KUWAIT: The main hall of the 57th Cairo International Book Fair concluded its activities with an extensive intellectual seminar entitled “The Question of Identity in the Literature of Naguib Mahfouz,” as part of the “Personality of the Fair” theme. The seminar witnessed high-level participation from Dr Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Dr Hussein Hamouda, Professor of Arabic Language at the Faculty of Arts, Cairo University, Dr Sumaya Azzam, Professor of Comparative Criticism at the University of Lebanon and Dr Nermin Al-Houti, Professor of Critical Studies at the Institute of Theatrical Arts in Kuwait. The symposium was moderated by media personality Amr Al-Shami.
The search for ‘Utopia’
The symposium began with questions about the universality of Naguib Mahfouz, with Dr Sumaya Azzam presenting a comparative reading of “The Journey of Ibn Fatouma” and the works of Voltaire, emphasizing that Mahfouz’s hero “Qandil” undertook a journey that was not merely a geographical transition, but a critical confrontation with systems.
Azzam summarized Mahfouz’s philosophy of happiness by saying: Happiness is not merely a utopian dream, but a conscious confrontation with reality. The truth that the heroes learned through harsh experience is that there is no such thing as a completely happy country, and that human life can be summed up as a constant struggle between ‘blood and earthquakes’, making work and taking action the only way to reveal and survive.”
The dismantling of society
Dr Nermin Al-Houti explained that Mahfouz’s literature reflects a sharp conflict between tradition and modernity, highlighting that identity in his literature was divided into pre- and post-1952 revolution phases. Al-Houti believed that Mahfouz succeeded in presenting national identity to the world through “Al-Hara,” emphasizing: “Identity in Naguib Mahfouz’s works is not merely a fixed attribute, but rather a continuous human search for the self, meaning, and place in the universe. Through his accurate portrayal of social and political transformations, he was able to present a comprehensive model of the overlap between individual and collective identity.”
In his speech, Dr Hussein Hamouda pointed out that Mahfouz’s identity was shaped from the outset by his connection to Egyptian history, and his Arab identity was evident in his commitment to classical Arabic and his inspiration from heritage, as in Al-Harafish. He emphasized that Mahfouz’s identity was “multilevel.”
Dr Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, emphasized that identity in Mahfouz’s work is a highly complex issue that requires consideration of his personality and lifestyle, noting that Mahfouz wrote with creative rather than academic awareness, and that his trilogy was a brilliant embodiment of Egyptian identity. Zayed expressed the depth of the issue of identity in Naguib Mahfouz’s work, describing it as “highly complex” and explaining that identity is essentially an internal feeling shaped by a person’s connection to time and place.
Zayed pointed out the need for caution when attempting to link identity mechanically or “scientifically” to Mahfouz’s works, emphasizing that “we must understand that Naguib Mahfouz is a writer who writes with his creative consciousness, not an academic researcher; Therefore, understanding his identity requires looking at his personality and way of life alongside his works. His extraordinary skill in portraying Egyptian identity was evident in ‘Al-Hara’ in the trilogy, which was not just a place but a vessel for this sense of belonging.” During their speeches, the speakers emphasized that Naguib Mahfouz will remain an icon of Arabic literature who was able to deconstruct reality and build a cross-border identity, balancing local specificity with universal horizons.
