Recontextualization in Yeşilçam-Era Turkish Cinema: Wuthering Heights and Derbeder from the Perspective of Translation and Adaptation Studies

Comparatively analyzing films through the lenses of translation and adaptation studies may prove to be functional in understanding how texts evolve across different mediums, languages, and cultures. This study attempts to analyze the recontextualization process in the Yeşilçam era of Turkish cinema by comparing Wuthering Heights (1939) and its Turkish adaptation Derbeder (1977) through the perspectives of translation and adaptation studies. Utilizing Per Linell’s concept of recontextualization (1998) and Gideon Toury’s (1986) descriptive translation studies (DTS), the analysis explores how recontextualized elements operate in their new cultural and linguistic context. As there is no medial difference between the works selected for comparison, the concept of intrasemiotic translation is relied on (Toury 1986). Narrative structures, settings, characters, and linguistic translations are examined to illustrate the shifts made by the screenwriter in Derbeder under the impact of the socio-economic and technical challenges of the Yeşilçam era. Findings reveal a streamlined narrative, culture-specific character portrayals, and thematic modifications that resonate with Turkish audience values, emphasizing ‘rural-urban’ and ‘rich-poor’ dichotomies. As for the linguistic translations, some seem to be well-considered, while others appear to be arbitrary. The paper underscores the crucial role of screenwriters as communicators and the significant impact of interpretive shifts in the adaptation process, demonstrating how adaptations reflect cultural identities and constraints.