A Marriage Under the Comet: Superstitions, Science, and Social Critique
- Arda Tunca
- Apr 2
- 6 min read
In 1910, news spreads that Halley's Comet will crash into the Earth. The news causes a great stir in Ottoman society. From neighborhood gossip to coffeehouse conversations, Halley becomes the topic of discussion in every setting.
Huseyin Rahmi Gurpinar, with his humorous style, recounts the neighborhood gossip about Halley in his novel A Marriage Under the Comet. His language is the language of humor. He offers a critique of social beliefs, attitudes toward science, and ignorance.
The main character of the novel, Irfan Galip, is a man who studied in the West and has adopted rational thinking. He questions the unscientific and misguided beliefs of society. On the other hand, people living in various neighborhoods of Istanbul believe that Halley is a harbinger of disaster and that the comet’s collision with Earth would be a result of people’s sins. Gurpinar humorously portrays the obstacles faced by Ottoman society in its modernization process and how superstitions shape the community.
The novel opens with the gossip of women in a neighborhood. The women interpret a natural celestial event as a divine punishment and believe that such a disaster is triggered by moral corruption. This belief is an example of how, throughout history, many societies have attributed disasters to religious or mystical causes. Gurpinar reveals, in a sarcastic yet profound way, how such beliefs hinder society’s progress based on knowledge and reason.
How did the public in the Ottoman Empire receive news? During its decline, the empire lacked the scientific capacity to track a comet.
The Ottoman press of the time underwent a significant transformation following the liberalization of the political climate after the declaration of the Second Constitutional Era (II. Meşrutiyet). Newspapers such as the Tanin, the İkdam, and the Tercümân-ı Hakîkat published translations from European newspapers. News about Halley was disseminated in this way. However, the impact of this scientific information on the public was largely devoid of a scientific approach.
Ottoman newspapers generally accessed the European press via postal services. Newspapers obtained through embassies, consulates, or foreign publishing houses were translated and presented to readers. Nevertheless, since the majority of the Ottoman population was illiterate, information was spread by word of mouth, often exaggerated or distorted. Information passed on orally always loses its original form.
With the declaration of the Second Constitutional Era (1908), press freedom in the Ottoman Empire expanded significantly, leading to the birth of hundreds of new newspapers in a short time. By 1910, numerous daily newspapers based in Istanbul were shaping public opinion in both political and cultural spheres. These newspapers reflected a variety of political views and became mirrors of the empire's social diversity and ideological conflicts.
Let’s take a look at some of these newspapers:
The Tanin: Considered the semi-official publication of the Committee of Union and Progress, The Tanin was published by Hüseyin Cahit (Yalçın). While advocating for Unionist ideology, it was one of the most influential political newspapers of the time. It closely followed the European press and informed the Ottoman public through translated articles.
The İkdam: Published by Ahmet Cevdet, The İkdam was aligned with a center-right perspective. Embracing a moderate modernization line, the newspaper presented news and commentary in a language the public could easily understand and often included coverage of scientific developments.
The Tercümân-ı Hakîkat: This newspaper, continuing the journalistic legacy of Şinasi and Namık Kemal, had adopted the mission of enlightening the public. Founded by Ahmet Mithat Efendi, it mostly contained news written in a populist and didactic style. It focused on topics such as education, women's rights, and science.
The Sabah: Originally launched as a family-oriented newspaper with commercial aims, The Sabah appealed to a broad readership. Although it occasionally included sensational news, it also stood out with its literature and culture pages.
The Tasvîr-i Efkâr: Founded by Şinasi, this newspaper was continued in the 1910s by Mehmed Asım. It appealed to the intellectual public and stood out with its literary and opinion pieces. It served as a source of information, particularly in the fields of science and culture, through translated articles from Western newspapers.
The Serbestî: Published by Ali Kemal, this newspaper followed an oppositional stance. It was one of the rare publications that openly criticized the Committee of Union and Progress. Known for its political satire and sharp language, The Serbestî was temporarily shut down in 1909 when Ali Kemal was exiled but resumed publication in 1910.
Illustrated Newspapers and Satirical Publications: During this period, illustrated magazines such as The Servet-i Fünun, The Resimli Kitap, The Kalem, and The Cem enjoyed great popularity. These publications contained not only cultural content but also political critique. Satirical newspapers that used caricatures to influence the public served as important documents reflecting the spirit of the era.
These newspapers were followed by both intellectuals and the literate middle class. Although the majority of the population could not read newspapers directly, their content would be read aloud in coffeehouses or summarized and shared, thereby reaching wider audiences indirectly. In this sense, the press was not only a means of informing but also a tool for shaping public opinion.
The Ottoman press of the time underwent a significant transformation following the liberalization of the political climate after the Second Constitutional Era. Newspapers such as The Tanin, The İkdam, and The Tercümân-ı Hakîkat published news about Halley's Comet by translating reports from European newspapers. Ottoman newspapers typically accessed the European press via postal services; newspapers obtained through embassies, consulates, or foreign publishing houses were translated and presented to the readership.
There was belief in superstitions in the Ottoman Empire, but what was the impact of Halley in the West?
At the beginning of the 20th century, superstitions and unscientific beliefs also held a significant place in the West. Halley caused panic in the West as well. In France, people believed the comet would release poisonous gases and began purchasing gas masks and “comet repellant” elixirs. In the United States, some religious groups thought the end of the world was near and organized mass prayer and repentance gatherings. The New York Times reported that astronomers had to issue calming statements due to the widespread public concern.
Despite the rapid pace of scientific developments in the West, public interest in astrology, spiritualism, and doomsday scenarios remained high. Especially in post-Victorian England, practices such as mediumship, séances to communicate with the dead, and various paranormal beliefs were widespread. Therefore, the tendency toward superstition was not unique to the Ottoman Empire. However, the influence of these beliefs on public policy and the education system differed significantly.
In the early 20th century, although limited, there were scientific studies in the Ottoman Empire. However, these efforts were narrower in scope compared to developments in the West and were largely carried out through individual initiatives. At Darülfünun (Istanbul University), courses in astronomy, physics, mathematics, and natural sciences were being taught. However, the language of instruction was predominantly French, and the lessons often relied on translated textbooks.
Kandilli Observatory was founded in 1911 and hosted scientists who wanted to observe Halley. Schools such as the Imperial School of Medicine (Tıbbiye) and the Military Academy (Mekteb-i Harbiye) provided education based on Western curricula, with a strong emphasis on anatomy, chemistry, and engineering courses.
In the Ottoman Empire, political pressure and deficiencies in the educational system limited scientific production. There was a serious disconnect between the medrese (religious school) system and modern scientific education. Some intellectuals were open to Western science. However, the vast majority of the population had no access to scientific knowledge.
The tendency to link “sin and disaster,” as pointed out in Gurpinar’s novel, still persists today. In Turkey, did we not hear ignorant individuals claim that the 1999 Golcuk and 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquakes were God’s punishment for the moral decay of society? Another example of the same mindset was Donald Trump’s suggestion during the COVID-19 pandemic that people drink disinfectant. Even this recommendation alone should have been enough to prevent this ignoramus from being re-elected president—yet the American people re-elect Trump nonetheless.
If we consider the humorous style of Gurpinar’s novel, can you imagine how he would have wielded his sharp pen to mock many unscientific beliefs today—from those who say “Mercury retrograde ruined my relationship,” to energy-cleansing rituals with crystals, to flat-earthers and people who perform “moon water negative energy purification?”
Gurpinar would most likely observe with an ironic eye the YouTubers who promise immortality with homemade elixirs, the TikTok users who claim to astral travel, and the influencers who say they’ve been abducted by aliens—and he would write novel after novel. Just as he mocked the idea that the comet was divine punishment for sin, he would expose these modern superstitions with wit and sarcasm.
A Marriage Under the Comet (Kuyruklu Yıldız Altında Bir İzdivaç) is a powerful mirror for social consciousness. The novel presents the modernization struggles of Ottoman society, the conflict between science and superstition, and the barriers to public access to knowledge. The persistence of such primitive ways of thinking even today, unfortunately, proves the work’s universality and relevance.
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