Examination of the Perception of Women in Turkish World Tales

Abstract

This study aims to examine the perception of women in the tales of the Turkish World. The research was carried out with phenomenology, one of the qualitative research designs. Document analysis was used as the data collection method. In this context, Azerbaijan tales addressed to the eastern part of the Turkish world, Balkan tales addressed to the western part and Anatolian tales about the Turkish world were discussed. There are a total of 151 fairy tales in 5 fairy tale books belonging to three different publishers. In line with the purpose of the research, a total of 75 fairy tales that include the perception of women in the tales were examined within the scope of the research. Descriptive analysis was used in data analysis. Therefore, in the descriptive analysis process; A deductive path from general to specific was followed through the stages of creating categories, theme sandsub-themes. The stages of creating categories, theme sandsub-themes were carried out with the content analysis technique. In the content analysis, it was tried to determine the perception that each fairy tale includes about women by digitizing them within the frame work of code themes and categories. In this context, each expression related to physical appearance, personal characteristics, emotional state, motherhood, gendere quality and profession in the tales is in dicated using frequency (f). The findings of the study determined that there are more symbols of negative perception to wards women in the tales of the Turkish world. Regarding the positive perception to wards the heroines in these tales; It has been seen that women are symbolized as beautiful, hardworking and self-sacrificing mothers. Regarding the negative perception to wards the heroines in fairy tales; old, lying, sad, stepmother with bad behavior, it has been seen to be symbolized in the form of humiliation about gender equality. In the fairy tales, it has been seen that the heroines are symbolized as a princess for their high-status profession and as a bride for a low-status professional status. Based on the results of the research, it can be suggested that tales with more expressions symbolizing positive perception to wards women should be taught to children at home and in schools. Informative studies can be carried out in order for teachers and parents to be more conscious and to choose more suitable fairy tales on this subject. In terms of studies that actively deal with the concept of women in society, aiming to reveal the perception of women and the value shown to women, the tales hedslight on new studies with the roles of women in its inside.