Biography

Abdülhak Hâmid Tarhan (Istanbul 1851-Istanbul 1937) was one of the founders of the modern Turkish poets. Being a son of a famous family, always having relation with the Ottoman Palace and administration, he also started his career in the diplomatic life with his father when he was the ambassador in Tahran (Persia). Afterwards he served in various places, in Paris, Poti (Russia), Golos (Greece), Bombay (India), London, The Hague (Netherlands), Brussels. His love for London inspired him as much as his love and death of his first wife Fatma in Beirut. Until his death he kept writing and looked for novelties, not counting the novelties already been exercised by the following generations. His personal letters and the memoirs give the interesting portrait of the last days of the Ottoman Empire, as well as the artist's portrait.

İnci Enginün edited all of his works and wrote detailed prefaces, which were published by Dergâh Publishing in 14 volumes.

Works:

Makber (The Grave)
Makber (The Grave) which he wrote just after his wife's death in Beirut made his fame for sure. They were coming back to Istanbul from India because she was seriously ill, and all through the journey Hâmid has already gone mad to think that she might die on the ship before they landed. In Beirut they stayed with Hâmid's elder brother who was the governor of the Ottoman State, and young woman died there. Hâmid completed this long poem in forthy days which was critisied severely. That gave oppurtunity to Hâmid to indicate the novelty he brought to the Turkish literature. Makber and it's introduction were indeed revolutionary novelties in the Turkish literature. The plain narration of the everyday life spent with the family, and his uprising against the fate and calming down, make the beauty of this long poem.
When he was envoyed to London as a secretary of the Ottoman Embassy he met Gibb, who was writing the The Ottoman Poetry. Gibb included the new poets to his book, where Hâmid was also mentioned.
His long stay in London inspired him to write Finten, a romantic play, also reflecting the life of Victorian London -with the life styles, and politics.
One of his last books Ruhlar was translated into German during the First World War.
Besides his books, his life was an extraordinary story which could be traced in his memoires and letters (Abdülhak Hâmid'in Hatıraları, Abdülhak Hâmid'in Mektupları).

Bütün Şiirleri I: Sahra, Divaneliklerim, Bunlar Odur
(Collected Poems Vol.1: Country, My Craziness, These are She)
Number of Pages > 179
Type > Poems
Year of Edition > 1991
ISBN > 975-7462-25-X
 

Bütün Şiirleri II: Makber; Ölü, Halce, Bâlâdan Bir Ses, Validem
(Collected Poems Vol.2: The Grave, The Dead, The Bridal Room, Voice from The Heaven, My Mother)
Number of Pages > 216
Type > Poems
Year of Edition > 1997
ISBN > 975-7462-98-5
 

Bütün Şiirleri III: Hep Yahut Hiç, İlham-ı Vatan
(Collected Poems Vol.3: All or None, Inspirations of Homeland)
Number of Pages > 435
Type > Poems
Year of Edition > 1999
ISBN > 975-7032-73-5
 

Bütün Şiirleri IV: Kahpe, Garam
(Collected Poems Vol.4: The Whore, The Torments of Love)
Number of Pages > 198
Type > Poems
Year of Edition > 2001
ISBN > 975-6611-21-9
 

Abdülhak Hâmid Tarhan'ın Hatıraları
(The Memories of Abdulhak Hamid Tahran)
Number of Pages > 464
Type > Memories
Year of Edition > 1994
ISBN > 975-7462-75-6
 

Abdülhak Hâmid'in Mektupları 1
(The Letters by Abdulhak Hamid Vol.1)
Number of Pages > 464
Type > Letters
Year of Edition > 1995
ISBN > 975-7462-80-2
 

Abdülhak Hâmid'in Mektupları 2
(The Letters by Abdulhak Hamid Vol.2)
Number of Pages > 382
Type > Letters
Year of Edition > 1995
ISBN >975-7462-80-2