Mehir’s Perception in the Universe of Classical Turkish Poetry

Abstract

In every period of history, art embraces all segments of society; undertakes the task of sharing, carrying and transferring cultural values. Tradition, belief and thought systems that unite different geographies connect all elements of society. It is frequently determined that the rich events, facts and situations in the civilizational fabric of the society are reflected in oral and written products in different types or forms. The existence and usage of these common values become the most important carriers through literary works. The importance of sharing material assets, capital and rights, which unites the family and helps to establish peace, maintains its agenda in the modern world. Literary works express the versatility of cultural carrier with their unique language and use of concepts. In almost all types of literary works, ceremonies, entertainments, traditions, religious and legal aspects can be discussed in different events and phenomena, directly or indirectly, from the beginning of the institution of marriage. The dowry, bride price and mehir given to the woman or the woman’s family among the married couples are also not ignored in the literary texts; It must be included in the figure, including technical information such as time, shape and maximum limit. In Turkish-Islamic culture, mehir is the property of the woman to marry, and she has the authority to do whatever she wishes on her initiative. It is noteworthy that the mehir, which has certain legal rules and sanctions in itself, is especially used by adapting to the narrative features of all verse forms of classical Turkish literature. It is noteworthy that in the texts of classical Turkish literature, the concepts of kalın, mehir and kabin are used instead of dowry, emphasizing Islamic values. In classical Turkish literature, mehir stands out as an independent and personal right of the woman to marry, as well as with its use based on a mazmum as well as a social sanction. In ghazals, mahr is highlighted as a mazmun so that the individual can achieve inner peace as much as sociality. Mehir in gazalles; It is used to describe the world, people, love, affection and compassion. The poets prove that although the mahr has a material return in marriage, it does not cause a contradiction between feelings and thoughts. Mahr is one of the leading values in the reunion of two lovers in masnavis. This removes mahr from being a taboo and reveals its relevance to the normal functioning of society. Real, metaphysical approaches in masnavis do not change the truth and sharing of mahr during the marriage contract between men and women. The continuous existence of this legal phenomenon in love masnavis is important in terms of keeping the public consciousness of the mahr alive.

In this study, examples from ghazals and masnavis are explained that classical Turkish poets, who are thought to be far from the social order, view the mahr as a necessity between the family, women and men, as a human value. Attention is drawn to the fact that the subject of mahr is considered as the bearer of cultural values and the formation and continuity of the family with couplets.