Özet:

Regards from the Dead Princess (1989), Kenizé Mourad’s much acclaimed début novel, tells the story of Selma, an Ottoman princess whose life traverses capitals, cultures and continents – Istanbul, Beirut, Badalpour, and Paris during the interbellum years. Selma bears witness to key turning points in a troubled period, namely the fall of empires, rise of nationalism, and world wars. Her life story provides insight to cataclysmic events, and its retelling in an errant narrative which weaves in female experiences that have been silenced. There is a link between the shifts in places and those her inner self undergoes. Moreover, the presence of dance as a means of self-expression makes an apt point in discussing the development of Selma’s identity. This paper traces the ways in which the novel represents exilic spaces and their female experiencing through focus on displacement and practices of dance. By juxtaposing the themes of exile, movement and dance this paper highlights the complexity of the narrative and the circuitous forms of displacement.

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