Tevfik Fikret was born on 26^th December of 1867,in Istanbul. He was the most important poet of “Edebiyati Cedide” (New Literature) movement. He was the symbol of reformist ideas with his social poems. He played an important role in the adaptation of the Western Art to Turkey. Tevfik Fikret was orphaned at the age of 12. He attended “Mahmudiye Rustiye” (Secondary School). He completed Galatasaray High School. He worked in different government offices in different places. He lectured the calligraphy and French in Ticaret Mektebi Ali (Commerce High School). When he won the poetry competition organised by “Mirsad” magazine, in 1891 and he was introduced to the literary circles. He was appointed to Galatasaray High School in 1892, as the Turkish instructor. He was among the people who published the “Malumat” magazine, in 1894. He resigned from his duty in Galatasaray High School, in 1895 to protest the reduction in the salaries made by the government. He was appointed as the director to “Serveti Funun” magazine, in 1896. He made the magazine the voice of “Edebiyati Cedide” movement.

Tevfik Fikret began to give Turkish lectures in Robert College. In this period, he was arrested several times as the pressure among the intellectuals had increased. After a short time, he resigned from his duty in the magazine. In 1906, he had had constructed a house near Robert College and named it as “Asiyan”. In 1908, he became the fanatic supporter of the second constitutional government. He established the “Tanin” newspaper with Huseyin Kazim Kadri and with Huseyin Cahit Yalcin. As the newspaper had been the propaganda organ of the Committee of Union and Progress, he resigned from his duty. He isolated himself in “Asiyan”. He had fallen ill and suffered from diabetes. After an operation he had from his arm he had died.

Tevfik Fikret spent a long time seeking between the poetry form of Muallim Naci and Recaizade Mahmut Ekrem. After he discovered the French poetry especially Franchois Coppe he sought for his own style. In “Rubabi Sikeste” (1900, 1984) there are social poems beside the poems written in everyday language.

He revealed pain, force, pressure and unfairness in his poem “Sis” (Fog), in “Rubabin Cevabi” (Answer of Rubab) (1911, 1945) and in his poem “Tarihi Kadime Zeyl” he replied the accusations of Mehmet Akif by explaining his ideas on religion and nature. He claimed he is an impressionist of nature. “Sermin” (1914, 1983) is a collection including his poetry written with a simple language. An important point on Fikret’s thoughts was to solve the problems and to prepare a happy future. The reason and will make a man superior not his feelings or senses said he. “Tarihi Kadim” (1905) and “Son Siirler” are some of his other works.

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