Subject
Turkey -- Social life and customs -- Fiction Books
Best books
Pierre Loti
Les Désenchantées — Roman des harems Turcs contemporains
"Les Désenchantées — Roman des harems Turcs contemporains" by Pierre Loti is a novel likely written in the early 20th century. The story centers around themes of love, longing, and the complexities of life within the contemporary Turkish harem. The opening chapters introduce the main character, André Lhéry, a novelist deeply connected to Turkey, and a young girl navigating the confines of her world as she faces an impending marriage. The beginning of "Les Désenchantées" introduces us to André Lhéry, who is engrossed in reading letters from admirers while feeling a bittersweet pull toward Stamboul, the city where he once encountered beautiful women from the harems. Simultaneously, we meet a young girl in her elegant yet confined chamber, preparing for her wedding but yearning for freedom and connection. As André receives a letter from a mysterious Turkish woman, the young girl reflects on her childhood in Circassia and how her life has changed since being cloistered in a harem. Their lives appear to be intertwined, with both feeling the weight of their circumstances, setting the stage for a poignant exploration of desire, culture, and fate.
Pierre Loti
Havahtuneita: Kuvaus nykyaikaisesta haaremielämästä
"Havahtuneita: Kuvaus nykyaikaisesta haaremielämästä" by Pierre Loti is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story follows André Lhéry, a famous writer, as he engages in a complex correspondence with various women, particularly revealing his past connections with Turkish harems and the emotional repercussions of their relationships. This narrative delves into the themes of love, cultural identity, and the constraints of societal expectations particularly within the context of a modern harem. The opening of the book introduces André Lhéry as he reflects on his life while sorting through a pile of letters, primarily from women expressing admiration and longing for him. A letter with a Turkish postmark rekindles his memories of Istanbul, evoking a deep melancholy and a sense of nostalgia for a city he once loved. Concurrently, the narrative shifts to a young woman in a harem who eagerly anticipates the arrival of a letter from André, illustrating her constrained life within the confines of her environment while reflecting on her inner desires for freedom and connection. This juxtaposition of the two main characters sets the stage for exploring their intertwined fates against the backdrop of societal constraints and emotional yearning.
Recently surfaced classics