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A Window To Another World |
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Lady Mary Wortley Montagu possessed
strength of character and feminist views unparalleled by other travellers of
her time. Through Lady Mary's eyes,
Bron Barnacle discovered some of the fascinations of Ottoman life.
When you think of the Ottoman era, what comes to mind? The Ottoman dynasty
was a super-power of incredible military and political might, the
longest-lasting empire known. But the Ottoman era was also a time of great
beauty: of flourishing arts and “orientalism”, of enormous fascination to
the “occident” (west). Enduring images remain – of domed architecture,
harems of exquisite women, exotic costume, decor and customs, utterly
fabulous riches.... aspects of Turkey’s past that many a traveller longs to
see..
One who did see - and wrote it all down - was Lady
Mary Wortley Montagu (1686 – 1762).
 Described by a contemporary as “one of the most extraordinary shining
characters in the world”,
this early travel writer is notable for her non-judgemental observations and
acceptance of that which most of her time viewed as “uncivilised”. The
letters she wrote home from Turkey 300 years ago make absolutely fascinating
reading today.
Despite her formal education being “one of the worst in the world”, Lady
Mary possessed an open, enquiring mind and was a voracious self-directed
learner - as a teenager she taught herself Latin - and classics - in secret.
Educated, witty and a skilled poet herself, she was a friend and
correspondent of literary figures such as Abbe Conti, Addison and Alexander
Pope.
Her husband was briefly appointed as English ambassador to “The Sublime
Porte”, the government offices of the Sultan (its gate is on the tramline in
Alemdar Caddesi, opposite the Topkapi Palace walls near Gulhane Park).
In 1716, aged 31, she accompanied her husband on an arduous carriage journey
across Europe, stopping at European Royal courts all the way. After more
than 7 months of travelling they arrived in April 1717 and she recorded
"I am now got into a new world, where everything appears to me a change of
scene"
Just the topics about which Lady Mary wrote would fill pages. Politics,
janissaries, ethnic minorities, law, slaves, gardeners; you name it -
nothing escaped her keen eye. This spirited, curious woman would daily don
Ottoman Turkish clothes, including a cape – like outer garment and veil, to
explore unnoticed.
She loved Turkey and its people and energetically sought out experiences and
knowledge. Extreme cultural differences she described as “novelties”!
And as a woman, she had access to places and people men did not!
Starting as she meant to go on, one of her first experiences was to boldly
visit a Turkish Bath – just to see what it was all about. “(my clothes)
seemed very extraordinary to them. Yet there was not one that showed least
surprise or impertinent curiosity but received me with all the civility
possible. I know no European court where the ladies would have behaved so
politely to a stranger... (among) 200 women... there were none of the
disdainful smiles or satirical whispers that never fail in our assemblies
when anybody appears not dressed exactly in fashion ...”. On being urged to
bath with them, but unable to linger, she eventually “(showed) them my stays
(corset), which satisfied them very well, for I saw they believed I was so
locked up in that machine, that it was not in my power to open it, which
contrivance they attributed to my husband”!
Later, she attended a hen’s night (Gelin Hamami) in an Istanbul hamam. The
bride, she describes as “a beautiful maid of about seventeen, richly dressed
and shining with jewels, but was presently reduced ... to the state of
nature. (Thirty girlfriends) hastily threw off their clothes and appeared
without ... ornament or covering other than their own long hair braided with
pearl and ribbon”. Singing and carrying silver pots of perfume, the girls
formed pairs and processed before the older women; the bride following, her
eyes fixed shyly on the floor... “Tis not easy to represent the beauty of
this sight ... after ... the bride was then led to every matron around the
(three) rooms who saluted her with a compliment and a present... which she
thanked them for by kissing their hands ... I was very well pleased by
seeing this ceremony ...”
A talented linguist, Lady Mary rapidly learned Turkish and spent much time
in the company of Turkish aristocratic women, invariably raving of their
exceptional beauty, charm, manners and hospitality. Despite being well
accustomed to the company of Queens, she records with wide-eyed awe the
astonishing richness of dress she saw. She even had her own Turkish outfit
made, a portrait of which remains.
“...’tis for jewellers to compute the value of these things, but according
to the common estimation of jewels in our part of the world, (the widowed
queen’s) whole dress must be worth above £100,000 sterling. This I am very
sure of, that no European queen has half the quantity, and the Empresses’
jewels, though very fine, would look very mean next to hers...”
Romance gets plenty of mentions in Lady Mary's letters! Forgotten customs
such as “symbolic love letters” were sent in the form of a box containing
only objects... “There is no colour, no flower, no weed, no fruit, herb,
pebble or feather that has not a verse belonging to it; and you may quarrel,
reproach or send letters of passion, friendship or civility, or even news,
without ever inking your fingers ..."
She sent a sample to an English friend, its meaning being “Fairest of the
young (pearl), You are as slender as this (clove), You are an unblown rose,
I’ve long loved you and you’ve not known it (stamp). Have pity on my passion
(Jonquil), I faint every hour (paper), Give me some hope (pear). I’m sick
with love (soap). May I die and all my years be yours (coal). May you be
pleased and all your sorrows, mine! (Rose) Suffer (let) me be your slave (a
straw). You price cannot be found (cloth). But my fortune is yours
(cinnamon). I burn, I burn, my flame consumes me (match). Don’t turn your
face away (Gold thread). Crown of my head (hair), my eyes (grape), I die –
come quickly (gold wire). PS Send me an answer (pepper)."
Throughout her letters, she makes cutting social comments and expresses
feminist ideas, which she may have later published anonymously – certain
radical pamphlets are attributed to her by academics.
Unexpectedly, she found the seclusion and veiling of Turkish women
paradoxically advantageous and liberating: “... on the miserable confinement
of Turkish ladies (as reported by earlier male travel writers), who are,
perhaps freer than any ladies in the universe ..."
She explains how the veil made it extremely easy for women to have love
affairs – and they very often did! Their identities might be unknown to even
their lovers; their recognition in public was impossible, the consequences
of detection for either party so fatal, that their secret was totally safe.
“You may imagine the number of faithful wives very small in a country where
they have nothing to fear from their lovers’ indiscretion”
At that time, there was a popular belief among “Westerners” that the Sultan
selected a harem girl for the night by casting a handkerchief in the
direction of the chosen. From an impeccable source, Lady Mary learned it was
fictitious “I have visited a sultana (Turkish for queen or princess), widow
of the late emperor and by this means have learned all about the intrigue of
the seraglio (Royal harem) She assured me the story of the handkerchief, so
firmly believed among us, has not a syllable of truth...”
It was not only the decorous side of life she reported: practical, sad, even
sordid matters also concerned her. Through her eyes we can 'see' the
arranged re-marriage of a weeping princess, widowed at thirteen; the nude
body of a young murdered woman (“not yet quite cold”) dumped in the street
near her house. And having been severely pocked herself, she did not
hesitate to have her own son inoculated against smallpox - an effective
Turkish technique then unknown in the “west”. Later in England, despite
creating raging controversy, she was ultimately instrumental in having
smallpox inoculation introduced to England, for which she is acknowledged in
Lichfield Cathedral.
Her stay was short and she was loathe to leave, but what excellent use she
had made of her
time !
“I am preparing to leave... and it is with regret ... I am used to the air
and have learned the language. I am easy here... I ramble everyday, wrapped
up in my ferace and yasmak (cloak and veil) and amuse myself with seeing all
that is curious within (Istanbul)... you see, these people are not so
unpolished as we represent them... They have the right notion of life”
Despite the many restrictions placed on western women 300 years ago, keeping
herself safe by conforming to the customs of that time, Lady Mary was able
to delve deeply into what Turkey had to offer. What a fantastic example and
inspiration for today’s visitors to Turkey!
All extracts are taken from “The Turkish Embassy Letters” (aka “Letters from
the Levant”) by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
1. For more information about Lady Mary Wortley Montagu... There is abundant
biographical information on the web. Her published letters can be found at
http://www.amazon.com and foreign language book shops in Istanbul. Also, see
the free reference library at Artemis Guest House, Selcuk (Ephesus). Full
versions of her hamam experiences are at
http://www.artemisguesthouse.com/Hamam.asp#Stories
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