Memed, My Hawk
Encyclopedia
Memed, My Hawk is a 1955 novel by Yaşar Kemal
. It was Kemal's debut novel
and is the first novel in his İnce Memed tetralogy
. The novel won the Varlik prize for that year (Turkey's highest literary prize) and earned Kemal a national reputation. In 1961, the book was translated into English by Edouard Roditi
, thus gaining Kemal his first exposure to English-speaking readers.
Until the publication of Orhan Pamuk
's My Name is Red and Snow, İnce Memed was the best-known Turkish novel published since World War II.
is abused and beaten by the villainous Abdi Agha, the local landowner. Having endured great cruelty towards himself and his mother, he finally escapes with his beloved, a girl named Hatche. Abdi Agha catches up with the young couple, but only manages to capture Hatche, while Memed is able to avoid his pursuers and runs into the mountains whereupon he joins a band of brigands and exacts revenge against his old adversary.
Hatche was then imprisoned and later dies. Her mother, when Memed returns to the town, tells him he has a "women's heart" if he surrenders himself. He instead rides into town on a horse given to him by the towns people, to find his enemy. He finds Agha in the south-east corner of his house and shoots him in the breast.The local authorities hear the gun shots but Memed gets away barely before they are able to take a few shots at him.
Yet before Hatche dies she gives birth to his son who is also named Memed.
into a film (also known as The Lion and the Hawk).
Yasar Kemal
Yaşar Kemal, is a Turkish writer. He is one of Turkey's leading writers. He has long been a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature, on the strength of Memed, My Hawk....
. It was Kemal's debut novel
Debut novel
A debut novel is the first novel an author publishes. Debut novels are the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to publish in the future...
and is the first novel in his İnce Memed tetralogy
Ince Memed tetralogy
The İnce Memed tetralogy is a series of four epic novels written by the Turkish novelist Yaşar Kemal. The novels follow the life and career of Memed, the only son of a poor widow who escapes from his village in the Anatolian highlands and transforms himself into a legendary, Robin Hood-like figure,...
. The novel won the Varlik prize for that year (Turkey's highest literary prize) and earned Kemal a national reputation. In 1961, the book was translated into English by Edouard Roditi
Edouard Roditi
Édouard Roditi was an American poet, short-story writer and translator. He was born in Paris and subsequently studied in France, England, Germany and the USA. He published several volumes of poetry, short stories, and art criticism...
, thus gaining Kemal his first exposure to English-speaking readers.
Until the publication of Orhan Pamuk
Orhan Pamuk
Ferit Orhan Pamuk , generally known simply as Orhan Pamuk, is a Turkish novelist. He is also the Robert Yik-Fong Tam Professor in the Humanities at Columbia University, where he teaches comparative literature and writing....
's My Name is Red and Snow, İnce Memed was the best-known Turkish novel published since World War II.
Plot
Memed, a young boy from a village in AnatoliaAnatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
is abused and beaten by the villainous Abdi Agha, the local landowner. Having endured great cruelty towards himself and his mother, he finally escapes with his beloved, a girl named Hatche. Abdi Agha catches up with the young couple, but only manages to capture Hatche, while Memed is able to avoid his pursuers and runs into the mountains whereupon he joins a band of brigands and exacts revenge against his old adversary.
Hatche was then imprisoned and later dies. Her mother, when Memed returns to the town, tells him he has a "women's heart" if he surrenders himself. He instead rides into town on a horse given to him by the towns people, to find his enemy. He finds Agha in the south-east corner of his house and shoots him in the breast.The local authorities hear the gun shots but Memed gets away barely before they are able to take a few shots at him.
Yet before Hatche dies she gives birth to his son who is also named Memed.
Film adaptation
In 1984, the novel was freely adapted by Peter UstinovPeter Ustinov
Peter Alexander Ustinov CBE was an English actor, writer and dramatist. He was also renowned as a filmmaker, theatre and opera director, stage designer, author, screenwriter, comedian, humourist, newspaper and magazine columnist, radio broadcaster and television presenter...
into a film (also known as The Lion and the Hawk).
External links
- Memed My Hawk (1984) at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Compiled newspaper reviews from Amazon.com