Korkut Ata Türkiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi

Öz

Motherhood is one of the most life-changing milestones in a woman’s life. Although motherhood seems to be a biological process, it also affects a woman’s psychological state. Having been defined in terms of "sacredness" for centuries, motherhood has been the focus of various debates recently. The most frequently asked questions in these debates are whether motherhood is instinctive and whether every woman wants to be a mother. Answers vary from person to person, and in recent years, the situation has shifted in favor of women. Women no longer see motherhood as an instinctual, religious duty or an imposition for the continuity of the lineage, but rather as a "choice". Especially the widespread use of contraceptives and women’s economic independence gained by participating in business life have made it easier to create this situation. In Europe and the United States, the concept of "childfree" refers to voluntarily not having children and seeing childlessness as a choice. Although it is not common in Turkey to talk about having children as a choice, it has also been increasing in recent years. Literary texts have also not been indifferent to such an issue preoccupying women’s life. While mother, motherhood, and children have long been the subject of literary works, the decision not to become a mother has recently also been the subject of literature. One of these works is Irmak Zileli’s novel, titled Gözlerini Kaçırma, published in 2014. While Zileli considers motherhood a choice, she also addresses the problematic aspects of the issue through numerous examples of mothers. Furthermore, Irmak Zileli focuses on issues such as motherhood, being a mother, and mother-daughter relationships not only in this novel but also in her other novels. This article will examine the concept of motherhood, and the reflection of motherhood on literary works and draw conclusions based on Irmak Zileli’s novels.