A WESTERN ENTERTAINMENT CULTURE IN TANZIMAT VE SERVET-I FUNUN NOVELS: BALLS
Ottoman entertainment life is the leading area where socio-cultural change that occurred at the end of XIX century and beginning of XX century gained visibility in daily life. In this era, western-origin entertainments such as theatre, cinema, opera, circus, company, ball and soiree and in Istanbul, “Beyoglu and Galata”, considered as a prototype of Westernization in the countryhaving a rather vivid and colorful appearance are entertainment centers famous with their balls. Entertainment life and places which are significant themes not ignored by Turkish novels that are considered to be a result and indicator of modernization are relayed along with the entertainment understandings of Ottoman higher class that started to be shaped according to European norms in fictional works. In the present study, balls, which take place in Tanzimat and Servet-i Funun era novels and a European origin entertainment type, were evaluated at the line of Westernization along with the material and spiritual culture elements of the entertainment life. Ottoman balls were compared with Europe in Tanzimat era novels and criticized because of dissipation and consumption, and in Servet-i Funun era novels, they were regarded as an entertainment type of high pleasure and entertainment life and treated as an element completing social life. Tanzimat and Servet-i Funun era writers addressed many subjects as well in their novels under the ball heading such as placement of women in the entertainment life, illegitimate couplings, behavior types of women and men, commoditization of women, liberation of men in public life, and consumption and dissipation.

Keywords
Tanzimat and Servet-i Fünûn Eras, Novel, Westernization, Entertainment Culture, Balls.