William Blake, Vahiy Kitapları [Prophetic Works], trans. Kaan H. Ökten

Abstract

Unfortunately William Blake is not widely known in Turkey. This obscurity is partly because of his difficult symbolism. Even people adept at English find Blake challenging and incomprehensible; some relinquish the endeavor after giving it a try, but most never take it up. Even academics in Turkish literary departments tend to stay clear of Blake (with the exception of the Songs, this is true in many places, not just in Turkey); the general public is even less exposed to him. Under these circumstances, this new translation by Kaan H. Ökten (professor at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, İstanbul) is particularly valuable, and an important stepping stone for the introduction of Blake in Turkey.