The Beard as an Object of Social Paradox in Classical Turkish Poetrys

Abstract

The beard is an effective indicator of identity, status and understanding of social gender roles. Its anatomical and physiological structure, and the possibilities offered by this structure, enable the wearer to convey a sense of character and status. The beard has been an integral part of cultural history, not only as a physiological element, but also as a symbol of masculinity, an image factor, a religious symbol, a form of class expression or qualities attributed to a person, such as wisdom and old age. Moreover, its absence as well as its presence paradoxically construct the human being in society. For example, while the beardness is characterised as a deficiency of masculinity, some Sufi circles practice the ritual of shaving to represent purification from the material world. With the curiosity aroused by the value attributed to the beard within the context of the tradition of chronogram for important events in classical Turkish poetry, I began this research. Starting with its origin and the values it represents in our language, I aimed to explore the place of the beard in the Ottoman world on the planes of gender, politics, religion, mysticism, class, aesthetics and culture. In this stdy, starting from the curiosity aroused by the value attributed to the beard in this study, I aim to identify the place of the beard in the Ottoman world on the levels of gender, politics, religion and mysticism, class, aesthetics and culture, starting from its origin and the values it represents in our language. With the content analysis method, I tried to reveal the adventure of the beard in our cultural history from past to present by making use of the testimony of classical Turkish poetry texts and archival documents.