Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Assistant Professor of West Asian and North African Studies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 M.A. in Turkish Studies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
While existing research highlights the role of dramas in shaping Turkish national identity, the genuineness of the narratives conveyed through such dramas has not been investigated. The present study fills this gap through examination of Iran’s portrayal in the drama Awakening: The Great Seljuks. This examination is critical as Iran constitutes a contrasting other for Turkey, against which Turkish national identity and political narratives are reinforced. Using narrative analysis, the study examines discrepancies in the portrayal of time and location, characters, and concepts. The research aims to analyze whether the series’ depiction of Iran aligns with historical accounts or reinterprets them through a contemporary lens to serve political-ideological purposes and fit the series’ narrative agenda. The findings reveal a disregard for Iranian history and figures, often recast or appropriated to serve Turkish narratives, with Iranian characters reinterpreted and historical ideas reframed through a contemporary lens. This representation of Iran and Iranian elements is further reinforced by the selective use of mythological motifs.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)