New Language Movement as Pioneers of a New Canon

Abstract

National literary canon is an aggragate of the varying kinds of literary work about a nation's story and as such it not only represent a nation's identity, but also helps produce such an identity by instilling such na tional values in the public. The Literary Canon manifests itself during times of dissolution, pre scribing the criteria for literary works, and it tries to build a future with the power of the past by conveying stories about that society's origin, events of historic significance, and about its important people. The New Language Movement was founded in such social and polit ical conditions. Their literary works, themed around nationalist ideas about origins of Turks and exalting imagery of the history of Turkey and its important people were composed in plain language with a simple rhyme structure and they were aimed at maintaining the society's con tinuity via a national identity they wanted to instigate. The strongest evidence for the contention that this movement had started a very strong and long canon in Turkish literature is the fact that its influence lasted well until the end of 1930's, influencing other artists who do not fit the criteria of the movement per se. In light of these qualities of canon, one can clearly see the breadth of the content of this canonic process and structure the New Language movement produced.