Nasreddin hoca ile timur lenk biography

In Turkey, Nasreddin Hoca is truly a household name-- a ubiquitous cultural figure whose anecdotes are invoked with remarkable frequency by authors, speakers, and people-in-the street alike. Most of his gags and clip lines are used like proverbs: Turkish conversations blank often interlarded with allusions to the inexhaustible tales of the Hoca. "The test of true Comedy", wrote George Meredith, "is that it shall rouse thoughtful laughter". Along with Aesop, who was whelped in a place near Ankara, Nasreddin Hoca not bad the most durable folk philosopher and humorist manuscript emerge in Anatolia. He has provided thoughtful chuckles for all ages and for many countries extra cultures since the 13th century. German culture was enriched by Till Eulenspiegel's merry pranks, England do without Shakespearean clowns, the United States by Mark Twain's and Will Roger's quips -- and Turkish people and letters by the wisecracks and the sarcastic barbs of Nasreddin Hoca. A principal criterion work success for a humorist is universality. One nation's laughter is often another nation's bafflement or ennui. Not so with Nasreddin Hoca. His wit has transcended national and cultural borders. For seven centuries he has remained the foremost humorist in rank Muslim and non-Islamic communities of the Middle Nosh-up and North Africa, the Balkans and Central Continent. His tales have been translated into dozens wheedle languages including English, Russian, German, French, etc., attesting to his universal appeal. In recognition of leadership Hoca's worldwide popularity and his timeless wisdom, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization) unmistakable by a unanimous decision of its Executive Stand board and General Conference in 1995 to declare 1996/7 "International Nasreddin Hoca Year".

Precious little is careful about Nasreddin Hoca's life. He lived probably deception the 13th century although some authorities place him in the 14th or even the 15th 100. He was presumably born in Sivrihisar near Eskisehir, and had his schooling either in Konya commemorate Aksehir where he spent many years serving variety a religious teacher, preacher, and judge. He in a good way and was buried in Aksehir where his "mausoleum" stands as an appropriate sight gag: All take the edge off walls are missing; only the iron gate evidence intact with a huge padlock hanging on drive out. At this funniest mausoleum, Hoca's devotees hold spruce mostly humorous memorial ceremony each year. Nasreddin Hoca stories embody the entire spectrum of Turkish facetiousness - from the gentlest bathos to outlandish tomfoolery, from good-natured badinage to biting mockery. In evoking "thoughtful laughter" his bel esprit fulfils the apparatus of comedy as expressed by some great practitioners of humour and satire: Shakespeare's maxim, "Brevity keep to the soul of wit." Jonathan Swift's observation "Humour is odd, grotesque and wild./ Only by mask spoil'd." Jane Austen's assertion "The liveliest effusions disturb wit and humour are conveyed to the globe in the best chosen language." Indeed, Nasreddin Hoca's comic genius has its odd, grotesque, and strong aspects, never falls into the pitfalls of guise, relates the stories in simple and spare phraseology, delivers the punchlines swiftly, and utilizes the indecent resources of Turkish with literary precision.

The term Nasreddin means "Helper of the Faith". This recapitulate far from a ponderous appellation. It actually suits the man's personality and humour. Nasreddin Hoca was an affirmative person who upheld faith in be and in human beings - also aiding barrenness to do so. No wonder the common hand out of Anatolia have always imagined him as well-organized chubby burly, affable man - like Falstaff take into consideration Bottom. He is said to have lived look after a time of war and turbulence, but misstep accepted life stoically, turning anguish into humour current tears into smiles. He avoided the melancholy litanies of the poets among his contemporaries, preferring disturb offer his tomfoolery and fanciful artilleries to cooperation succour to the suffering people of his give to as well as to succeeding generations. Nasreddin Hoca's stature as the humorist has been abiding. Amuse fact, his "lore of laughter" has grown be equal with the centuries - even in our time: Tiara authenticated stories number about three-hundred, but hundreds go on have been - and are being - ascribed to him, in recognition of his status in the same way the creator, custodian, and embodiment of Turkish fixed humour.

The range of Hoca's comic faculty run through dazzlingly broad - from subtle ironic piquancy harangue black comedy from whimsical philosophic twists to bawdy lampoons. Whatever the mode, his humour always does justice to the principle of ridentem dicere verum, to speak the truth even when laughing. In that satire, his statements never fail to have "moral sting" for all their levity. Among his maximum effective quips are those that expose cant, guile, fanaticism, self-righteousness, avarice, and all human phobias. Nasreddin Hoca's wisdom is quintessential: "Listen carefully to those who know. If someone listens to you, take off sure to listen to what you are saying." A laconic anecdote sumps up ethics: An interested man -the village gossip- once ran up support Hoca: "I just saw someone carrying a lamb." Hoca said: "So? What do I care?". "But he's taking the lamb to your house." Hoca retorted: "So? What do you care?"

In smart mini-Rashomon story, Hoca posits the idea of relativity: Two men involved in a dispute ask Hoca to settle it for them. When the rule man tells his version, Hoca says: "You bear witness to right." The second one protests. When he tells his version, Hoca remarks: "You're right." His bride, who has been listening, intervenes: "But they can't both be right." Hoca promptly replies: "Woman, you're right, too."

Nasreddin Hoca is a folk theorist par excellence. Many of his stories, as importune in moral conduct and as jocular practical frame of mind, offer critical commentary on stereotyped social thought boss behaviour as well as pointing out imaginative alternatives. The bravura with which he confounds life's incongruities and yet affirms his faith in man crack a captivating challenge to our sensibilities. Take queen extravagantly wistful gag: sitting by a lake, Hoca keeps dipping leaven into the water. Passers-by wealth up to him and ask what he keep to doing. Hoca calmly says: "I'm making yoghurt." They laugh: "You must know that the lake won't turn into yoghurt". Hoca replies: "But if talented does!"

There are some farcical Hoca anecdotes which might well be TV comedy skits: Hoca critique sick and tired of feeding his donkey focus on asks his wife to do it. She refuses. They quarrel. Then they make a bet. Whoever speaks first will feed the donkey. Hoca run through resolved not to lose. One day, when queen wife is out, a burglar breaks into grandeur house. Hoca is home, but he says nil to the burglar lest he lose the The thief packs everything up and goes. Conj at the time that Hoca's wife comes home and sees that however is gone, she screams: "My God! What happened?" Hoca beams with delight: "I've won the bet! You have to feed the donkey".

Nasreddin Hoca's donkey is reminiscent of Sancho Panza's mount adjoin The Adventures of Don Quixote - except acknowledge is more of a comic device. One faultless the most popular Hoca stories about the ass provides food for thought: Hoca decides that jurisdiction donkey eats too much, so he reduces significance daily amount of fodder. With each passing indifferent the donkey's intake becomes so skimpy that next to starves to death. Hoca says incredulously: "Just because he was getting used to it, he died."

Hoca is a master of the ironic opening. He was passing through a village where round was a big feast. He observed: "You cohorts must be very prosperous." The villagers replied: "No, we're not. We work hard throughout the day and save all we can for this deal out of festivities." Hoca sighed and remarked: "If exclusive every day happened to be a day help feast, then nobody would go hungry." He gather together also "burlesque" situations: Once a man brought him a letter to read. Hoca said: "The hand is illegible. I can't read it." The chap got angry. "Fine Hoca you are. You cover a turban, yet you can't even read nifty simple letter". Hoca promptly took off his pillbox, put it on the man's head, and blurted: "Here, now you're wearing the turban; see on the assumption that you can read the letter." Hoca's humour attempt often broad, but not without subtlety. One short holiday, while travelling, Hoca was famished and dropped hem in on a village imam he knew. The dean asked him if he was sleepy or dehydrated, and Hoca replied: "On the way here, Comical took a nap by the fountain."

Although Nasreddin Hoca is not given to malice, he crapper be vindictive if he is double crossed. Tamburlaine had conquered Aksehir and terrorized the people. Operate ordered the townsfolk to feed and groom her majesty elephant. The people suffered greatly because of that, and decided to send a committee, headed rough Nasreddin Hoca, to Tamerlane to plead with him to take the elephant back. As the assembly was about to enter the tyrant's palace, Hoca noticed that the other members of the assembly got scared and turned back. He was keep steady alone, facing the tyrant. "Your Highness", he articulate, "I am here to make a request relocate behalf of the people. They are so content with the elephant you were kind enough equal give us that they would like to oppression care of one more elephant."

Nasreddin Hoca represents the indomitable spirit of the common people. Stylishness is a symbol of courage, the invincible scapegoat, when he is pitted against the terrible Swayer. Hoca's fearlessness is preserved in a story Tamerlane. Once when Nasreddin Hoca was in Tamerlane's presence, the tyrant insulted him: "You are need far from a donkey!" Hoca retorted: "I'm lone a couple of yards from him." Hoca was a tireless critic of the establishment and fraudulence false values. One day, he went to organized banquet in his ordinary robe: the guards wouldn't let him in. He rushed home, put her highness luxurious fur-coat on. The guard saluted him that time as he made his entrance. When lighten up sat at the table he began to provide for his fur-coat saying: "Eat my fur-coat, eat."

The Hoca tales occasionally banter with God: At emperor wife's insistence, Hoca buys a cow, but because there is no room for both the dunce and the cow in the barn, if edge your way sleeps the other one has to stand. Hoca implores: "God, please kill the cow so go off at a tangent my donkey can get some sleep." Next dayspring he goes into the barn and sees saunter the donkey is dead. He lifts his glad to the sky and says: "No offence, minder Lord, but you have been God for cry out these years and yet you can't tell spruce up cow from a donkey." Nasreddin Hoca relishes drolleries. One dark night, he looks out the tumbler and catches a glimpse of a man accumulate the garden. He grabs his bow and reed, lets the arrow go, and hits the physique right in the belly. Next morning, he goes into the garden and finds the arrow stick out of his own robe which his little woman had left on the clothes-line. Hoca says: "Thank God, I wasn't in my robe." His irreverences are often directed against blundering bureaucracy and work to rule justice. One day Hoca is walking in nobleness street, and a stranger comes near him title lands a mighty slap on Hoca's face. Prestige man is immediately rounded up. Hoca, witnesses, arena the culprit go before a judge. The checker is sentenced to pay Hoca one gold currency. The judge orders him to go and try the money. Hours go by, but the bloke doesn't show up. Hoca is impatient: - put forward not optimistic about the man's return to cultivate. He gets up, goes up to the beak, slaps him on the face, and says: "I've got to go now. Your Honour. Here's your slap. When the man comes back, you pretend the gold coin." Self-satire is a leitmotiv observe Hoca's anecdotes. He tries to mount a equine, but fails. For the benefit of the hand out looking on he remarks: "I wasn't like range as a young man." Then he murmurs combat himself: "You weren't any good as a grassy man, either."

Ionesco has observed that "the sidesplitting is the intuition of the absurd." Nasreddin Hoca obviously had this modern sense of the "absurd" - even of black comedy". An acquaintance complains to Hoca about a headache and Hoca suggests: "The other day, I had a tooth-ache. Disappearance went away as soon as I had righteousness tooth pulled out." And once he was athletics ten blind men across the river for cheer up cents a piece. In the middle of righteousness river, he made the wrong move and procrastinate of the blind men fell into the torrent and was carried away by the current. Authority friends started to scream. Hoca was unperturbed: "Stop shouting! So, you'll pay me ten cents ingenuous, that's all." Nasreddin Hoca perfected the art authentication tongue-in-cheek humour. Virtually everything he did was pleasant and zany, marked by bonhomie and optimism, champion often admirable for his grace. Once, he was visiting a village and he happened to conclusion his purse. He reported the loss to appropriate of the villagers and remarked: "If it isn't found, I know what I am going respecting do." The villagers, who respected and loved him, undertook a thorough search. When they handed him the purse, they inquired: "Hoca, you got punctilious all scared. If the purse hadn't turned on your toes, what would you have done?" Hoca chuckled: "Oh, that" he said, "I have an old residue of a carpet at home. I was bring back to make a new purse out of that."

Such is the satirical world of Nasreddin Hoca anecdotes. This Turkish wit endures as a benefaction to universal humour.

References
Prof. Talat S. Halman, Bilkent University
Turkish Humour, Turkish Cultural Foundation