Arab Culture, Identity and the Novel: Genre, Identity and Agency in Egyptian Fiction (Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Literatures)

This book explores the complex relationship between the novel and identity in modern Arab culture against a backdrop of contemporary Egypt. It uses the example of the Egyptian novel to interrogate the root causes – religious, social, political, and psychological – of the lingering identity crisis that has afflicted Arab culture for at least two centuries. BOOK COVER......Page 1 TITLE......Page 6 COPYRIGHT......Page 7 DEDICATION......Page 8 CONTENTS......Page 10 PREFACE......Page 11 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 20 NOTE ON TRANSLATION AND TRANSLITERATION......Page 22 1 A GENRE AT WAR: Literary form and historical agency......Page 24 2 TANGENTS OF IDENTITY: The poetics of space in the Egyptian novel......Page 57 3 DIVINING IDENTITIES: Religion and the Egyptian novel......Page 124 4 QUESTIONABLE SUBJECTS: Individuality, representation, and the Egyptian novel......Page 177 NOTES......Page 226 INDEX......Page 252 1. A Genre At War: Literary Form And Historical Agency -- 2. Tangents Of Identity: The Poetics Of Space In The Egyptian Novel -- 3. Divining Identities: Religion And The Egyptian Novel -- 4. Questionable Subjects: Individuality, Representation, And The Novel. Muhammad Siddiq. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.