The material culture in the Istanbul houses through the eyes of British traveler Julia Pardoe (d.1862)

Official URL: http://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b1669255 (Table of Contents)

This thesis focuses on the domestic interiors and material worlds of Istnabul houses through Julia Pardoe’s travel account “The City of the Sultan; and Domestic Manners of the Turks, in 1836”. She traveled to Ottoman lands in 1836 and wrote of her experiences and observations in her account. Firstly, the thesis will present that Julia Pardoe's account was one of the early examples of 19th-century travel writings. It will analyze how travel writing was transformed in the 19th century by middle class women travelers through their critical approach to previous travelers and through their constructing of a new perspective and discourses. Secondly, the life of householders she visited will be evaluated to understand the atmosphere in these houses. This also allows us to position them within social hierarchy as either royal, high-ranking or upper middle class. Lastly, these houses will be analyzed on the basis of Pardoe’s detailed descriptions, considering the main issues of material culture such as comfort, heating, luxury, decoration and design. Also, how homeowners from different strata of society presented status, power and wealth through decorating their houses will be put forth.