The category of theatricality in the poetics of Orhan Pamuk’s novel “The Red-Haired Woman”

The article examines the category of theatricality in Orhan Pamuk’s novel “The Red-Haired Woman” as a key element of the work’s poetics. The aim of the study is to prove that theatricality influences the central themes of the novel: the conflict between East and West, the myth of Oedipus, and the legend of Rostam and Sohrab. Orhan Pamuk transforms traditional theatrical forms, integrating them into a modern literary narrative, and theatricality contributes to the creation of a “spectacle” effect in which the reader becomes both a spectator and a participant in the action. The scientific originality of the research lies in establishing the function of theatricality in Pamuk’s novel, representing a binary system where the theater simultaneously acts as a marginal space of socially condemned behavior and a sacred platform for spiritual catharsis, which reflects the key cultural conflict of modern Turkey between tradition and modernization. The results of the study demonstrate that theatricality in the novel serves as a tool for blurring the lines between art and reality, enhancing the dramatic nature of the plot and the emotional impact on the reader. It is concluded that theatrical laws determine not only plot twists, but also the worldview conflicts of the characters, emphasizing the role of art in the search for identity. The article contributes to the study of Pamuk’s poetics and expands the understanding of theatricality as a category that unites literary and socio-philosophical discourses.