Historical Drama

Historical drama has become an industry of the most important strategic assets that countries use in building their future. How is that?

A country that aims to develop its international power and position must search in its history for the factors and reasons that can unite its people and increase their capabilities to achieve civilisation achievements.

When some African and Asian countries achieved their formal independence, and the old colonial armies withdrew, the leaders of these countries looked to socialism as a basis for building their new experience. They knew that capitalism is the ideology of the coloniser, and that their people reject it because it is a means of plundering their wealth.

There are many historical human experiences that show that the people can unite around a dream or a goal they seek. The experience of the American people is one of the most important of these experiences. He was able to formulate his dream of building a state of democracy, prosperity and progress, and he united in order to achieve this dream. But how can historical drama be used to formulate a dream that can unite the people, mobilise their energies, and explode their abilities for creativity, innovation and action?

History is one of the most important factors from which dramatists can draw inspiration from the dreams around which the people can unite, by searching in it for the factors that contribute to building strength and glory. Therefore, building a dream begins with an awareness of history.

Freedom from helplessness and inferiority

Ertugrul says in episode 136 of the Turkish series: "Only those who have big dreams can advance on the path to victory."

The Ertugrul series is one of the most important Turkish series that has contributed in the recent period to the formulation of the Turkish dream, which started from the history before the construction of the Ottoman Empire to motivate the Turkish people and release their energies to build renaissance and progress in the economic, political and military fields, sciences and arts.

This model shows us what historical drama can achieve, and how it can contribute to building the nation's strength and future.

A dream can be the basis for building strength, but a dream can only be based on confidence in its realisation; There are many who dream but feel inferior and powerless.

The colonial powers have worked since the beginning of the 19th century to instill a feeling of inferiority in the hearts of the peoples of Africa and Asia. Their dreams were in vain when they believed the western racist myths that are based on the superiority of the white man, his historical role in human civilisation and his right to dominate the world. The dreamers were unable to sharpen their determination and resolve. To achieve their goals, one of the most important reasons for the failure was that they were unable to use their historical experiences to build their future.

When some African and Asian countries achieved their formal independence, and the old colonial armies withdrew, the leaders of these countries looked to socialism as a basis for building their new experience. They knew that capitalism is the ideology of the coloniser, and that their people reject it because it is a means of plundering their wealth.

But socialism failed because it did not stem from their historical experiences, and the masses did not feel that they could achieve their dream, as it provided them with equality in poverty, while the old colonialists continued to plunder their wealth, and gave crumbs to their leaders and elites to enjoy a luxurious life, and forget the pain of their people, and the tragedies of their people .

Ertugrul and the Turkish dream

It is clear that the Ertugrul series had an important role in increasing the strength of the Turkish state, as it contributed to the formulation of the dream, and the confidence of the Turkish people in its realisation. This dream is not only based on building solid material strength and economic and political standing, but it is also based on the system of values ​​expressed by the series, the most important of which is justice.

This explains the resistance of the Turkish people to the coup, which contradicts the system of values ​​that were agreed upon, the most important of which is democracy, and the dream that was entrenched in their conscience after witnessing a historical experience that filled their souls with a feeling of pride and dignity and the ability to achieve civilisation achievements, heroism, resistance and struggle. The Turks took to the streets, standing up to the tanks with their bodies, to protect their democracy and freedom, and to complete the road to realise their dream.

It is clear that the West is well aware of this; The people who work to achieve their dream, struggle in defence of the system of values ​​that have been agreed upon, and trust their ability to realise the dream; It's hard to face.

Thus, the historical experience depicted by the Artgrel series turned into a source of strength for the people and the state. Artgrel became a role model in his manhood, heroism, self-esteem, adherence to principles and values, and his struggle to achieve justice.

A source of strength for the nation

The Ertugrul series was not only a source of strength for Turkey, but it also expressed the Arab people's longing for glory, heroism and pride, and this explains the high viewership in all Arab countries. Muslims, and their ability to change reality; This means that this series satisfied the needs of the audience in its search for a meaning of life, after this audience was fed up with the bleak reality, the state of Arab weakness, repeated defeats, and ruling regimes that only aspire to achieve stability.

There is also an important indicator that many of those who interacted with the series were not poor, but were rich, as happened in the Gulf, especially Kuwait, and this means that many Arabs are looking for glory and honour, and long for the championship; The dream is greater than bread and security.

Confronting the falsification of history

Although the Arab regimes have worked for decades to distort the image of the Ottoman Empire, attribute all negative features to it, and demonise it, this series made it clear that the process of falsifying the history of the Ottoman Empire by Arab regimes has failed, and that peoples long for a time of sovereignty and glory, and reject weakness and dependence.

The state of the interaction of Arab peoples with the series shows that these peoples want heroes, strength, role models, glory and civilised achievements, and distinguish the people of Kuwait who enjoy wealth, stability and security by their love for this series and its heroes, especially Ertugrul, and this means that the series carries a message for the peoples; It is faith that makes life meaningful, and fills souls with pride, trust in God, dignity, and love for freedom and justice.

The Arab peoples are looking forward to playing a historical role like that of their predecessors when they carried the message of Islam to mankind in order to free it from slavery to other than God.

Life, no matter how rich, wealth and stability it provides, is meaningless without a civilised mission and function, steadfastness on the truth, and defence of principles and values.

Therefore, the Ertugrul series expresses a general feeling in the entire Islamic nation after years of ignorance and alienation, and its longing to carry out its civilised function, its aspiration for glory, glory and sovereignty, and its admiration for men who defend the principles of Islam, and change the reality as Artgrel did.

Studying people's needs

We can note the failure of a series like Toman Bey, and this shows the awareness of peoples, and their search for meanings and values ​​that satisfy their need to know the heroism of real leaders who defend truth and justice, so peoples loved Ertugrul, and interacted with all the heroes of the series.

The historical drama industry needs to study the needs of peoples in a specific period of time. Therefore, the sciences of communication, media, public opinion, psychology and sociology can contribute to lighting the way for historical drama makers, which cannot succeed by using famous actors or creative directors only, but can be accepted by peoples when they express their longing for freedom, justice, glory and sovereignty, and when they portray real leaders. They are characterised by masculinity, heroism, and firmness on the right.

The nation needs serials and films that depict life in the days of glory, victories and empowerment, and present heroes to be role models for young people who must be prepared to carry out their civilising function and carry the message of Islam to humanity. People can interact with these soap operas because they satisfy their needs and illuminate the future path for them, which must be based on steadfastness on truth, defence of freedom and justice, building a knowledge society, and achieving comprehensive independence.

We can also note how the Arab public hated the traitors in the Ertugrul series, and rejoiced in killing them, and this is an important indication that the viewer was fed up with the bitter reality, and needed to change it, and dreamed of heroic leaders who were distinguished by originality, courage and steadfastness on the truth, and wanted series that express his dream of building Societies led by men who belong to the nation, and confront their enemies with the strength of faith, conscience, reason and heart.

The Arabs have been distinguished throughout their history that they hate treason and consider it a disgrace, despise the traitor, regardless of his rank, and admire those who stand firm on the truth, and sacrifice their lives for their religion and in defence of the freedom of their peoples and the independence of their homelands.

Can we find an Arab country that adopts the project of establishing historical drama production companies that contribute to building the nation’s dream of achieving comprehensive independence and freedom for people and nations, and contribute to building a knowledge society?!