Literature, which is an art in principle, can’t be limited to stable rules, patterns, or definitions by nature. So, the focus should be mainly on students to gain an aesthetic view, on developing the ability to criticize a literary text as the main subject of a lesson academically in literature classes. Since rewritten texts are created by reinterpreting a classical text, they allow the reader to evaluate. During analysis period of rewritten texts, students read each text by comparing them actively via intertextual reading. In reading by comparison; The act of reading turns into a multi-faceted interpretive activity by detecting the wide variety of differences between the basic text and the rewritten text, as well as the inclusion of factors related to the reader's individual equipment. The aim of this study is to examine the use of classical texts in literature teaching with rewritten examples. In this qualitative study designed as an action research, a six-week practice was performed through Text Analysis classes in Turkish Language and Literature Department of Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University. The classical texts chosen and their rewritten samples are: The Clown and His Daughter novel by Halide Edib Adıvar and Rabia’s Return story by Adalet Ağaoğlu, epic story Deli Dumrul, The Son of Duha Koca in The Book of Dede Korkut and the story Dumrul and Azrael by Murathan Mungan. Research data was collected from open-ended questions being addressed to students at the end of the classes that were designed in accordance with the usability of rewritten texts in teaching literature. The collected data was interpreted through content analysis. As a result of the research, it is found that students approach the texts in a critical way when they are supposed to analyze rewritten texts, they use their knowledge about the first text when they interpret the rewritten texts, they are opposed to the fact that classical texts are changed in a negative way thematically while reinterpreting them within the context of another text and they expressed a positive opinion towards rewriting texts after interpreting them.

Teaching literature, rewritten texts, classical texts, text analysis, action research.