Fall 2022, CairoShort Course
Women's Writing and the Literary Canon
Course details
- Cycle
- Fall 2022, Cairo
- Length
- 8 weeks
- Format
- In person
- Taught in
- English
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About the course
"وكتاباتنا الإبداعية بالتالي تختلف عن كتابات الرجل الذي ينتمي لنفس المجتمع الذي أنتمي إليه، قد تتساوى فنيًا، وقد تتميز، وقد تختلف، ولكنها في كل الحالات تختلف، فلم كان من الصعب علينا الإقرار بهذا الاختلاف؟"
عندما كنت أتساءل لماذا لا توجد شاعرة عربية حديثة أنتمي إليها، لم أسمع بها [سنية صالح] عندما كنت أفكر."
How many women authors have you read in school? How many women are present on the recommended shelf in your local bookstore? Literary Canon refers to the body of works traditionally perceived as masterpieces of literature that are also taught in universities and high schools. As a patriarchal construct, the Canon marginalizes women and admits a few women under certain conditions. In the case of Arabic Literature, these conditions relate to 1) nationalism, 2) responding to masculine aesthetics, and 3) committing to designated gendered traditions such as rithāʾ elegies. Accompanying the rise of nationalism in the twentieth century, women's writings, which could be categorized as national works, were more likely to be canonized. On the other hand, women writers challenged the Canon, expanded the boundaries of literary genres, and created feminist aesthetics.
In addition to discussing how the Arabic literary Canon works, this course offers a counter-feminist canon through its readings. We are going to understand why a woman author could be canonized while others are not. Furthermore, we will investigate why specific works were marginalized while others are considered masterpieces by the same author. Above all, we are going to enjoy reading poems, short stories and novels written by women.
Who teaches it
A researcher and writer; won the Magda Al-Nowaihi award in Gender Studies (2025) for his AUC MA thesis in Arabic Literature & Language, “Negotiating the Canon: Arab Women Romantic Poets Jamila al-ʻAlayli and Zahra al-Hurr”. His short story «فرخة» won the Madalyn Lamont award in creative writing (2023). Interested in writing about the daily and the mundane.
Course flow
Sessions without a date
In the first week, we will discuss our reading choices and what influences what we read in school or in our free time. We will also introduce the concepts of Canon and marginalization in Arabic literature.
- Treason Our Text: Feminist Challenges to the Literary CanonLillian S. Robinson
In class
- Discussionwe will discuss our reading choices and what influences what we read in school or in our free time.
We are going to explore the world of Latifa al-Zayyat and discuss why her novel al-Bab al-Maftuh the Open Door was canonized. We will read less known works by her in order to understand her literary journey and complicated relationship with the Nasser regime.
Assignment: Write a 400 words reflection on the reading. Details will be posted accordingly.
- صاحب البيتلطيفة الزيات
In class
- Discussiondiscuss why her novel al-Bab al-Maftuh the Open Door was canonized.
What is romanticism, and how Arab women poets had influenced the Arabic romantic movement? We are going to introduce romanticism as a literary movement and the marginalization of women poets who belonged to the literary movement.
- ديوان صدى أحلاميفلوري عبد الملك. مختارات
- المرأة والشعر العاطفيجميلة العلايلي
We are going to explore the classical Arabic tradition of elegies written by women in the pre-modern period. Al-Khansa, as a case study, will be demonstrated and read alongside the canonization of her work. We will question who and how she is mourning.
Assignment: Write a 400 words response on Fatma al-Muhsin's text. Details will be posted accordingly.
- مختارات من رثاء الخنساء
- تقاليد الرثاء في القصيدة النسويةفاطمة المحسن
How do modern elegies differ from classical ones? Did how and who women mourn in their poems change from what we read in the previous week? This week we are going to read modern Arabic literature elegies by Fadwa Tuqan, Gamila al‘Alayili and Nazik al-Malaika.
- modern Arabic literature elegiesFadwa Tuqan, Gamila al‘Alayili and Nazik al-Malaika
What genres do women write? We will discuss the literary genres of self-writing (autobiographies, diaries, letters…) and try to understand why they differ from novels and short stories. We will investigate how aesthetically different self-writing is from other plot-driven literary genres.
- رحلة جبلية، رحلة صعبةفدوى طوقان
In class
- DiscussionWe will discuss the literary genres of self-writing (autobiographies, diaries, letters…) and try to understand why they differ from novels and short stories.
Do women write differently? This week will focus on women's feminized literature and claimed literary genres. We will continue our discussion about self-writing aesthetics in an attempt to find common themes of women writing. We are going to mobilize feminist literary theory text by Anne Rosalind Jones.
Assignment: Ideas for the final project.
- Writing the Body: Toward an Understanding of l’écriture feminineAnne Rosalind Jones
In class
- DiscussionWe will continue our discussion about self-writing aesthetics in an attempt to find common themes of women writing.
In our final discussion, we are going to survey what we read, wrote and concluded. Presentations are expected to illustrate individual projects about marginalized women authors. Students are encouraged to find unconventional texts such as orally transmitted texts, diaries and letters.
Assignment: 800 words paper on your final project. Details will be posted accordingly.
In class
- DiscussionIn our final discussion, we are going to survey what we read, wrote and concluded.
- PresentationPresentations are expected to illustrate individual projects about marginalized women authors.
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