Elif: Aşk-ı Memnu: Forbidden love killed a woman and injured the rest

Bihter and Behlül

Aşk-ı Memnu (Forbidden Love) which is usually humorously called as Seks-i Memnu (Forbidden Sex) had its final episode on Thursday night.

The final of the series was a complete tragedy as expected. The protagonist Bihter who plays the woman who fell in love with Behlül committed suicide because of feeling miserable, helpless and guilty while Behlül was at the beginning of a new marriage with his other relative Nihal, who is the daughter of Bihter?s husband.

This series didn?t attract me any time and after many ?why Aşk-ı Memnu is being watched that much?? discussions, I still couldn?t find a valid reason find  this series desirable.

But I am aware of the fact that, this series reproduces the stereotypes of the man who is safe in forbidden love while the woman become the scapegoat of that unethical situation.

The story was adapted from a novel written in 1925 by Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil and was thematically similar to the original text but it has differentiated itself from the original with the life style details and become a different story apart from the Bihter?s suicide in the end.

I believe it wasn?t vital to kill Bihter in the end. It could be a little more creative and surprising and less tragic.

Even though many of the pieces of art get stronger with reconciling love, sex and death; the conclusion could be different. So that this would at least not  stimulate people?s reflexes to impose the all guilt on women.

Instead, the Casanova was popular among all women in the whole series while the woman was dead in the end.

Tthe last scene showed Behlül crying near his lover Bihter while recounting his ?sins, which seemed like a typical confession. However, many people cried at that scene assuming he showed his love and regret together. He finished his lines with telling ?Behlül again escapes? as a symbol of his cowardice and imprudence.

Also after this last scene, the character?s future is showed. Nihal- the young girl who loves Behlül- was in depression while Bihter?s mother was paralyzed. Simultaneously, cheated but proud husband Adnan was trying to cheer Nihal up which creates a weird situation. Here, again we see the strong man prototype while all women lose themselves except ?Matmazel? who was presented as a patient, honest, fair ?lady? in whole story.

So who got the better at the end of the story?

Maybe Bihter… She was saved from the disgrace in a way?

Probably Adnan?. He still stays calms and mentally healthy after all?

And of course Behlül who was the big reason of whole tragedy even if he cried at the end of the story.

and a comment from our Prof. Aslı Tunç:

en.habervesaire.comMy mother at the other end of the phone lowered her voice as if she was sharing a secret: ?I am watching Aşk-ı Memnu?s last episode on the Internet.? I thought this popular culture craze was over the other night. But apparently being in Canada for a family visit and 7-hour time difference had not pr

11 thoughts on “Elif: Aşk-ı Memnu: Forbidden love killed a woman and injured the rest”

  1. I am from Pakistan. Ask-e-memnu has been dubbed here in urdu & its a great hit. It has become the most seen drama in Pakistani history. Most of the people here now recognize beren saat as bihter and kivance as behlul….:P

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  2. is there anywhere i can watch or order the series with english subtitles? i know youtube has a few clips and episodes but i’d love to understand the whole show!

    as for your review, i totally agree that the end was too tragic and should have been more creative and surprising. the drama is supposed to be romantic and tragic but i wish she didn’t die, even if they didn’t end up together, killing her is too black and white and as you mentioned, this series reproduces the stereotypes of the man who is safe in forbidden love while the woman become the scapegoat of that unethical situation. i think most people wish they ran away and lived happily ever after in the final episode of season 2, or got married and had a baby or something sweet and disney esque.

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  3. bihter was a disgrace in the name of a woman. All her life went in wrong doings! first taking a revenge on her mother, later cheating her husband her family and everyone who loved or who she claimed to love her… what a psycho and selfish character. love beren saat though. a gem of an actor she is btw!

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  4. 10 Years After. No, not the popular band of the 1960s but when I actually saw this series. Unfortunately, currently, since October 2018, I have been confined to my home in Los Angeles due to illness and I came across this series on a Persian streaming channel. Being British yet having a certain familiarity with Farsi I was well able to follow the story and its characters. I wanted to say how much I agreed with the review at the top of ERKAN’S FIELD DIARY. Bihter (Samar) was pure poison from the beginning. Behlul(Mohannad) was a kid Casanova; with an ego bigger than his understanding of life. I can see young women waiting for each scene of the two of them together, however, as an older woman retired from many years in the entertainment industry in London and LA, I have read numerous scripts; this one has many redeeming feature/factors for a mature mind but I have to wonder who the target audience was. If the trailers had said “weak-minded cowardly young handsome man is beguiled by his adopted father’s new trophy wife; which naturally doesn’t end well”; it would have been just another Hollywood Lifetime Movie of the Week. This offering, however, kept me watching. It was like a train wreck, I just couldn’t look away! From a psychological point of view, I again agree with the sentiments of the original reviewer. Had Behlul not been a complete coward with no guts and Bihter been a real woman who understands people in love don’t need any of the fancy trimmings, the relationship was in its early stages and they could have just moved away together immediately. People, families, etc. get over heartache a lot faster than betrayal BUT OF COURSE, there would be no story. What concerns me most is young people on all sides of marriage and family issues might be enticed into the exactly the kind of excitement they see on the screen. Believe me, I am not for censorship in any way but the destruction is devastating. The production and direction skills were better than excellent and the acting skills outstanding. I believe the bigger audience was Spielberged into hoping it would all go right but those of us who were unable to suspend disbelief long enough knew different. Human tragedy at its best/worst, so nothing remotely Hollywood to be found in this ending. Now I am hooked! Next Hatirla Gonul, then Kurt Seyit ve Sura, Behzat C and whatever else anyone knows of with English subtites!!

    Reply

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