THE EPISTOLARY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTION OF JULIDE’S LETTER IN REŞAT NURI GÜNTEKIN’S “AKŞAM GÜNEŞI”

Abstract

This article examines the letter written by Julide in Reşat Nuri Güntekin’s novel “Akşam Güneşi” as an epistolary and psychological literary device. The study interprets the letter not merely as a narrative element that advances the plot, but as a central discursive structure that expresses the protagonist’s inner confession, moral conflict, and psychological tragedy. Using psychological, textual, and discursive analytical methods, the article reveals the artistic function of guilt, love, self-punishment, and sacrifice motifs embodied in the letter. The findings demonstrate that Julide’s letter serves as a significant epistolary strategy that intensifies psychological realism in the novel and directly articulates female subjective consciousness.