Merging of the Pharaonic and Arabic Worlds in the novels of Naguib Mahfouz

Abstract

This paper discusses about the social, political, cultural and historical changes through ages in the novels of Naguib Mahfouz. Throughout his novels there is a blend of past and present. Mahfouz is the son of two civilizations- the Great Pharaonic Empire and a mixture of Arabic and Islamic traditions. Being an Arabic author, he transcends the limits of Arabic and Islamic tradition, to which he belongs, tracing his heritage and seeking his identity as an Egyptian. Paper discusses Mahfouz’s four novels The Mockery of the Fates (1939), Thebes at War (1944), Midaq Alley and Cairo Trilogy. His aim was to seek the identity of his own country in the space time of his existence and the sphere of his self. Mahfouz makes use of his historical novels to study human nature. He gave it a new dimension by tackling vibrant themes from Egypt’s ancient history, some of which were reflected in the surge of nationalism, whose aim was to liberate its people politically, socially and culturally from foreign domination. He also presents a social topography of the colonial Egypt through his texts.