Carnival

Carnival

Carnival is the first work in Turkish literature to address carnivals and balls as reflections of Western entertainment culture. In this novel, Ahmet Mithat Efendi portrays the transformation of social life in Istanbul through the arrival of the carnival, centering the story on the forbidden love affair between Resmi Efendi, a young Muslim man, and Madam Hamparsun, a married Armenian woman.

The novel’s principal theme is misguided Westernization. Through vivid depictions of Ottoman society, it presents colorful portraits of Muslims and non-Muslims, entertainment venues, merchants, fashions, mansion life, and the various neighborhoods of Istanbul. Details reflecting the era—particularly those related to ballrooms, carnivals, and other forms of entertainment culture—are presented as part of a broad social panorama.

In this edition of Carnival, no simplification has been made to the original language or style of the novel. Unlike previous editions, explanatory footnotes have been added for words that may be unfamiliar to contemporary readers, as well as for certain proper names. An index has also been included at the end of the volume to facilitate future research on Ahmet Mithat Efendi.

Author: Ahmet Mithat Efendi

Publisher: Dergah Publications

ISBN: 978-975-995-982-1

Binding: Paperback

Language: Turkish

Dimensions: 13.5 × 21 cm

Page Count: 399 pages