NAMIK KEMAL

 

POET of HOMELAND FREEDOM: NAMIK KEMAL

               Namık Kemal, known as the" poet of Homeland and freedom", was born in Tekirdağ in 1840. He was a poet,a journalist, a playwright and a statesman  His father was Mustafa Asim Bey and his mother was Fatma Zehra Hanım. His grandfather, Abdullatif Pasha, was closely interested in his education. Namık Kemal learned French, Persian and  Arabic at a very young age.

               In 1857, He joined Babiali Translation Chamber. Meanwhile, his name began to be heard in literary circles. At the age of 21, he became a member of the council, that is, the Academy of poets.

               The most important change in his life was that he met Shinasi. He wrote in Tasvir-I Efkar. At this time, he began to get to know Western literature more closely. After Shinasi went to France in 1865, he began to publish “Tasvir-I Efkar” alone.

               Because of an article he wrote, the newspaper was closed and he was appointed Governor of Erzurum. But Namik Kemal did not go to Erzurum and went to Paris with Ziya Pasha.

               After nearly three years in Europe, he returned to Istanbul. During these three years, he had the opportunity to observe Western literature more closely. When he returned to Istanbul, he started to publish a newspaper called "İbret".  He was exiled to Magosa in Cyprus for his play "Homeland or Silistre", which he wrote. He wrote many of his works during these exile years, which lasted 38 months.

               In 1876, when the amnesty was granted, he came to Istanbul. He became a member of the "Shura-Yi State" in the work of the new constitution.  In 1879 he was appointed mutasarrif of Mytilene.

Namik Kemal, who spent a significant part of his life in exile, passed away on December 2, 1888.

There is a historical house museum in Tekirdağ with his name. And hundreds of tourist visit in every year.

melek.ncb-rümeysa.ncb/ Süleymanpaşa Anatolian İmam Hatip High School/TURKEY