Akademik Dil ve Edebiyat Dergisi

Abstract

Communication is one of the basic needs of human beings who are social creatures. Throughout history, one of the most essential communication tools of human beings has been letters. Many verse and prose letters have been written as a style in classical Turkish literature, which has existed with different genres and styles for nearly six hundred years. Verse and prose letters can be seen in mesnevi, divan, collection poems and münşeat collection.

The vast majority of verse letters with or without titles are written in ode and small mesnevi verse form. Verse letters, with their rich content, are usually written with the aim of "getting news from loved ones, asking for good health, expressing the desire for reunion and the pain of separation, arz-ı hal and presenting a show of skill".

This study based on the verse letter of İlbegli-zade Muhammed Meylî Efendi, one of the XVIII. century poets. Meylî sent his letter from Cyprus, where he was exiled, to his son Abdürrahim Efendi in Adana. The poet asks about the state and health of his family and friends in his letter and expresses the pain of separation. Upon this letter, his son Abdürrahim Efendi also wrote a reply to his father by way of nazire. In the article, firstly, information will be given about the classical Turkish poetry in verse letter tradition. In the main part of the article, the letter of Meyli and his son's reply to this letter will be examined in terms of form and content. At the end of the article, the translated texts and facsimiles of the letters will be presented to the readers.