THE DEPICTION OF WOMEN IN THE SELECTED NOVELS OF NAGUIB MAHFOUZ

Abstract

This paper represents the female factor and discusses the depiction of women in the view of the novelist. The paper also focuses on the concept of feminism in the era of Mahfouz and portrays a micro picture of women in Arabian society. Mahfouz attempts to examine in his novels male dominance and female resistance in Arabic society, mainly in Egypt and how women have been marginalized and relegated as secondary to men through the established traditions. The study also focuses on how women respond to these attitudes within the family and society. Furthermore, this study examines the reasons through which women turned to prostitution on one hand, and to investigate Arab women’s regression in achieving their complete rights on the other. During this study, we attempt to examine how Naguib Mahfouz addressed the issue of women extensively in various situations and on different social levels. Also, this study sheds light on how Mahfouz depicted the women who are subjected to exploitation and oppression. These women stand for the submissive wife, the sex object, the self-sacrificing women. Article visualizations: