Abstract
THE NARCISSUS ORPHANED BY WAR: AN ECOCRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON GÜLTEN AKIN’S SAVAŞI BEKLERKEN
This article aims to examine the environmental sensitivity in Gülten Akın's poem Savaşı
Beklerken (Waiting for the War) within the framework of ecocriticism. In Akın’s works, nature
frequently appears not only as a background element but also as a narrative component.
This sensitivity, which is reflected both in her poetic language and in her perception of life,
can be explained through the principle of equality. For the poet, equality is not merely a
principle that should exist among humans but a right that encompasses all living beings in
nature. Therefore, instead of an anthropocentric narrative, Savaşı Beklerken emphasizes the
importance of coexisting with and respecting nature. The presence of this idea in the poem
allows for an ecocritical reading. While determining the significance of the poem’s imagery
within the context of ecocriticism, concepts such as "environmental justice" and
"responsibility" have been utilized as interpretative tools. In line with the literary criticism
approaches that began to dominate after the 1960s, nature has increasingly been regarded
as a marginalized entity whose rights have been violated and must be defended. Gülten Akın
conveys this awareness through imagery in Savaşı Beklerken. It can be argued that the
poem transforms the concepts of second-wave ecocriticism into literary imagery as a form of
response. The poem’s imagery gains meaning through the relationship established between
nature and humanity, emphasizing the necessity of an ecocritical reading in this context.
Keywords
ecocriticism, ecopoetry, Gülten Akın