Reimagining the Ottoman Legacy by Orhan Pamuk - Assignment Example

Assignment, English In the chapter “Reimagining the Ottoman Legacy” (p. 132-150) a detailed analysis/review of “The Art of the Book as Blasphemy: My name is Red” (1998) by Orhan Pamuk is made. It is a brilliant dip into cultural Islam. The author writes “In the novel, the scientific experiments and treatises that preoccupy master and slave are alluded as being blasphemous from the perspective of Orthodox Islam” (p.132). This novel is set in Istanbul during the rule of Ottoman Sultan Murat III, 1574-95.

Besides, the topics covered in the article are Artists and the Islamosecular State(p.133), Orders of time and Inter-temporality(p.134), The Theory of the Two Pens: Image/Text Intertexuality(p.136), The Meddah: Prefiguring Parody(p.141), Object Lessons: Things that Speak(p.142), The Third Pen(p.145), Pamukh’s Terkip(p.146), Secular Mir’aj(p.146) and Narrating Berzah(p.147) . Mention is also made about the book “Hallide Edib’s Gendering of Ottoman Modernity: The Clown and His Daughter (1935) and the author makes it clear to the readers that “These are authors of distinct periods, styles and approaches to literature” (p.150). With the contents provided in this chapter the reader is introduced to the work of artists, miniaturists, who have portrayed battles and coronations and other cultural festivities of the time, epic poems, parables and feats of conquests.

The importance of Nature can be seen as tree leaves were given equal importance as given to faces, they were part of the design and ornamentation. If one studies Nature, it is articulated that one will find Allah. Koran is never illustrated. Implicit faith in the Prophet and following his teachings is demanded as otherwise it will lead to catastrophic events and human suffering. The contents of the book also articulate how it is impossible to separate Muslim culture from Islam. The two are integrated.

And something about the paintings! An artist does not differentiate between the East and the West. He paints with his independent perspective and vision. The tenets of Orthodox Islam have been faithfully given in the book to introduce the Ottoman Legacy.