Frontier Orientalism in The Siege by Ismail Kadare and The Siege of Sziget by Miklos Zrínyi

Authors : Neslihan Günaydın Albay

Pages : 337-351

Doi:10.29110/soylemdergi.1612461

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Publication Date : 2025-04-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The western image of Turks has changed throughout history in Europe especially in the Balkans, Central and East Europe since the countries in these regions are directly exposed to the sieges, invades and attacks of the Ottomans as frontiers. Even though the image evolves to a softer position due to the changeable strategies and policies of the countries, the metaphor is utilised in order to mythicize the past for an interpretation of the current situation. The image of Turks and the effects of the Ottomans have played a crucial role in the countries which encounter them as frontiers directly and its reshaping process of cultural, political and national identities. This paper aims to analyse the Albanian historical fiction, The Siege, by Ismail Kadare as a post-modern work and the epic poem, The Siege of Sziget by Miklos Zrínyi as an earlier text in the light of Andre Gingrich’s Frontier Orientalism. The main focus is to perceive these two countries’ perceptions of the Turk image in different time periods with an insight of their national backgrounds. Along with the collapse of empires and increasing nationalist movements, establishing a sovereign nation-state identity and fashioning the Self by separating it from the Other became crucial as a protective state policy against any social unrest or disorder. The literary works written under the influence of the “Other” symbolizing a “pagan” oppressor had a huge impact on shaping the Self for the Central European countries, especially for Hungary.
Keywords : Türk imgesi, Kuşatma, İsmail Kadare, Sziget Kuşatması, Miklos Zrinyi