The image of Sultan Abdul Hamid II in the play "Abdülhamit Han / Abdul Hamid Khan" by Najib Fadel, and the novel "The Ottoman Coup," by Jerji Zaidan

Document Type : Scientific research papers

Author

Department of Oriental Languages - College of Arts and Humanities - Suez Canal University

Abstract

Although more than a hundred years have passed since the death of the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, his personality continues to cause widespread controversy in all areas. One group sees him as a fair, reformed ruler, and another group sees him as a bloodthirsty, oppressive ruler. The research aims to find out how is the perception of both groups reflected in Turkish and Arab literature? Has this view preserved its presence in literary monuments as well as in historical books?. As for the approach that the researcher relied upon in dealing with this historical personality, it is the descriptive and analytical method. It was revealed through research that Naguib Fadel appeared in his play as the lawyer or defender of Sultan Abdul Hamid, and Gerji Zaidan appeared As if he had edited his story to undermine the Ottoman Empire and its attacks on it by challenging its ruler, Abd al-Hamid II.