Zaynab (novel)
Encyclopedia
Husayn Haykal's Zaynab (commonly pronounced ˈzeːnæb) is the first modern Egypt
ian novel published in 1913. The book depicts life in the Egyptian countryside and delves into the relationships between men and women.
. Haykal had spent considerable time in France
where he was studying as a lawyer, and it was actually at this point that he wrote Zaynab
in 1911. Notably, the author chose the pseudonym
Masri Fallah ("An Egyptian Rustic"), which perhaps underlines the lack of prestige attached to the genre at the time of his writing. Originally intended to be a short story, he found that his work had more mileage than he had first appreciated, and continued to tell the story of a young peasant girl named Zaynab, and of the three men who at one time or another strive for her affections.
, its poor division of the focus on Zaynab and Hamid, and a letter which is unashamedly Haykal's own words merely summarising the events that have transpired thus far), the novel is hugely important in beginning the era of the modern Egyptian novel, indeed one poised with vernacular language and characters, and a liberalizing political dimension.
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...
ian novel published in 1913. The book depicts life in the Egyptian countryside and delves into the relationships between men and women.
Plot introduction
The novel is a seminal point in Egyptian literature since it is the first to feature a fully described, contemporary Egyptian setting and the first to feature dialogue in the Egyptian vernacularEgyptian Arabic
Egyptian Arabic is the language spoken by contemporary Egyptians.It is more commonly known locally as the Egyptian colloquial language or Egyptian dialect ....
. Haykal had spent considerable time in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he was studying as a lawyer, and it was actually at this point that he wrote Zaynab
Zaynab
Zainab may refer to:* Zaynab , Egyptian novel*Zaynab...
in 1911. Notably, the author chose the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Masri Fallah ("An Egyptian Rustic"), which perhaps underlines the lack of prestige attached to the genre at the time of his writing. Originally intended to be a short story, he found that his work had more mileage than he had first appreciated, and continued to tell the story of a young peasant girl named Zaynab, and of the three men who at one time or another strive for her affections.
Literary significance & criticism
Despite the structural flaws of the novel (its unrestricted romanticismRomanticism
Romanticism 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...
, its poor division of the focus on Zaynab and Hamid, and a letter which is unashamedly Haykal's own words merely summarising the events that have transpired thus far), the novel is hugely important in beginning the era of the modern Egyptian novel, indeed one poised with vernacular language and characters, and a liberalizing political dimension.