Louis Awad
Encyclopedia
Louis Awad (el-Minya
, 1915 - 1990) was an Egyptian
intellectual and writer.
Born in the upper Egypt
town of Minya, Egypt
, Awad studied at the literature department of Cairo University
before setting off to England
for further studies before the Second World War. He returned to Egypt
in 1941, after which he lived in the Cairo district of Doqqi for much of his adult life.
Louis Awad was born in the village of Sharuna in the district of Minya
. He studied literature at Cairo University
, Oxford University, and Princeton University
. As chairman of the faculty of letters at Cairo University
, Awad inaugurated in Egypt
the modern study of literary criticism based on scientific principles. From 1945 to 1950 he joined with other writers who drew from Marxism
and other sources in a call for the total reform of Egyptian society. His novel alAnqa (the Phoenix) expresses this orientation. In a volume of poetry, Plutoland, he introduced free verse forms to Egyptian literature and presented a scathing attack on traditionalism. Awad's unwavering critical stance continued after the 1952 revolution. As a consequence, he was forced to resign his position at Cairo University in 1954.
In 1960 Awad became the literary editor at the newspaper al-Ahram
. He published a devastating critique of higher education in Egypt in 1964, arguing that students wished to be instructed, rather than to engage in independent study and research. Awad's writings in al-Ahram
made him one of the leading opinion-makers in the Arab world. From the mid-1970s through the 1980s he served as a faculty adviser at the Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt
, developing a strong following among graduate students there.
Minya, Egypt
Minya is the capital of Minya Governorate in Upper Egypt. It is located approximately south of Cairo on the western bank of the Nile River, which flows north through the city...
, 1915 - 1990) was an Egyptian
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
intellectual and writer.
Born in the upper Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
town of Minya, Egypt
Minya, Egypt
Minya is the capital of Minya Governorate in Upper Egypt. It is located approximately south of Cairo on the western bank of the Nile River, which flows north through the city...
, Awad studied at the literature department of Cairo University
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
before setting off to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for further studies before the Second World War. He returned to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in 1941, after which he lived in the Cairo district of Doqqi for much of his adult life.
Louis Awad was born in the village of Sharuna in the district of Minya
Minya Governorate
Minya Governorate is one of the governorates of Upper Egypt. The name originates from the chief city of the governorate, originally known in Sahidic Coptic as Tmoone and in Bohairic as Thmonē , meaning “the residence”, in reference to a monastery formerly in the area...
. He studied literature at Cairo University
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
, Oxford University, and Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. As chairman of the faculty of letters at Cairo University
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
, Awad inaugurated in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
the modern study of literary criticism based on scientific principles. From 1945 to 1950 he joined with other writers who drew from Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
and other sources in a call for the total reform of Egyptian society. His novel alAnqa (the Phoenix) expresses this orientation. In a volume of poetry, Plutoland, he introduced free verse forms to Egyptian literature and presented a scathing attack on traditionalism. Awad's unwavering critical stance continued after the 1952 revolution. As a consequence, he was forced to resign his position at Cairo University in 1954.
In 1960 Awad became the literary editor at the newspaper al-Ahram
Al-Ahram
Al-Ahram , founded in 1875, is the most widely circulating Egyptian daily newspaper, and the second oldest after al-Waqa'i`al-Masriya . It is majority owned by the Egyptian government....
. He published a devastating critique of higher education in Egypt in 1964, arguing that students wished to be instructed, rather than to engage in independent study and research. Awad's writings in al-Ahram
Al-Ahram
Al-Ahram , founded in 1875, is the most widely circulating Egyptian daily newspaper, and the second oldest after al-Waqa'i`al-Masriya . It is majority owned by the Egyptian government....
made him one of the leading opinion-makers in the Arab world. From the mid-1970s through the 1980s he served as a faculty adviser at the Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt
Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt
The Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt is an academic journal published by the American Research Center in Egypt. It was established in 1962 to publish research into the art, archaeology, languages, history, and social systems of the Egyptian people. As is usual for Egyptological...
, developing a strong following among graduate students there.