My Name is Red

By discussing the book with Black, Enishte hopes to enlist his nephew’s help in its composition. He tells Black that most of the illustrations for the book are complete, including a depiction of Death, as well as pictures of a dog, a tree, and a coin. Enishte also considers the potential marriage of Black and Shekure, again wondering if Black would consent to live with them.

Enishte further tests Black’s feelings about the secret book, describing Venetian art techniques. He shows Black some of the work he commissioned from the miniaturists. The two men focus most on the depiction of Death, which was painted by Butterfly, whom Master Osman has been in love with for years. Enishte and Black also return to the murder of Elegant, wondering if the man was killed for reasons not related to the secret book—“excessive ambition” or “jealousy over his wealth” (113).

After Black leaves, Enishte confronts Shekure—is she certain she wants to marry Black? At first, Shekure states that she doesn’t want to marry her cousin as it is against the will of her father. Enishte presses her, explaining that Black loves her so much that he is willing to listen to Enishte’s lengthy monologues about art without any genuine interest. Enishte also makes Shekure promise to ensure the book is completed if he should die. When Enishte questioned her more about her relationship with Black, Shekure denies sending him messages, but Enishte remains certain that his daughter and Black are corresponding.

Black returns to his home, lays upon his bed, and thinks about Shekure. While Black didn’t see her while in his uncle’s house, he felt her presence and believes she was surreptitiously watching him. When he encountered Shekure’s sons at the house, Black tried to show them affection. He was dismayed when one of them presented him with a piece of paper—Black hoped it was a letter from Shekure, but it was blank.

After lunch with Enishte, Black runs into Shekure’s older son, Shevket, who asks if Black would like to see a dead cat in an abandoned house nearby. Black follows Shevket to the empty dwelling, nicknamed the house of the Hanged Jew, but the cat’s body is gone. Testing Black, Shevket asks if he’s ever killed someone, and Black admits he killed two men with a sword. Shevket also discusses the souls of the dead and notes that his mother dreamt that her husband is dead, which she interprets to mean he will not return.

Black resolves to become a father to Shekure’s children. He listens intently to Enishte’s discussion of the secret book and realizes that he will need to write the stories for the manuscript if he hopes to someday marry Shekure.

At his worktable, the murderer draws a book of costumes for an Armenian from Galata. He has completed a number of these poor-quality books for Europeans, which provide him with extra income but are uninteresting. Restless and believing that evil spirits guide his work, the murderer roams the streets at night, finding himself in an abandoned part of the city. He enters a former dervish house, which brings him joy. Although he does not fear earthly punishment, the murderer is distressed by the prospect of Allah’s punishment. Yet, he continues to justify the killing of Elegant, noting that “the miscreant I’ve sent to Hell was not a believer” (121). Additionally, the murderer believes that by killing Elegant he has saved the other miniaturists from being executed by the followers of the conservative Hoja of Erzurum.

The murderer observes Black leaving Enishte’s house. At that moment, he realizes three things: that Black will be finishing the book for Enishte; that Shekure and Black will marry; and that Elegant Effendi was correct in his understanding of the work as blasphemous. The murderer concludes that he had “killed him for naught” (123).

An illustration of Death tells the story of an elderly man who asked a young miniaturist to draw death. The young man stated he could not do so as he’d never seen death. However, the older man explained that it is possible to draw something without having seen an illustration of it before. The two men conversed at length about how to depict death. In the end, the miniaturist realized that while he was unfamiliar with death, he did know fear. As the old man assisted by reading from books about death, the young miniaturist drew Death, representing it as an angel laden with spikes that terrified everyone who gazed on it. However, the artist grew to regret the creation of this piece as it unintentionally mimicked European techniques and was not a fit subject: “Death is no laughing matter” (128). Afterwards, the artist walked the streets at night, convinced that he was becoming the thing that he had drawn: Death.

Esther receives a letter from Shekure for Black, which she delivers to Hasan. In it, Shekure encourages Black to work on the book and promises she will marry him only if he completes the manuscript, which both agree may be sacrilegious. After Hasan returns the note to Esther, he asks her to report back to him regarding Black’s response.

Esther receives a letter from Black for Shekure and returns to Hasan so he can read it. In his letter, Black agrees to complete the manuscript, but only if he can see Shekure’s face. He asks Shekure to secretly meet him at the house of the Hanged Jew. Upset, Hasan writes his own letter and warns Esther that if Shekure fails to wait for her husband’s return from war she will be punished. Esther contemplates Hasan and concludes that he is “so close to becoming thoroughly evil” (135) that he is no longer a possible choice for Shekure.

While spying on her father and Black, Shekure is interrupted by the entrance of Esther. Shekure had been contemplating her father’s fear of death and Black’s love for her, which she doubts is eternal. Instead, Black probably just wants to be married and any woman would do. She reads Black’s letter first. Although she fears of the house of the Hanged Jew, she resolves to meet him there. Then she reads Hasan’s letter, in which threatens to go to a judge and force her to return to his house. Shekure confers with Esther, asking if any man would want to marry a widow with two children. Esther reassures Shekure that many men would want to marry her.

Shekure returns to spying on her father and Black. As they discuss the virtues of Venetian portraiture, she analyzes Black’s body. She finds him handsome but is disturbed by the worries on his face. She also fantasizes about allowing Black to kiss her breasts and wonders about the size of his penis. At that moment, her sons enter the room, fighting. Admitting to herself that she likes Black best, Shekure finally responds to his note, agreeing to meet him at the house of the Hanged Jew. The letter is delivered by Orhan when Shevket expresses his dislike of Black.

After telling her sons that their father is dead, Shekure sneaks through the courtyard and enters the house of the Hanged Jew. Black arrives soon after and asks her to remove her veil so he can see her face. He tells her she is even more beautiful than she was 12 years earlier and they kiss. At first, Shekure enjoys their embrace, imagining it as depicted by a miniaturist of Herat. Yet, when Black asks her “to perform that vulgar act” (149), she pushes him away and shouts at him.

Shekure yells at Black, accusing him of sleeping with multitudes of loose women during his travels. She also tells him she doubts his love. Black, deflated, feels pleased that he has refrained from anger at Shekure and that she knows of his travels and must have thought of him frequently. She tells him to learn to control his sexual desire if he truly loves her. Both stop, though, to listen, afraid that someone might have witnessed their encounter.

Black brings up her sons, telling Shekure that while Shevket does not like him, Orhan does. Shekure explains Hasan’s plan to force her to return to his house and asks whether Black would live in her father’s house if they wed. Black considers this option; he also promises to testify on her behalf to prove that her husband is dead so she can be legally declared a widow. Black questions Shekure about her first marriage and she lies to make him think she forgot Black during his absence from Istanbul.

Finally, Shekure tells him she needs to go, but stops to ask him if she is still beautiful and how he will be able to care for her and the children. After assuring Shekure she is still lovely, Black kisses her again. Yet, when he begins to touch her breasts, Shekure again pushes him away and leaves in the snow.