an examınatıon of kemal beyatlı’s plays tıtled düğüm and şafağa doğru

Abstract

Modern Iraqi Turkmen theatre is one of the most dynamic mediums that carries Kirkuk’s deep-rooted cultural heritage and collective memory into the present through the performing arts. In this study, two plays by Kemal Beyatlı, one of the prolific voices of contemporary Iraqi Turkmen literatüre “Düğüm” 2010 and “Şafağa Doğru” 2006” are subjected to academic analysis in terms of theme, plot structure, character ensemble, and spatial elements. Among the examined works, Düğüm addresses the chaos caused by power ambitions and individual interests within the social fabric through the technique of meta-theatre, while “Şafağa Doğru” dramatizes the external pressures faced by Kirkuk, the threats to its territorial integrity, and the people’s struggle to preserve their national identity through symbolic characters. This article aims to reveal, from a scholarly perspective, how Beyatlı’s dramatic works reflect the socio-political reality of the Iraqi Turkmens, their struggle for survival, and their connection to literary identity.