Persian poetry, xiv, 57–59, 61, 100–102, 126
petition-writing, 13
Philosophy of Women, The (Felsefe-i Zenan) (Ahmet Midhat), xx
piano lessons, 24–27, 29–30. See also Josephine (piano teacher)
Plato, 3, 4–5
pleasure/pleasures: alafranga lifestyle and, 2; emotional, 32; indulgence in, 142; from insults, 98; for Janan, 27, 63, 64; Kağıthane outing and, 87, 89, 90, 91, 92; of morning, 87; sense of responsibility and, 153; showing off and, 93–94; from slaves, 73; union with and separation from the beloved, 65; vs. work, 4. See also happiness
poetry: aroused by wine, 72; Persian, xiv, 57–59, 61, 100–102, 126; readings by Pauline, 69
property, slaves as, 14, 40, 63, 65, 80, 154n3
Quintessential Truths (Zübdet’ül-hakaik) (Ahmet Midhat), 159
rakı, 41, 129
Râkım Efendi: background of, 9, 150; character of, 10–17; compliments about, 53, 59–60; education of, 9, 10–11; European friends of, 13; house owned by, 27–29, 60; income of, 11–13, 16; lifestyle of, 50; morality of, 42–47; parents of, 9, 10; sense of responsibility, 151–52; work ethic of, 10, 15–16, 49–50, 68, 150, 151; writing career of, 12–13, 15–16, 70. See also Fedayi (Arab slave); Janan (Circassian female slave)
Recaizade Ekrem, 149
responsibility, sense of, 151–52, 153
schooling. See education
servants, 5–6
Servet Hanım, xx
sex segregation, 153
sheep taxes, 15–16
Shissler, A. Holly, 149–59
showing off, pleasure of, 93–94
sisterly love: for Janan, 30, 48, 64–65, 80, 85, 134–35, 136; for Ziklas girls, 56–57, 118, 123–24, 141
Slavery (Esaret) (Ahmet Midhat), 154
slaves: alaturka meal and, 104–8; Arab female, 9, 13, 103; Circassian, 13, 154n3; freedom for, 73; in Mustafa Meraki’s household, 2; pleasure from, 73; price of, 105; as property, 14, 40, 63, 65, 80, 154n3; status of, 152. See also Fedayi (Arab slave); Janan (Circassian female slave)
slave trade: alafranga lifestyle and, 73; banning of, xix; offer to purchase Janan and, 53–55, 61–65, 67; Ottoman attitude to, 154, 154n3; Râkım’s purchase of Janan, 13–15; suppression of, 154, 154n3
songs: alafranga, 36–37, 94–95, 108; alaturka, 25, 94–95, 108; translations from Turkish, 44–45
spendthrifts, 75, 156
spiritual world, poems of Hafez and, 100
Superfluous Man, 149–50, 153
Takvim-i Vekayi (The Calendar of Events) (newspaper), xxi, 157
Tanzimat reforms, xix–xxii, 150
Tarik (Ahmet Midhat), vii
taxes, sheep, 15–16
Tercüman-i Hakikat (The Interpreter of Truth) (newspaper), xxi, 158
theaters, 52–53
Toledano, Ehud, 154, 154n3
translations: by Ahmet Midhat, 158; of blonde (blond), xiv, 44–45; of Felâtun Bey and Râkım Efendi, xiii–xv; Felâtun Bey on, 44–45; of poetry, xiv, 57–59; by Râkım, xiv, 11–12, 13, 44–45
Treaty of Lausanne (1923), xxii
Treaty of Sèvres (1920), xxii
tuberculosis, 14, 114, 127, 130, 143–44
Turgenev, Ivan, 149–50
Turk in Paris, A (Paris’te bir türk) (Ahmet Midhat), xxi
Turkish alphabet, 22–23
Turkish language: Janan’s mastery of, 21, 40; language reform for, 158–59; translation of songs from, 44–45; tutoring, 16, 19–20, 21–24, 31, 99
Turkish War of Independence (1919–1923), xxii
tutoring, Turkish language, 16, 19–20, 21–24, 31, 99
undressing behavior, 84–85
Üss-ü Inkilap (Basis of Reform) (Ahmet Midhat), xxi, 159
Voice from Behind the Wall, A (“Duvardan Bir Seda”) (Ahmet Midhat), 157
white slaves. See Circassian slaves
wine, 70, 72
woman chasers, 76
women and girls: accompaniment for, 24–25; alafranga lifestyle of, 6–7; alaturka meals and, 103–9; education for, 7; gender roles and equality for, xxii, 153–54
work ethic: of Felâtun Bey, 3–4, 142, 150; of Râkım, 10, 15–16, 49–50, 68, 150, 151
writing career: of Ahmet Midhat, xx–xxii, 156–59; of Râkım, 12–13, 15–16, 70
Young Ottoman reformists, xx, xxi, 157, 159
Young Turk revolution, 158
Zevra (Baghad) (newspaper), 156
Ziklas family: alafranga songs with, 36–37; alaturka meal for, 103–9; boat rides with, 31–33; dinner invitations from, 36–37, 38, 43–47; Felâtun Bey and, 51–52, 73–74, 75; love and trust for Râkım, 59–60, 99–100, 145; mayonnaise sauce incident and, 34–36, 37, 38, 43, 44, 51, 52; on Râkım’s house, 60
Ziklas girls: alaturka meal and, 104–8, 109; amorous feelings of, 57, 58, 61–62, 122, 126; boat trip to Alexandria, 141–43; on Felâtun Bey, 38, 46–47, 51–52; happiness and, 58, 115, 120, 145; Janan and, 104–8, 110, 111–12, 117, 141; Jan’s illness and recovery, 112–25, 127, 141, 143–45; lessons alone with, 56–60; love and trust for Râkım, 100; marriage of, 145; poems of Hafez and, 58–59, 61, 100–102, 126; sisterly love for, 56–57, 118, 123–24, 141; Turkish language tutoring for, 16, 18–19, 19–20, 21–24, 31
Ziya Pasha, 37
Zübdet’ül-hakaik (Quintessential Truths) (Ahmet Midhat), 159
Ahmet Midhat Efendi (1884–1912), one of the foremost intellectuals of the Ottoman Tanzimat reform era, was a prolific journalist, novelist, playwright, translator, teacher, and social critic. He is typically hailed as the father of the Turkish novel. He was both the head of the first official newspaper of the Ottoman Empire, Takvim-i Vekayi (The Calendar of Events), and the founder of the longest running newspaper of the era, Tercüman-i Hakikat (Translation of Truth), which ran between 1878 and 1921. He also authored numerous novels and essays on subjects ranging from history to economics to religion. Ahmet Midhat is the subject of renewed interest from cultural, gender, and intellectual historians of the Ottoman Empire and modern Turkey.
Melih Levi graduated from Amherst College with a BA in English Language and Literature in 2015. A native of Istanbul, he is currently working on a series of writings that combine translational poetics and narrative.
Monica M. Ringer teaches Middle Eastern history at Amherst College. Ringer is the author of numerous articles, and two books, Pious Citizens, Reforming Zoroastrianism in India and Iran (2011) and Education, Religion and the Discourse of Cultural Reform in Qajar Iran (2001). She is currently working on a book project on Islamic modernism.