The importance of Tawfiq al-Hakim (1898 to 1989) to the emergence
of a modern Arabic literature is second only to that of Naguib
Mahfouz. If the latter put the novel among the genres of writing
that are now an accepted part of literary production in the Arab
world today, Tawfiq al-Hakim is recognized as the undisputed
creator of a literature of the theater. In this volume, Tawfiq
al-Hakim's fame as a playwright is given prominence. Of the more
than seventy plays he wrote, The Sultan's Dilemma, dealing with a
historical subject in an appealingly light-hearted manner, is
perhaps the best known; it appears in the extended edition of
Norton's World Masterpieces and was broadcast on the old Home
Service of the BBC. The other full-length play included here, The
Tree Climber, is one that reveals al-Hakim's openness to outside
influences in this case, the absurdist mode of writing. Of the two
one-act plays in this collection, The Donkey Market shows his
deftness at turning a traditional folk tale into a hilarious stage
comedy. Tawfiq al-Hakim produced several of the earliest examples
of the novel in Arabic; included in this volume is an extract from
his best known work in that genre, the delightful Diary of a
Country Prosecutor, in which he draws on his own experience as a
public prosecutor in the Egyptian countryside. Three of the many
short stories he published are also included, as well as an extract
from The Prison of Life, an autobiography in which Tawfiq al-Hakim
writes with commendable frankness about himself. Contents:
Introduction by Denys Johnson-Davies, The Sultan's Dilemma
(full-length play), The Tree Climber (full-length play), The Donkey
Market (one-act play), The Song of Death (one-act play), Diary of a
Country Prosecutor (extract from the novel), Miracles for Sale
(short story), The Prison of Life (extract from the autobiography),
Azrael the Barber (short story), Satan Triumphs (short story).
General
| Imprint: |
The American University In Cairo Press
|
| Country of origin: |
Egypt |
| Series: |
Modern Arabic Literature (Paperback) |
| Release date: |
April 2013 |
| First published: |
March 2013 |
| Editors: |
Denys Johnson-Davies
|
| Dimensions: |
231 x 151 x 17mm (L x W x T) |
| Format: |
Paperback
|
| Pages: |
244 |
| ISBN-13: |
978-977-416-592-4 |
| Categories: |
Books >
Fiction >
General & literary fiction >
Modern fiction
|
| LSN: |
977-416-592-6 |
| Barcode: |
9789774165924 |
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