views, and highlight the need for equal rights for women.
In Turkey, decades later, Orhan Asena confronted similar issues with plays that challenged the dominant political powers of his time – a stance which ultimately led to his political exile from Turkey.
Reviews
‘Comparing Shaw with a Turkish playwright in the second half of the century not only gives the later dramatist a solid basis for discussion, it also demonstrates the continuing significance of Shaw’s plays.”
Christopher Innes, Distinguished Research Professor, York University
“It is quite a challenging task for an author to write about G.B. Shaw and Orhan Asena from such a fresh perspective. But Önder Cakirtas has succeeded with an arresting portrait of both playwrights”
Ömer Sekerci, Associate Professor, Suleyman Demirel University
About the Author
Önder Cakirtas is Assistant Professor of English Language and Literature at Bingöl University, Turkey. His major areas of study and research include Modern British, Turkish and Comparative Drama, and Political Drama.
Inhoudsopgave
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1: POLITICS AND IDEOLOGY
Politics: Evolution in the Act of Governance
Ideology and Political Ideologies
Political Ideologies
Socialism and Communism
Republicanism, Laicism and Nationalism
Kemalism
CHAPTER 2: POLITICS IN DRAMA
Politics in British Drama
Politics in Turkish Drama
CHAPTER 3: BERNARD SHAW AND ORHAN ASENA
Political Evolution in Bernard Shaw
Political Evolution in Orhan Asena
CHAPTER 4: POLITICAL LANGUAGES OF SHAW AND ASENA
Political Language of Bernard Shaw
Political Language of Orhan Asena
CHAPTER 5: SHAW VERSUS ASENA
APPENDIX
SYNOPSIS OF ORHAN ASENA’S PLAYS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Over de auteur
Önder Çakırtaş is assistant professor of English Language and Literature at Bingöl Üniversitesi, Turkey, specialising in Modern British Drama, Modern Turkish Drama, Comparative Drama (British and Turkish), Political Drama.
He is a member of the MLA (Modern Language Association) and the BCLA (British Comparative Literature Association) and serves on the editorial board of Journal of Language, Linguistics and Literature and the Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (both at the American Institute of Science).
In 2011 he received the research fellowship of the higher education of Turkey from the University of East Anglia, England.