Abstract:

Modernism is the enlightenment that influences all mankind as thought, art and life style which started at the beginning of the 18th century in Europe. The most prominent feature of modernism is to refuse tradition and religion. Modernism is based on science, technology and human. The first work of modernism was to oppose the historically rooted tradition. This life style has adapted non religion and opened the way for criticizing beliefs. Although traditional and religious values have opposed to this opinion style for a while, these values could not resist. At first, it was considered that modernism would destroy all sacred values and tradition would bring its own qualities but it did not succeed. At the same time, the sacred values that were expected to be destroyed have evolved and transformed to modern harmony. The failure of this lifestyle has affected not only the eastern societies and intellectuals but also the western societies in a negative way. This situation was reflected in art as well as social life. It has been possible to see the contradictory situation of the intellectuals. The play named “Mask and Spirit”, written by Halide Edip Adıvar who is one of the constitution period artists, is shaped around the contradictions of society between modernism and tradition. In that context, it will be attemped to examine the intellectuals and society of period between modernism and tradition in terms of the viewpoint of the characters.

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