Constantinople, v. 2 (of 2)

"Constantinople, v. 2 (of 2)" by Edmondo De Amicis is a record of a bygone era, transporting readers to 19th-century Constantinople to witness its vibrant culture. The writings hone in on Turkish women and their roles in society and present a nuanced view of their lives, challenging the conventional understandings of their experiences. The journey begins with the author's arrival and immediate observations about these women, noting their unexpected freedoms and the ways they navigate societal expectations. Descriptions of clothing, like the yashmac and ferajeh, are interwoven with discussions of modesty and public interactions, revealing both constraints and subtle expressions of independence. Through cultural observations and artistic writing, a portrait unfolds of a city filled with striking paradoxes and the author's own reactions to them are recorded for prosperity, revealing the complexities of life during the Ottoman era.