İbrahim ŞİNASI

İbrahim Şinâsî (1826-1871), Turkish journalist, poet, writer and dramatist. One of the pioneers of Turkish literature of the Tanzimat period, Şinâsî is one of the important figures of the Westernization process.

Who is İbrahim Şinâsî?

İbrahim Şinâsî was born on August 5, 1826 in Cihangir district of Istanbul. His father was Mehmet Aga and his mother was Esma Hanım. Şinâsî was orphaned when his father was martyred at the age of two and spent his childhood years in poverty. Şinâsî completed his primary education at the Neighborhood School and Feyziye School, and then started his civil service career. He started working at the Tophane Müşiriyeti Mektubî Kalemi, where he learned Arabic, Persian and French. Şinâsî continued his interest in literature in parallel with his civil servant life and became known for his interest in French and Western culture at a young age.

Journalism Life

Şinâsî began his journalism career in 1860 with the newspaper Tercüman-ı Ahvâl, which he published with Agâh Efendi. This newspaper is recorded as the first private newspaper in Turkish history. Through this newspaper, Şinâsî aimed to introduce Turkish society to Western literary genres and published Western-style poetry and theater works. His theater work "Şair Evlenmesi" is of great importance as the first Western-style theater written in Turkish literature. He also made important innovations in journalism and introduced concepts such as "tefrika" and "subscription" to Turkish journalism.

After Tercüman-ı Ahvâl, Şinâsî established his own printing house and started publishing his newspaper Tasvir-i Efkâr in 1862. This newspaper drew attention especially with its political criticism and was disturbed by the government of the period. However, Şinâsî aimed to educate and enlighten the public by using journalism as a tool. Tasvir-i Efkâr reached a large circulation in a short time and became one of the most important newspapers of the period. Şinâsî was also an important figure with his courageous attitude in journalism and his defense of freedom of opinion.

Influence and Legacy

Şinâsî is a name that has left important traces in Turkish literature and journalism. His interest in Western culture is clearly seen in his writings and works. His adaptation of Western literary genres into Turkish and his introduction of them to Turkish readers were influential in shaping the literature of the Tanzimat period. Under Şinâsî's leadership, journalism made significant contributions to the intellectual and cultural life of the society; other writers and journalists of that period followed in his footsteps.

Şinâsî's understanding of literature led to radical changes in both the literary and social spheres. The newspapers Tercüman-ı Ahvâl and Tasvir-i Efkâr are not only important in the history of the press, but also in

They have also been important milestones in Turkish cultural life. Şinâsî's work "Şair Evlenmesi", which he introduced to Turkish theater, is the first example of the Western theater concept on the Turkish stage and preserves its value today.

In the last years of his life, Şinâsî turned to preparing an Ottoman dictionary and died in Istanbul on September 13, 1871 due to a brain tumor. His grave is located in Ayaspaşa Cemetery, and its exact location was rediscovered in 2021. Şinâsî's ideas and works continued to influence Turkish literature and journalism for many years, and his legacy became an important part of the steps towards Westernization.