The Reception of Dante in Turkey through the Long Nineteenth Century

This chapter traces the growth of an interest in Dante against the background of new cultural directions and the problems of westernization in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Turkey. Dante's introduction into Turkey coincides with the period where efforts at westernization, especially under the influence of France, began. Through works translated from French, new genres such as novels, short stories, and contemporary poetry became known and started to develop in Turkish literature, along with traditional literary genres. Although newspapers and journals initially played a significant role in this process, more translations of books came to be published in the last quarter of the century. Hence, the Ottoman public became first acquainted with Dante through translations from French.