Women of Sand and Myrrh
Encyclopedia
Women of Sand and Myrrh is a novel
written by Hanan al-Shaykh
. It was originally published in 1989 as Misk al-ghazal and was published in English in 1992. The English translator is Catherine Cobham
. Publishers Weekly chose Women of Sand and Myrrh as one of the 50 best books of 1992.
The storyline consists of four main characters: Suha, Tamr, Nur, and Suzanne. Different sections of the novel give the perspectives of the four women, making the book a story with four different narrators.
The story is based in a relatively modern society in the Middle East. Rather than having strong ties into the pre-20th century Middle East, it is representative of life in some of the more fundamentalist societies within the last few decades. Elements of the book are present in this society today:
The novel addresses many issues in today's society and has a wide variety of themes. Main themes of the novel include differing gender roles, class distinctions, culture, religion, and materialism vs. romanticism. Themes include:
Women of Sand and Myrrh was banned in many Arabic lands for strong content (sexual, political, etc.) and for a strong treatment of Arabic culture.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by Hanan al-Shaykh
Hanan al-Shaykh
Hanan al-Shaykh is a Lebanese author of contemporary Arab women's literature.- Biography :Hanan al-Shaykh's family background is that of a strict Shi'a...
. It was originally published in 1989 as Misk al-ghazal and was published in English in 1992. The English translator is Catherine Cobham
Catherine Cobham
Catherine Cobham is a scholar and translator of Arabic literature. She obtained a BA from Leeds University and an MA from Manchester University and presently teaches at the University of St Andrews...
. Publishers Weekly chose Women of Sand and Myrrh as one of the 50 best books of 1992.
The storyline consists of four main characters: Suha, Tamr, Nur, and Suzanne. Different sections of the novel give the perspectives of the four women, making the book a story with four different narrators.
The story is based in a relatively modern society in the Middle East. Rather than having strong ties into the pre-20th century Middle East, it is representative of life in some of the more fundamentalist societies within the last few decades. Elements of the book are present in this society today:
- Women wearing abayas and using different infrastructure elements.
- Mandatory prayers at certain times of the day
- Patriarchal society; many view women as good for little except raising children.
- Implementation of desalinization plants (a large clue that the main setting is Saudi Arabia), airports, etc.
The novel addresses many issues in today's society and has a wide variety of themes. Main themes of the novel include differing gender roles, class distinctions, culture, religion, and materialism vs. romanticism. Themes include:
- Men vs. women
- FeminismFeminismFeminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
- Use and/or abuse of power in a relationship
- Class distinctions
- Structure of society
- Rebellion against the status quo
- Culture and religion
- Freedom vs. Confinement/Restraint
- Elements of traditional culture and their effect
- MaterialismMaterialismIn philosophy, the theory of materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter is the only substance...
vs. RomanticismRomanticismRomanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution... - The sexual disadvantages and existing desires of Arab women
- Hidden Lesbianism in Arab cultures
- The Innate desire of Arab women to be treated better
Women of Sand and Myrrh was banned in many Arabic lands for strong content (sexual, political, etc.) and for a strong treatment of Arabic culture.