37. Today in 1920s Turkey: 8 December 1924 (Wife and Mother-in-Law Rivalry)

(Cartoon by Ratip Tahir Burak, Zümrüdüanka, 8 December 1924, no. 200, page 2.)

Comments:
Ninety-two years ago today the journal Zümrüdüanka included on its second page a cartoon signed by Ratip Tahir Burak (1904-1977). His signature is located in the lower right corner of the cartoon. Other signed cartoons by the same artist can be found in posts #32 (Turkey to Chester Concession: Thanks but no thanks) and #25 (Job Opening: Brothel Manager). Unlike this fairly inoffensive/benign image, later in 1956 the cartoonist was sentenced to 18 months for a politically charged cartoon critical of the governing Democratic Party (DP).

The present cartoon, created much earlier in Burak’s career (when he was only 20 years old), depicts a young woman and her black cat at home performing a tarot reading using playing cards. Below the cartoon are the woman’s words as she “speaks” the reading. She begins by indicating that the news is categorically bad. Then she reveals that the bad news is that her mother-in-law is healthy. By ruling the news of revived health (assuming that health, as opposed to illness, is universally good) a bad thing the woman is subtly betraying her dislike for her mother-in-law. Thus, for its humor, the cartoon draws on a oft-experienced, age-old rivalry between wife and mother-in-law.

English:
Above: Divination
Below: There is dark news. Mother-in-law was sick and has certainly recovered…

Türkçe:
Üstte: Fal
Altta: Bir kara haber var. Kayın valide hastaydı muhakkak iyi oldu…