#arabic lit

[love--literature]

and love is like water and grass no roof except delusion no delusion except the depths and the wave said I am the future

Adonis: Selected Poemsby Adonis, Khaled Mattawa (Translator)

[love--literature]

T R E E  He does not know how to beautify swords with severed limbs. He does not know how to make his canines shine and glare. They come after him from a river of skulls and blood and they climb the short wall and he is behind the door (he dreams of remaining like a child behind the door) reading the last book of the starved.

Adonis

[merakimar]

2.4 emotional development in Nawal el-Saadawi’s Memoirs of a Woman Doctor

incomplete version of the book, since it was serialized in an Egyptian magazine and she lost the original manuscript

6 chapters

hatred for femininity, traditional role of women in the marriage and home, oppression from mother

medicine as empowerment

medicine as an equalizer

food as a representation of her life

marriage

self-exploration, solitude, and isolation

last marriage and love, wanted to bake for him, found herself

supported her medical career

he was a musician ~harmony~

role reversal

“call me when you want to”

[merakimar]

1.3 Common Characteristics of the Pioneering Generation

many educated in french missionary schools and held literary salons e.g. Princess Nazli Fadil and Mayy Ziyadah

most involved in literary societies, as it was a way to establish support and a system of camaraderie among the female writers.

encouraged by their fathers to pursue their education e.g. Mayy Ziyadah, Nazirah Zayn al-Din, Aisha Taymur (tutors), Malak Nasif (encouraged)

upper class Mayy Ziyadah, Zainab Fawwaz, Aisha Taymur, Princess Nazli Fadil

used pseudonyms Bint al-Shati and Bahithat al-Badiya aka Malak Nasif

wrote to imitate male counterparts and were conformers -most except Mayy Ziyadah, who wrote to be like herself in her writings.

settled in Egypt Zainab Fawwaz, Malak Nasif, Hind Nawfal

all wore the veil and defended Islam, except for Nazirah Zain al-Din

Mayy, Malak and Huda exchanged letters. Aisha and Zainab were close.

[merakimar]

2.1 Nazirah Zayn al-Din

Zayn al-Din was encouraged by her father to continue her education, but she never married. she was VERY educated.

she was one of the most progressive and outspoken of the pioneering generation.

wrote “Unveiling and Veiling,” which openly criticizes the male interpretation of the Qur’an. she offered up an alternative interpretation of the Qur’an, demonstrating that she was v educated. 

in UAV, she exposes male religious hypocrisy, and offers up reasons to do away with veiling, such as 1. it’s not dictated in the Qur’an, 2. veiling is not necessary to be virtuous, 3. “pieces of cloth over faces shall never be a measure of morality,” 4. it’s rational and logical above all else to abolish veiling/phase out veiling, because it keeps the Arabic world under Europe’s thumb since it keeps half the population oppressed.

[merakimar]

2.2 Wardah al-Yaziji

Ward off the yazz roses.

Wardah al-Yaziji was the author of “The Rose Garden,” a collection of poetry. In this, she followed the male literary writing style established by her male predecessors.

Her poetry was mostly eulogies and elegies, which was the traditional style.

Like Aisha Taymur (#4), she often prefaced her poetry with a disclaimer that she was not writing her true feelings, which she did to guarantee future publication and continued participation in society.

Wardah called for equality frequently in journal articles e.g. Al-Diya. (reminds me of al dïa)

[merakimar]

2.3 Huda Sha’rawi

Huda Sha’rawi married young after her father died, but remained distant from her husband. She was the founder of the Egyptian Feminist Union, which later evolved and expanded to become the Arab Feminist Union. She is known for her political advocacy and involvement in organizations (such as her own Arab Feminist Union). Huda Sha’rawi was a leader in the movement to do away with veiling.

[merakimar]

2.4 Aisha Taymur

the death of her husband and daughter sent her into a deep depression, during which she did not write. however, she was motivated later on to write elegies.

she was also a prolific poet, but often prefaced her poetry with a disclaimer that her poetry did not fully embody her thoughts.

author of THE RESULTS OF CIRCUMSTANCES IN WORDS AND DEEDS and CONSEQUENCES OF MATTERS REGARDING SPEECH AND ACTIONS.

she was the first woman to advocate for equality between the sexes.

in The Results of Circumstances in Words and Deeds, she writes about opportunities she believes she has been denied her because of her sex. this denial of opportunities led her to become very insecure about her lack of training compared to her male contemporaries.

she strongly advocated for women’s access to education and participation in the literary world, because she was frustrated by the isolation she experienced due to being a female writer. 

she was the first to write a piece like The Consequences of Matters Regarding Speech and Action, which was a stylistically rough literary experiment.