The Revolution of Self Through Biography

The late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries in Ireland and Turkey can be seen as a period marked by competing visions for self-governance. Political oppression, social decline, and repeated uprisings inspired many committed writers to promote a sense of collective destiny as a remedy for national uncertainty. Among these writers were Constance Georgine Markievicz and Halide Edib Adıvar, revolutionary female leaders whose rebellious spirit and activism had a global impact in the formative years of their nations. Notable parallels between their lives and their pivotal roles in the social change and cultural transformation of their country make them compelling subjects for comparison. This book deepens this comparative analysis through historiographical and narratological frameworks that focus on memory and literary form. It argues that Constance Markievicz and Halide Edib Adıvar’s works are textual efforts to uncover the truths obscured by the dominant and official narratives of Irish and Turkish politics, moving from individual experiences to collective ones.