bilig-22/ Summer 2002

HISTORY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH HISTORY
CHARACTERS WITHIN THE NOVEL

 

Assis. Prof. Dr. Yakup ÇELİK
Kırıkkale University
Faculty of Arts and Sciences


ABSTRACT

       History is a continuous dialogue between today and the past. There is a need for historian in order to form the past. Historical fact gains significance through the application of the historian. We learn the history through the historian's selections and assessment. The historian first makes selection from the sources he gathered, and then he comments it from his own ideology and outlook.
       The narration of the historical events has a subjective character. The history, which disappeared at the first hand, takes shape through the approach of historical novel writing. The novelist takes the materials of the historian, and presents it, using his own imagination when necessary. When creating his novel, he bases his made-ups on the historical truth.
Novel can be regarded scientific when emphasizing historical truth. It will be found fantasy when hiding historical truths. Most novels in hand are between the history and fantasy. Historical novels are not a re-reflection of the history. It is probably a try to re-comment the past.
       The history appears through comment in the light of written sources, and by the force of current priorities. As to the novel, it appears in the imagination of the novelist who does not depend on the historical sources. In this respect the former aims to give information and the latter aims to create an unreal world.

 


Key Words :  History, narration of history, historical novel, fantasy.

 

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