Skopje, 26 December 2025 (MIA) — The first Turkish theater play, İbrahim Şinasi's "The Poet's Marriage," has been translated into Macedonian for the first time, the publisher Matica Makedonska said in a press release. 

Melahat Alievska translated the one-act comedy, which is considered a foundational work in Turkish theater and highlights the shift toward simpler language and Western-style drama in the 19th-century Ottoman Empire.

"It is written in a simple and natural conversational style, with realistic characters that reflect the social structure of the period. The dialogue is filled with humor, wordplay and deliberate verbal blunders, and the writing also shows a strong influence of classical French theater, especially Molière," the publisher said.

The play was written in 1859 and published in 1860.

"Although it is often alleged that the play had been commissioned by the Turkish sultan for a performance at the Dolmabahçe Palace Theater, there is no confirmed data it was actually staged there," the release said.

İbrahim Şinasi (1826–1871) is considered the founder of modern Turkish literature. He wrote and translated poetry and was the first to publish a book of translations of French poetry into Turkish. He also adapted Turkish verse to align with French models, bridging classical Ottoman literature with European trends and introducing new forms and themes. 

Beyond poetry, he was a pioneering journalist, playwright and advocate for language reform, making literature accessible to a broader public. He also founded the first independent Turkish newspaper, Tercüman-i Ahval, where "The Poet's Marriage" was originally published as a feuilleton. mr/