ALL COLUMNS AND ESSAYS- ORHAN VELI

kirmizicantaliavukat
Jan 10
13 min read

MY COMMENTS :

This work, which compiles all the newspaper columns and opinion pieces written by Orhan Veli, explores the author's views on art, society, and politics.

In the "My Quotes" section, the sections numbered in bold will be matched with corresponding numbers in the "Comments" section, where you can find my thoughts on those quotes.

The first articles in the collection generally share the author's defense and thoughts against the reactions to the prose trend in poetry. According to the author, the inclusion of elements such as music or literature in poetry is a trick because there is no interaction between branches. It should also be stated that poetry should be kept separate from prose. However, the author prefers to see the harmony in poetry as part of music. (1)

The author, who again claims that elements such as verse, quatrain and couplet in poetry damage the meaning and restrict the poet, states that elements such as harmony, music, rhyme and meter should not be present as one of the basic necessities of poetry. Although he states that what is important is the content, it is necessary to consider that in this case there is no element that distinguishes poetry from prose. In fact, the author, who states that the work produced is beautiful even if the bricks and mortar in an architectural structure are not beautiful, seems to have overlooked the fact that poetry is both a work that does not look very beautiful from the outside and that it is of poor quality, and that it will ultimately doom the building to collapse. (2)

One of the author's important observations regarding poetry is that it should have both essence and meaning. However, the author believes that it is sufficient to achieve this by only providing the essence. Yet, it is well known that true poetry is a work that possesses both meaning and conciseness, rhyme, meter, and figures of speech, and that can contain both elements together. Indeed, it is seen that the works that have maintained their permanence to this day are of this kind. Therefore, just as it is dangerous to lose the style while only searching for meaning, it is equally tragic to lose the meaning while trying to give importance to the style. (3)

After expressing my thoughts on the author's views on poetry and literature, it is necessary to conduct some examinations of his writings which contain his social structure and political thoughts. The author's statement that the recitation of the call to prayer in Arabic is the beginning of a reactionary movement, using secularism, sheds light on the history of the chronic problems of the Republic that have continued for more than half a century. (4)

In this section, the author, on behalf of the entire left wing that wants to avoid appearing against religion, states that the real investment should be in production and education. However, considering that this is not the main issue and that the strengthening of religious values is not desired, it is clearly seen that religion is constantly being pushed into the background with valid arguments. It is obvious that neither the "intellectuals" of that period nor those in the near future considered that religion could be practiced without being against science and did not make a demand in this regard. In fact, the direct reactions against religion under the name of secularism appear in this work as a taboo that has been established since 1949, perhaps even earlier. (5)

In fact, in an article written by the author in 1950, after the call to prayer was reverted to its Arabic form, it is mentioned as if the country had no other problems, and this was done. Thoughts are expressed that this step would trigger other factors that would lead to reactionism in the future. Therefore, it is clear that the issue is not only about the call to prayer, but also a stance against the values it represents. It shows that from the early years of the Republic, there has been an effort to instill certain principles in the people from above, without building them on solid foundations. It is clear how long the understanding that views religion as reactionary has been instilled in people, an understanding that has remained unchanged from that time to this. However, it is impossible for the people to adopt coercive ideologies that are rejected even by the smallest incident through importation. While the Turkish state has always struggled to maintain its Muslim identity, short-term pressures may be effective when the state dictates that it forcibly erase this identity. However, fundamentally, this situation will never be accepted. Moreover, society has a much greater chance of developing by understanding the religion to which it belongs and fulfilling its requirements properly, instead of fighting against it. (7)

Therefore, the author’s condescending view, particularly regarding religious issues, which characterized the right wing as backward, is clearly visible in his political views at that time. In Turkey, such oppressive ideas of the left against the right wing have always been seen as modernity. However, when the right wing starts to defend itself and stand firm, it is always labeled as bigoted. (8)

The consequences of the author's criticisms of the Turkish Language Association (TDK) and Anadolu Agency regarding their efforts to simplify the language are clearly being experienced by today's youth and new generations. The author, particularly noting that Anadolu Agency is more than just an institution aiming to Turkify foreign words, criticizes the way and purpose of language simplification. Furthermore, the author states that if we used expressions, maxims, or proverbs from our language, there would be no need for this simplification. However, it is important to note that the use of terms like idioms and proverbs mentioned by the author is a stylistic choice. As can be seen from the examples of language simplification by Anadolu Agency in the past, it is clear that we have difficulty even reading our works from 70 years ago. (6)

As can be seen, the work clearly reveals the author's political agenda in the 1940s and 50s, as well as his perspective on society and art. Although I do not agree with the author's political views, the value of some of his observations about the people of Anatolia during that period cannot be denied. In this regard, while I share his views, especially those concerning art and artists, I must state that he is one of the poets whose literary style I do not find particularly appealing. However, I must also mention that, based on the literary style in this work, he actually had a high chance of being a writer more suited to prose.

One important point I must add before concluding this review is the praise given by a French author, also cited in the quotations section, to the writer for initiating a new literary movement nationally, even though the movement in his poems was European. This situation, while reinforcing in my mind the need for greater respect for our artists, also felt like a congratulatory message, highlighting how far we have become detached from our own literary genres alongside Western literature.

In conclusion, this work can be considered an absolute must-read for readers interested in Turkish literature and a detailed portrait of the era through the author's eyes.

MY QUOTATIONS(*) :

If a poem possesses a harmony worthy of appreciation, it is not provided by meter or rhyme. That harmony exists outside of meter and rhyme, and even despite them. However, it is meter and rhyme that make it conscious in the poem, making even the most unintelligent people aware of the existence of this harmony. To be able to appreciate a harmony thus perceived—that is, one provided by meter and rhyme—or to consider it skillful to speak within these simple measures, must surely be the most magnificent form of naiveté.
I am not in favor of the intermingling of arts. Poetry should be considered poetry, painting painting, and music music. Each art has its own characteristics and its own means of expression. To express one's intention through these means and to remain confined within these characteristics is not both a way of respecting the true values of art and a way of giving space to effort and labor, is it? The difficulty in securing beauty must surely be this. Music in poetry, painting in music, and literature in painting are nothing more than tricks resorted to by people who cannot overcome this difficulty. ( 1 )
A person becomes happy when they understand something they thought was incomprehensible.
What makes a poem a poem is simply the peculiarity of its style; and that relates to its meaning.
There are people who look for a hundred beauties in a hundred-word poem. Yet even a thousand-word poem is written for a single beauty. Brick is not beautiful. Plaster is not beautiful. But an architectural work composed of these is beautiful. ( 2 )
It seems that, in reality, the fact that a beautiful word serves as material for poetry is not an advantage for poetry itself.
The period was a reaction to a movement that wrongly attributed utility to art; in other words, a movement that sacrificed utility. Indeed, it was necessary to prevent them from attributing utility to art in this way. This could only be achieved by either accepting utility or art and rejecting the other.
Culture has been defined in many ways, the most famous of which is a definition given by a French mathematician and the mayor of Lyon, which is roughly the same: according to this definition, culture is " what remains with us when we have forgotten all the books we have read ."
An artist who is not picky and only takes the easy way out is always forced to sacrifice his taste. Through repeated sacrifices, he eventually reaches a point where he has nothing left in the name of taste. The taste of the people is a product of custom and tradition. However, the artist, constantly striving for something more beautiful, often elevates his own taste above that dictated by tradition. Then a distance appears between the artist and the people. This distance is temporary. It closes when a few discerning individuals discover and reveal the artist's talents.
Perhaps they would want such a measure even more than we do. Yes, they would certainly want it even more than we do. After all, aren't those who say, " There is neither meter, nor rhyme, nor simile, nor metaphor, nor hyperbole in this; therefore, it is not poetry, " always prisoners of that idea of meter? Doesn't all their distress stem from seeing that their tiny measure has been lost? But we are searching for the measure of true poetry. Not the measure of those who say, " There is no meter, no rhyme, no simile, no metaphor; therefore, there is no poetry ," but the measure of those who will say, " There is meter, there is rhyme, there is metaphor, there is everything; but where is the poetry? " ( 3 )
Büyük Doğu, under the heading "Here are the documents," placed a photograph of a French magazine—available in every newspaper office, bookstore, and café—on its front page. This magazine is called Carrefour. It's published in France and, strangely enough, it's anti-communist.
What can you do, death awaits everyone.
You fell asleep and never woke up.
Who knows where, how, or how old they are?
You will have a kingdom that lasts only as long as a prayer.
On that funeral stone, like a throne
Every true artist hears something more than those who came before them.
Language has taught the word "happiness" to millions of people who did not know what happiness was. Those who learn this word are a little more unhappy, a little more suffering than those who did not know it. Happiness is either in money, or in not knowing that it is in money.
A task is serious if the person doing it takes it seriously, otherwise it is not.
An article may contain no ideas, but it must be written in a flamboyant style. No matter how many ideas you express, if you speak plainly, in the language of the people, it's worthless. You can't sell yourself.
Because he is young, he doesn't have a great influence on the older generation. That's human nature; when an old man has to doubt the values he believes in, he thinks everything is lost. But not everyone is like that. Those who think a little more broadly, a little more forward, know that some values will come to this world after them. They know this because it has been so throughout history. To try to deny this would be nothing more than claiming the world has stopped. I can't easily call someone old-fashioned who believes that those who come after them can also bring certain values to the world.
There is nothing that does not exist for society that can be considered art.
To those who believe that the purpose is achieved through understanding, I think it suffices to say that not everything understood is beautiful. Similarly, I would remind them that many things are beautiful without being understood, and that they don't need to be understood in order to derive pleasure from them.
A painter is, above all, a man who loves paintings; not landscapes.
A nation preserves its existence more than anything else through its language. As for the poet, this person, who owes his existence to the language of the nation, must serve it and strive for its perpetual existence.
February 15, 1939. Religious lessons are starting in primary schools today. Five days ago, imam-hatip courses were opened in several places. Also, recently, a few fanatics recited the call to prayer in Arabic. A few literate people said that returning to religion is a necessary thing. However, all these events show that there is a reactionary movement in the country. ( 4)
A French poet, Soupault, said, " Your poetry is first-class poetry in France, and in any European country. You can be proud of that. Moreover, this poetry has a special characteristic: it is as much local as it is European, it is national; although it is European, it is not an imitation of European poetry ."
While there is an advanced cause such as providing millions of citizens with positive knowledge and thousands of bad schools, trying to serve the intellectual life of the country through religion is a regression. In other words, it is reactionary. Pursuing the dream of an Islamic unity, and thus making the interference of religion in state affairs inevitable, is a regression in a regime whose one of its principles is secularism. In other words, it is reactionary. ( 5 )
This Anadolu Agency thinks that language is a matter of words. Is the aim to Turkify the language? It's easy; you replace a few foreign words with Turkish words, and that's it. For example, if you're going to say "münakaşa" (dispute), give up on "münakaşa" and say "tartışma" (discussion). If one's mind could grasp that one doesn't have to express "derpiş etme" (to consider) with a word that is its equivalent, one wouldn't fall into such ridiculous situations. If one knows how to put together various words and use various folk expressions, the Turkish language is such a rich language that for those who understand it, worrying about words is nothing but a futile effort. ( 6 )
As Shakespeare said, " Doing is not as easy as knowing what should be done. " But to be able to do, one must know. This is possible by seeing and showing certain truths, not by arresting people. (1950 - A critique of the Adnan Menderes government)
One of the first issues addressed by the first Democratic Party government was this matter of the call to prayer (adhan). The reason is clear: it was the most important issue. We couldn't tolerate listening to the adhan in Turkish for another week. If the adhan wasn't immediately translated back into Arabic, we would all die. Things we want to see done for the good of the country, just as they are considered communism today, could easily be considered heresy back then. Everyone would rise up. Religious fervor would replace national fervor. The government would be incapable of calming that fervor. Religious fervor would start to get whatever it wanted. Where would all this end? We don't want to see it, but probably very badly. The adhan issue is not a single thing. What matters is the outcome. What surprises and saddens us is that the Prime Minister couldn't see or consider such a danger. Because after abolishing the law on the adhan, there's no reason not to abolish the dress code law, the writing code law, and so on. Indeed, since we are in a democratic country, whoever wants can wear a fez, whoever wants can wear a turban, whoever wants can study in Arabic script, whoever wants can open a dervish lodge, whoever wants can go to a sorcerer, whoever wants can write amulets. ( 7 )
The purpose is to fulfill a promise made to hunt down a handful of backward people before the elections. ( 8: )
Art can never be tasked with merely acting as a herald for beliefs. Nor can simply fitting the pronouncements of certain ideologies, even new ones, into established frameworks constitute creating something new. The structure must be fundamentally altered.
However, the difference between prose and poetry is not just a difference in meter and rhyme; it is a difference in expression. The language of prose is explanatory. For those who do not understand unless the words are explained to them, I would advise them not to read poetry for now.
The older generation showed today's youth not what should be done, but what shouldn't be done. Of course, this is also a service. But it seems to me that a generation whose service is limited to this should criticize those who come after them. A person who closes their eyes to what comes after them is a person who stands still.
A person's true character is revealed in their actions, not their words; the level of their intellect is evident in their work.

EVALUATION:

Subject : The work explores the author's views on art, society, and politics.

Style: The author consistently manages to create a feeling of continuous conversation with the reader. It's important not to overlook the fact that many of the articles are opinion columns, which contributes to this. However, it must be stated that the excessive and repetitive focus on certain topics negatively impacts the narrative. Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that the author is one of Turkey's finest writers, not in poetry, but in prose.

Originality : The work does not aim to be original in terms of its nature. Therefore, although it may not receive a high score in this category, the main evaluation criteria should be examined in terms of other headings.

Character : The work, by its nature, will not be evaluated in this category.

Fluency : Considering the points mentioned in the style section, the author, while managing to draw the reader in quite effectively in prose, has succeeded in making the work as fluent as possible, even though it's impossible for it to be gripping given the nature of the work. However, although the repetition of the subject matter in some places sometimes hinders its fluency, it must be stated that overall it has a fluent narrative style.

Overall : Based on the criteria mentioned above, and evaluated out of 10:

Subject: 8.5

Style: 8

Originality: 4

Fluency: 7.5

The overall average score for the work, which received its points, is 7. Although the work barely reached the 7 threshold, as stated in the evaluation section, when examined without considering the element of originality, it should definitely be noted that it is one of the literary and sociological books that should be read.

(*) : All parts under the heading "My Quotes":

ALL COLUMNS AND ESSAYS

Author : Orhan Veli

Publisher : Can Publications

Edition : 1st Edition - February 2021

The quote used on the cover is taken from the book in the photograph.