Y ld z Deveci Bozkuş
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woman will only be able to demonstrate herself in this way and in contrast to being trapped in
the role of an object, the rising into a position of a subject is at the forefront in these works. It
is also seen that the discussions on how and for what reasons they used the palimpsest in
Jane
Eyre and
Mayda novels are also included in the study (Aktokmakyan, Maral, 2009).
Aktokmakyan also points out that Dussap's life who is described as the Armenian female
writer in the Ottoman period in her work, is not compatible with the life of an ordinary
Armenian woman. She notes that born in a privileged class, Dussap has her mother Nazl
Vahan thank for this privilege to a large extent. She indicates that Dussap was born as an
amira girl and had privileges unlike many Armenian women in her period. It is emphasized
that she lost her father at an early age but however she has an extremely conscious mother
who is conscious of how she will use the social stratum, of which she is a member, in the
education of her daughter. It is stated that Dussap's mother Nazl Vahan has also a different
position within 19th century intellectual life in her period and is one of the
prominent feminist
and activist women of her period. Akatokmakyan emphasizes that Dussap's mother made a
great effort to reach to women especially in need of help as a result of the activities of women
writers in the Empire in these issues in parallel with the developments in the press and media
in the Ottoman Empire. It is stated that Nazl Vahan took part in many activities especially on
homeless children and women's education. (Aktokmakyan, Maral, 2009).
According to Aktokmakyan, even though her mother is in the first place among the characters
affecting Dussap, the fact that her mother deliberately helped her to attend meetings related to
the intellectual debates has had a significant impact on the process of Dussap's becoming a
feminist writer. Before entering the literary scene with
Mayda the first Armenian novel in
1883, Dussap became a member of School-loving Armenian Women’s Association in 1879.
Married to Paul Dussap a French musician (Baydar, Evren Kutlay, 2010), Dussap was aware
of the problems to be caused by getting married to an Armenian who has a dominant
patriarchal structure. Therefore, her marriage with a French musician provided an opportunity
to come in contact with French intellectual class similarly to the contact with Armenian
intellectual class provided by her mother for herself. For this reason, Aktokmakyan
emphasizes that Paul Dussap, as a "right and good spouse", also affected the writer's life
positively as much as the impact of an intellectual and conscious mother on Dussap's life. She
states that especially her husband supported and encouraged Srpuhi Dussap to write her
wishes and thoughts. This support is also stated in the preface to the work entitled
Mayda
(Aktokmakyan, Maral, 2009).
According to Aktokmakyan who stated that a third character, except her mother and husband,
has also had a significant impact on Dussap's growth as a writer, this third person played an
important role in the education of not only Dussap but also many Armenian girls within his
period. Lived in 19th century, Mgrdich Beshiktashliyan (Hacikyan, A. J., Basmajian, G.,
Franchuk, E. S., & Ouzounian, N. 2002.) engaged in important activities especially on
introducing Europe and French literature to the Armenian society (Straussi, Johann, 2003,
Rowe, V., 2003). According to Aktokmakyan, the most important impact of Beşiktaşl yan on
Dussap was related to the formation of Dussap's consciousness associated with her ethnic
language, culture and society. Maintained her life with admiration of the Western literary and
cultural life for years, Dussap thus became interested in her ethnic, cultural and literary
thought system. According to Aktokmakyan, Dussap was also impressed by the romanticism
of Beşiktaşl yan as much as impressed by European novelists Goethe and Rousseau.
285
An Important Armenian Female Writer Prominent in
the Ottoman Period
It is seen that it is frequently emphasized by the researchers that her mother, master M g rdiç
Beşiktaşl yan and French husband Paul Dussap have had a serious impact on the growth of
Dussap as a writer. It is noted that married to French musician Paul Dussap in 1869, Srpuhi
Dussap was impressed by the meetings held with her husband in which the Armenian and
French intellectuals were hosted and therefore, she also attached great importance on their
children's education. (Tüfekçi,
Elif Benan, 2016).
Taken an active role in establishment of "School-loving Armenian Women’s Association" in
1879, Dussap became the president of the said Association after a while. The writer continued
her activities related to the education in "School-loving Armenian Women’s Association ", an
association in which the women received education to serve as teachers in Armenian girls
schools located outside Istanbul.
Dussap's Works
Some steps were taken for paving the way for women's participation in social life specially in
Constitutional period in the Ottoman Empire period, but they were not at the expected level.
However, this formed some little differences for the ethnic groups living in the Empire. The
dominant influence of French culture is undisputedly in the foreground in the activities
carried out especially by Armenian intellectuals before and during the Constitutional
Monarchy. When considered from this point of view, French literature has had a serious
impact on ethnic groups in the Empire in the field of literature as in the modernization and
many other fields. The fact that Dussap is the first Armenian female novelist and writes
essays, articles and novels is highly important step in this respect. The patriarchal system is
dominant in the period Dussap lived, and according to Dussap, the freedom of women will be
able to be achieved only if the actions are taken independently of the rules of the said
patriarchal system. (Dussap, Srpuhi, 1882, Ekmekçioğlu, Lerna-Bilal, 2010).
As is seen, according to Dussap, the "equality and freedom" will be able
to be achieved in real
terms with the elimination of inequalities between women and men in every division in life.
While calling out to women in her works, Dussap states that working is the only means that
will make them strong and expresses her belief that by working enough, women can break
down the prejudices about them, with the expressions that "Women, work! Work so that all
prejudices are smashed to bits under your feet. Stand up and do not feel ashamed. This is the
call of humanity." (Akkent, 2012).
Dussap also wrote articles in various newspapers in Istanbul and Izmir in addition to her
novels. Again referring to women's economic and social freedom in her works in question,
Dussap indicated that the emancipation of women is parallel to the economic and social
freedom (Akkent, 2012). Dussap bears a female identity that came to the forefront with her
activities in the cultural fields in addition to her novels. For example, it is known that she
organized an exhibition of Armenian painters with the support funds obtained from various
banks in 1882 and participated in such organizations (Arnavoudian, 1963, “Why we should
read...”, 2003).