The bright fire which Mustafa Kemal set in Samsun, was also lighting Afife’s future at Apollon Hall (Reks Cinema) in the Kadiköy district of Istanbul. Afife Jale preferred to walk towards that light, to overcome the boundaries of the darkness.
She had to show that same dedication of Mustafa Kemal, as he was intercepted with laws, accusations and threats behind his back. And she did; no matter what happened, she continued going on the stage and shining at the performances. That was until the 27th of February 1921, when a new law was passed by the Ottoman Government, which was occupied by the Englishmen.
According to this law;
Turkish Muslim women were “strictly” prohibited from being on stage. Even this law wasn't enough to stop Afife Jale. She went on an Anatolian tour with “Burhanettin Tepsi Kumpanyası”. In the upcoming period, she continued performing at “National Stage” of “Fikret Sadi” in Istanbul.
The darkest moment is the moment closest to the sunrise. The increase of darkness, was the indication of sunrise being near. This darkness made Afife Jale more visible, as well as increasing the difficulties she faced. Just like a metal forged in the smithy; the more difficulties she faced, the sharper and thinner she became.
In 1923, the expected sun rose in the land and the darkness dispersed. The Allies Powers “left as they came”, and the pressure on the nation came to an end. The ban of the "women being on stage" was lifted with the declaration of the republic, and with that began the encouragement period. So, Afife Jale’s fight for independence concluded with victory.
With the beginning of a new era in the country, a new era also started in Afife Jale’s life. She would be on stages all over the homeland, and pave the way for sacred Turkish women.
Afife Jale's heart, dreams and beliefs had no limits. However; the body that she was in was struggling to keep up with heavy working conditions and the difficulties she was facing. The headaches that she was able to keep under control in the beginning were intensifying, emerging unbearably. When the pain killers she used at first to keep it under control became ineffective, she decided to see another doctor. The doctor whom she visited to control the pain put Afife Jale on a morphine treatment and this incorrect diagnosis would affect her life forever. As her sickness progressed, the use of morphine increased; as the use of morphine increased, her sickness progessed further due to the actual reason behind her sickness not being treated. Afife Jale was no longer able to perform her beloved art anymore.
