East-West Dichotomy in Pamuk’s My Name is Red

Abstract

This research is exploration of post colonial issues in Orhan Pamuk’s novel My Name is Red. The research digs out clash of the two civilizations east and the west in Pamuk’s novel using theory of Edward Said’s Orientalism and Bhabha’s post colonialism. The researcher has uncovered the internal struggle experienced by the characters whether to leave the old Ottoman tradition or to embrace the modern Western tradition in the novel which is written in the atmosphere of Turkey. The failure of Venetian project in the novel is major issues of this research. The research is outcome of analyzing the reason of failure of project to which researcher has taken a research question. In dealing with the issue, this study employs Edward Said’s theory of Orientalism and Homi Bhabha’s discourse on Postcolonialism as research tools.

The artists who get involved in project of Sultan are preparing a painting which is similar to Italian renaissance style. Islamic artist who were fully trained in Islamic style couldn’t complete the project. Painting remains neither Islamic nor Italic. Researcher has connected this major event of the novel to issues of cultural identity, hybridity, nationalism, religion, socio-economic class and politics which are tightly tangled and Pamuk’s works is a join up of all these in an attempt to promote the spirit of being a Turk. Researcher has used theory of Edward Said and Homi K Bhabha as research tool. The expectation of researcher is to see new relationship of former colonizer and decolonized country from post modern atmosphere.