Their consent in the end completely changed Babette. They saw that as a young woman she had been beautiful. And they wondered whether in this hour they themselves had not, for the very first time, become to her the "good people" of Achille Papin's letter (38).
The two sisters, Martine and Philippa, in Babette's Feast, are seen by their town as good people. They themselves see themselves in this light as well. "...they were poor and that to them luxurious fare was sinful. Thier own food must be as plain as possible...(32)." This is how they justified denying Babette to indulge in the artistry for French cooking she posessed. They claimed that French luxury was near sinful. The sisters do in fact give to chairity and never turn down anyone that ends up on their doorstep. Babette is a good example of their goodness. They do not know her, yet they take her in when Achille Papin recommends the sisters to Babette as good people that can help her. Babette accepts their offer and submits to the sisters' requests.
When Babette wins the lottery, the sisters' attitude change toward her. They are afraid that they will lose her, meaning they will be losing a servant that they are not paying at all. This makes the sisters selfish. Although it may be best for Babette to leave, they don't want her to because it will be inconveniencing them and they feel that Babette owes them for taking her in, although that is not really being a good person. When Babette makes the simple request to cook a French dinner for their benefit and decides to spend her money for the feast the sisters give in grudgingly. This is when I realized that the sisters are not truly good. This goes back to my argument in Good Woman of Setzuan: No one can be purely good. Eveyone has their flaws, and Babette brought out the flaws of the sisters in this novela.
Work Cited:
Dinesen, Isak. "Babette's Feast." Babette's Feast and Other Anecdotes of Destiny. New York: Vintage, 1988. Print.
Showing posts with label Kersia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kersia. Show all posts
Monday, May 10, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Alter Ego
Bertolt Brecht's The Good Woman of Setzuah introduced a very confused, yet determined character. Shen Te, the prostitute whom the gods have deemed the only “good” person in the world, seems to have the problem of being too good. She is unable to deny those who need assistance, even though they take advantage of her goodness. Throughout the play, not once does Shen Te display any aggravation or complain about giving everything she's worked for to those less fortunate; she helps everyone to the best of her ability without hesitation. Shen Te's cousin, Shui Ta, on the other hand, is not bad, but he is rash: He does what he feels is necessary and logical in order to help his Shen Te. It is not until the end of the play, however, that we come to know that Shui Ta is really Shen Te in disguise.
When Shui Ta reveals himself as Shen Te to the gods in the courtroom, the gods are still convinced that she is good. Even when she confesses:
SHEN TE: … I am she!... Shen Te, yes. Shui Ta and Shen Te. Both./ Your injunction/ To be good and yet to live/ Was a thunderbolt:/ It has torn me in two/ I can't tell how it was/ But to be good to others/ And myself at the same time/ I could not do it/ Your world is not an easy one, illustrious ones!/ When we extend our hand to a beggar, he tears it off for us/ When we help the lost, we are lost ourselves/ And so/ Since not to eat is to die/ Who can long refuse to be bad?/ As I lay prostrate beneath the weight of good intentions/ Fuin stared me in the face/ It was when I was unjust that I ate good meat.../ Why are bad deeds rewarded?/ Good ones punished?/ I enjoy giving/ I truly wished to be the Angel of the Slums.../ The time came when pity was a thorn in my side/ And, later, when kind workds turned to ashes in my mouth. And anger took over/ I became a wolf/ Find me guilty, then, illustrious ones.../ For your great, godly deeds, I was too poor, too small. (102).
Shen Te is trying to explain that no one can be good because it is too hard on them. Helping others is good, but you can only help so many and for so long. This is why Shen Te came up with an alter ego: Shui Ta. Because she would disguise herself as Shui Ta, she was able to release some of the anxiety that she dealt with as Shen Te. Also, as Shui Ta, she was able to preserve some of what Shen Te had worked hard for herself without ruining the good image she had as Shen Te. Even then, the gods accept Shen Te and her alter ego and head back to heaven to announce that there is a good person in the world and leave her, only advising that she not use Shui Ta so often.
This whole episode was meant to show that there are good people, but people are also self absorbed. The gods understand this, and this is why they did not reprimand Shen Te. Her intentions were good, but she could not get past the fact that she herself needed things too. A good person is one who puts other before themselves, which Shen Te did, but she could not keep it up which is why she concocted the alter ego of Shui Ta. Either the gods saw nothing wrong with this, or they were exhausted in searching the world for a good person and settled for Shen Te.
Work Cited
Brecht, Bertolt, and Eric Bentley. The Good Woman of Setzuan. Minneapolis, Minn.: University of Minnesota, 1999. Print.
When Shui Ta reveals himself as Shen Te to the gods in the courtroom, the gods are still convinced that she is good. Even when she confesses:
SHEN TE: … I am she!... Shen Te, yes. Shui Ta and Shen Te. Both./ Your injunction/ To be good and yet to live/ Was a thunderbolt:/ It has torn me in two/ I can't tell how it was/ But to be good to others/ And myself at the same time/ I could not do it/ Your world is not an easy one, illustrious ones!/ When we extend our hand to a beggar, he tears it off for us/ When we help the lost, we are lost ourselves/ And so/ Since not to eat is to die/ Who can long refuse to be bad?/ As I lay prostrate beneath the weight of good intentions/ Fuin stared me in the face/ It was when I was unjust that I ate good meat.../ Why are bad deeds rewarded?/ Good ones punished?/ I enjoy giving/ I truly wished to be the Angel of the Slums.../ The time came when pity was a thorn in my side/ And, later, when kind workds turned to ashes in my mouth. And anger took over/ I became a wolf/ Find me guilty, then, illustrious ones.../ For your great, godly deeds, I was too poor, too small. (102).
Shen Te is trying to explain that no one can be good because it is too hard on them. Helping others is good, but you can only help so many and for so long. This is why Shen Te came up with an alter ego: Shui Ta. Because she would disguise herself as Shui Ta, she was able to release some of the anxiety that she dealt with as Shen Te. Also, as Shui Ta, she was able to preserve some of what Shen Te had worked hard for herself without ruining the good image she had as Shen Te. Even then, the gods accept Shen Te and her alter ego and head back to heaven to announce that there is a good person in the world and leave her, only advising that she not use Shui Ta so often.
This whole episode was meant to show that there are good people, but people are also self absorbed. The gods understand this, and this is why they did not reprimand Shen Te. Her intentions were good, but she could not get past the fact that she herself needed things too. A good person is one who puts other before themselves, which Shen Te did, but she could not keep it up which is why she concocted the alter ego of Shui Ta. Either the gods saw nothing wrong with this, or they were exhausted in searching the world for a good person and settled for Shen Te.
Work Cited
Brecht, Bertolt, and Eric Bentley. The Good Woman of Setzuan. Minneapolis, Minn.: University of Minnesota, 1999. Print.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Who Is Good?
Bertolt Brecht’s The Good Woman of Setzuan is a very humorous play. The idea of three gods in search of a good person in order to prove that religion still exists is hilarious, especially when the gods say that this dispute is being held in heaven as well. What raised the bar, however, is the fact that the only “good” person they can find in several towns is a prostitute and she is the one that is giving the gods hope that there are good people still in the world. The whole idea of a prostitute carrying out gods will makes for a good plot, especially when the gods know her profession.
FIRST GOD: ... You proved that good people still exist, a point that has been disputed as of late—even in heaven.
SHEN TE: Stop, illustrious ones! I’m not sure you’re right. I’d like to be good, it’s true, but there’s the rent to pay. And that’s not all: I sell myself for a living... I should love to stay with one man. But how? How is it done? Even breaking a few of you commandments, I hardly manage.
FIRST GOD (clearing his throat): These thoughts are but, um, the misgivings of an unusually good woman! (10)
It is as if the first god wishes to quickly leave before they find out that Shen Te is not a good woman after all; they’re willing to settle for “good enough” and quickly leave before they can change their minds. Then they are stopped and obligated to give her money, even though it is not allowed of gods. The first god, after throwing money in her hands, that “...there’s no law against it! It was never decreed that a god musn’t pay hotel bills!” (11).
The satire continues as we are introduced to characters who are only concerned about themselves. Shen Te does good with the money, although she is often accused of letting people walk all over her. She decides to invest in a tobacco shop (apparently people need their cigarettes when the economy’s down). When Shen Te needs someone to vouch for her reputation, a lady off the street helps her concoct a “cousin” to put all the weight of the business on. But Shui Ta, the invented cousin, turns up on the doorstep of the tobacco shop. He turns out to be very harsh compared to Shen Te and ends up kicking them all out just to have Shen Te welcome them back with open arms soon after.
This is a funny play that can go in any direction. Shen Te does appear to be good, but I wonder what will happen when she marries. She claims that she is in love, but she only just met the man. When she was under the tree with Yang Sun, he caressed her cheek and said,” You’re easily satisfied, I must say” (36). Shen Te is good in the eyes of the gods right now, but she may not be able to keep it up for long.
Work Cited
Brecht, Bertolt, and Eric Bentley. The Good Woman of Setzuan. Minneapolis, Minn.: University of Minnesota, 1999. Print.
FIRST GOD: ... You proved that good people still exist, a point that has been disputed as of late—even in heaven.
SHEN TE: Stop, illustrious ones! I’m not sure you’re right. I’d like to be good, it’s true, but there’s the rent to pay. And that’s not all: I sell myself for a living... I should love to stay with one man. But how? How is it done? Even breaking a few of you commandments, I hardly manage.
FIRST GOD (clearing his throat): These thoughts are but, um, the misgivings of an unusually good woman! (10)
It is as if the first god wishes to quickly leave before they find out that Shen Te is not a good woman after all; they’re willing to settle for “good enough” and quickly leave before they can change their minds. Then they are stopped and obligated to give her money, even though it is not allowed of gods. The first god, after throwing money in her hands, that “...there’s no law against it! It was never decreed that a god musn’t pay hotel bills!” (11).
The satire continues as we are introduced to characters who are only concerned about themselves. Shen Te does good with the money, although she is often accused of letting people walk all over her. She decides to invest in a tobacco shop (apparently people need their cigarettes when the economy’s down). When Shen Te needs someone to vouch for her reputation, a lady off the street helps her concoct a “cousin” to put all the weight of the business on. But Shui Ta, the invented cousin, turns up on the doorstep of the tobacco shop. He turns out to be very harsh compared to Shen Te and ends up kicking them all out just to have Shen Te welcome them back with open arms soon after.
This is a funny play that can go in any direction. Shen Te does appear to be good, but I wonder what will happen when she marries. She claims that she is in love, but she only just met the man. When she was under the tree with Yang Sun, he caressed her cheek and said,” You’re easily satisfied, I must say” (36). Shen Te is good in the eyes of the gods right now, but she may not be able to keep it up for long.
Work Cited
Brecht, Bertolt, and Eric Bentley. The Good Woman of Setzuan. Minneapolis, Minn.: University of Minnesota, 1999. Print.
Yasin's Lust
In Naguib Mahfouz’s Palace Walk, Yasin is a character that takes after his father, Ahmad, but not in the dealings of business or being someone of high respect. Yasin takes after his father’s vices: partying and women. In the novel, we immediately see that Yasin is a lustful creature. Every time he talks about a woman, it is entirely sexual. He describes their bodies and treats them as objects, always referring to them with obscenities. When he attempts to rape Umm Hanafi, his father feels that it is best to marry him off to one of his friend’s daughters. Ahmad does this in hopes that Yasin will settle down and stop tainting his name; if he is married, he will be seen with more respect than being a single, licentious rapist.
Before his marriage, Yasin was entertaining himself with a woman named Zanuba. He was vey lustful with her and would call her whenever he was in need of pleasure. However, when he gets married to Zaynab, he comes to realize that Zanuba means nothing to him emotionally and now that he has a wife, nothing to him at all (even physically).
“When Yasin thought about his bride, a bestial tremor passed
through his body. Then he remembered the last night... with
Zanuba. He had informed her of his impeding marriage and told her
he was saying goodbye to her... Zanuba no longer meant anything to
him, nor did any other woman. He had lowered the curtain on that
side of his life forever. He might return to drinking, because he
thought his desire for that would not die, but as for women, he could
not imagine his eyes straying when he had a beauty at his disposal.
His bride was a renewable resource and a spring of water for the wild
thirst that had troubled his existence so frequently” (299).
Ahamd was right: If Yasin were given a beautiful wife, he would settle down and then have someone to submit to his lusts. Yasin and Zaynab’s marriage was proving just this until Yasin’s lusts began to resurface. There were times when she would satisfy them, “...her vivacity and desire had increased. When he would think that sleep had become a necessity after such a long period of activity, before he knew it her leg would be flung over his as if of its own accord. So he told himself, ‘How amazing...she’s the one who’s realizing my dreams for our marriage’” (308), but most of the time he was just disappointed that he had left his lustful life behind.
To Yasin: “Marriage’s external appearance was beguiling, tempting enough to die for, but inside it was so staid and sedate that a person might become indifferent of disgusted” (307). He began to lose interest in having a permanent woman at his disposal. Ahmad’s idea had failed because Zaynab was unable to satisfy Yasin’s thirst for lust. Yes, she did try to satisfy him as best she could, but Yasin wants more than one woman can give him and this is what Ahmad failed to take into account. One good thing, in Ahmad’s view, did come from Yasin’s marriage: Yasin’s honor was secured. Because he got married, his offenses of sleeping with other women are not as costly as they would be if he were single.
Work Cited
Mahfouz, Naguib. Palace Walk. Toronto: First American Edition, 1991. Print.
Before his marriage, Yasin was entertaining himself with a woman named Zanuba. He was vey lustful with her and would call her whenever he was in need of pleasure. However, when he gets married to Zaynab, he comes to realize that Zanuba means nothing to him emotionally and now that he has a wife, nothing to him at all (even physically).
“When Yasin thought about his bride, a bestial tremor passed
through his body. Then he remembered the last night... with
Zanuba. He had informed her of his impeding marriage and told her
he was saying goodbye to her... Zanuba no longer meant anything to
him, nor did any other woman. He had lowered the curtain on that
side of his life forever. He might return to drinking, because he
thought his desire for that would not die, but as for women, he could
not imagine his eyes straying when he had a beauty at his disposal.
His bride was a renewable resource and a spring of water for the wild
thirst that had troubled his existence so frequently” (299).
Ahamd was right: If Yasin were given a beautiful wife, he would settle down and then have someone to submit to his lusts. Yasin and Zaynab’s marriage was proving just this until Yasin’s lusts began to resurface. There were times when she would satisfy them, “...her vivacity and desire had increased. When he would think that sleep had become a necessity after such a long period of activity, before he knew it her leg would be flung over his as if of its own accord. So he told himself, ‘How amazing...she’s the one who’s realizing my dreams for our marriage’” (308), but most of the time he was just disappointed that he had left his lustful life behind.
To Yasin: “Marriage’s external appearance was beguiling, tempting enough to die for, but inside it was so staid and sedate that a person might become indifferent of disgusted” (307). He began to lose interest in having a permanent woman at his disposal. Ahmad’s idea had failed because Zaynab was unable to satisfy Yasin’s thirst for lust. Yes, she did try to satisfy him as best she could, but Yasin wants more than one woman can give him and this is what Ahmad failed to take into account. One good thing, in Ahmad’s view, did come from Yasin’s marriage: Yasin’s honor was secured. Because he got married, his offenses of sleeping with other women are not as costly as they would be if he were single.
Work Cited
Mahfouz, Naguib. Palace Walk. Toronto: First American Edition, 1991. Print.
Strength
Throughout Naguib Mahfouz's Palace Walk, both the men and the women in the novel display a certain type of strength. With the men, this is displayed by taking on the roll of a superior. With the women, it is a sense of fulfilling one's duty to their husband. When it comes to the protests in which the Egyptians hold in order to rid themselves of British rule, Fahmy is the first to display a different type of strength: the will to fight for what he believes in. Fahmy is a character that we first see as calm and tolerant, but as the novel comes to an end, we can see that he becomes somewhat of a hero, especially to his father Ahmad (which is shocking because Ahmad is a character who holds the largest superior attitude out of all the men). To him, superiority matters not; it is not what he considers a strength. Fahmy chooses instead to be heroic in standing for what he believes in and trying to free his country of the suppression of British rule. This is what sets Fahmy apart from his father, Ahmad.
When Ahmad is returning home from a night’s entertainment, he is stopped by a British soldier. This is the first time we see Ahmad submit to someone else’s orders rather than give them. “... [The soldier] seized him by the shoulder, forcibly turned him around, and shoved him in the back. Al-Sayyidd Ahmad found himself moving toward Palace Walk with the other man behind him. He surrendered to his fate, but his joints felt like rubber” (443). This is the first time Ahmad displays a sign of weakness. We are not used to seeing Ahmad in a vulnerable position. There is a point in during his walk where he wishes that he could communicate or even understand what his British captor was saying. He thought:
“Where was Fahmy to interpret for him? He was stung by painful
homesickness. Where were Fahmy, Yasin, Kamal, Khadija, Aisha,
and their mother? Could him family imagine his disgraceful state?
Their only image of him was one of venerable and exalted power.
Would they be able to imagine that a soldier had shoved him in the
back almost hard enough to make him fall on the ground and herded
him along like livestock?” (445).
Ahmad is in an uncompromising position and feels weak; it is the first time he will admit that one of his sons would be able to handle a situation better than he.
For the fist time, Fahmy is exercising his strength to go against his father’s will. This is not only a rebellious display against his father, but more of a commitment to his principals. He takes part in the protests although his father forbids it and gains a sense of patriotism and self worth from it. “He had not defied his father verbally but had acted against his will and had done so repeatedly. Moreover, he had refused to swear an oath the day his father had asked him to, announcing with his tears that he would stick to his principles despite his father’s wishes” (484). Fahmy even goes as far as to ask for his father’s approval to participate in the protests. Although Ahmad is still resistant, Fahmy decides to go along anyway. The fact that Fahmy had the courage and strength to put his life at risk and go against his father’s will was very brave and heroic of him. Throughout the novel we have seen that Ahmad’s relationship with Fahmy was one of the strongest and for Fahmy to risk that, and in this culture, is a very powerful thing.
When Ahmad finds out that Fahmy was killed in one of the protests he feels a pang of guilt and sadness. “...he would scrutinize Fahmy’s life in the prime of his youth, the hopes he had aroused and the memories he had left behind, giving free rein to tears so he could totally exhaust them” (497). Ahmad is worn down and realizes that his son died doing something brave for his country. This is the turning point for Ahmad; it is sad though, that it finally stuck at the expense of his son’s life. By the end of the Palace Walk we have seen the characters develop into something greater. Fahmy, a submissive son, finally stands for what he believes is right. Ahmad, a strict and egotistical father, realizes that being harsh and following the rules is not the way to earn respect and it is certainly does not compare to the strength that his son showed.
Work Cited
Mahfouz, Naguib. Palace Walk. Toronto: First American Edition, 1991. Print.
When Ahmad is returning home from a night’s entertainment, he is stopped by a British soldier. This is the first time we see Ahmad submit to someone else’s orders rather than give them. “... [The soldier] seized him by the shoulder, forcibly turned him around, and shoved him in the back. Al-Sayyidd Ahmad found himself moving toward Palace Walk with the other man behind him. He surrendered to his fate, but his joints felt like rubber” (443). This is the first time Ahmad displays a sign of weakness. We are not used to seeing Ahmad in a vulnerable position. There is a point in during his walk where he wishes that he could communicate or even understand what his British captor was saying. He thought:
“Where was Fahmy to interpret for him? He was stung by painful
homesickness. Where were Fahmy, Yasin, Kamal, Khadija, Aisha,
and their mother? Could him family imagine his disgraceful state?
Their only image of him was one of venerable and exalted power.
Would they be able to imagine that a soldier had shoved him in the
back almost hard enough to make him fall on the ground and herded
him along like livestock?” (445).
Ahmad is in an uncompromising position and feels weak; it is the first time he will admit that one of his sons would be able to handle a situation better than he.
For the fist time, Fahmy is exercising his strength to go against his father’s will. This is not only a rebellious display against his father, but more of a commitment to his principals. He takes part in the protests although his father forbids it and gains a sense of patriotism and self worth from it. “He had not defied his father verbally but had acted against his will and had done so repeatedly. Moreover, he had refused to swear an oath the day his father had asked him to, announcing with his tears that he would stick to his principles despite his father’s wishes” (484). Fahmy even goes as far as to ask for his father’s approval to participate in the protests. Although Ahmad is still resistant, Fahmy decides to go along anyway. The fact that Fahmy had the courage and strength to put his life at risk and go against his father’s will was very brave and heroic of him. Throughout the novel we have seen that Ahmad’s relationship with Fahmy was one of the strongest and for Fahmy to risk that, and in this culture, is a very powerful thing.
When Ahmad finds out that Fahmy was killed in one of the protests he feels a pang of guilt and sadness. “...he would scrutinize Fahmy’s life in the prime of his youth, the hopes he had aroused and the memories he had left behind, giving free rein to tears so he could totally exhaust them” (497). Ahmad is worn down and realizes that his son died doing something brave for his country. This is the turning point for Ahmad; it is sad though, that it finally stuck at the expense of his son’s life. By the end of the Palace Walk we have seen the characters develop into something greater. Fahmy, a submissive son, finally stands for what he believes is right. Ahmad, a strict and egotistical father, realizes that being harsh and following the rules is not the way to earn respect and it is certainly does not compare to the strength that his son showed.
Work Cited
Mahfouz, Naguib. Palace Walk. Toronto: First American Edition, 1991. Print.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Love and Marriage
Naguib Mahfouz is able to give the reader a taste of the fear that Amina feels in chapter twenty-nine of Palace Walk, after the accident (her being hit by a car) has taken place. Since the novel is written in third person, we are given a description of the fear that everyone in the house feels when the question of how they will confront Ahmad is brought about. To her surprise, however, Ahmad did not resort to anger, as predicted. Instead he told her to “‘Stay in bed till God heals you’” (184). When he leaves the room, Mahfouz describes Aisha’s reaction. “Her pale face blushed when she remembered the affection he had showered on her when she had been expecting nothing but his overwhelming anger that would blow her and her future away. Yes, she felt both pride and embarrassment when she started to talk about their father’s sympathy for her in her time of need and how he had forgotten his anger because of the affection and pity that had seized hold of him” (185). “Pride” and “embarrassment” are words that do not go hand in hand. Amina seems to be lying to herself about Ahmad’s affection for her. It is as if she wishes that it were really affection that Ahmad felt instead of an obligation to their marriage.
As I have mentioned in my previous response “Love, Lust, and Custom,” in Islamic culture, marriage is something that everyone must do. Love does not necessarily play a role in every marriage. With Amina and Ahmad's marriage, as Westerners, we find ourselves scrutinizing their marriage and declaring that there is no love involved. Perhaps this is true; maybe Amina is attempting to find love in the littlest things. As human beings, we strive for love, especially women. But who are we to judge or define love? In Islamic culture, I have noticed that marriage is love. We believe that love comes before marriage, and sometimes this holds true for Islamic culture as well, but usually marriage comes first in Islamic culture and the two newlyweds must learn to love one another because divorce is frowned down upon.
In the case of Amina and Ahmad, Amina feels that Ahmad must feel some kind of affection toward her since he did not get angry at her venture outside. But there is also a feeling lingering in her private thoughts that this may not be enough. “Privately she might have wished he would complete his kind treatment of her by renouncing his night out, as was appropriate for a husband whose wife had suffered what she had. Since she knew his temperament well, though, she fabricated an excuse for him ... She would justify his departure with the excuse she had already invented...” (188). It is clear that Amina wishes for Ahmad to be more caring about her fragile situation, but in the end she gives in and accepts that she will receive no more affection from him.
In the article,“Marriage in Islam,” there is a section that discusses love and how it is viewed in Islamic culture. Love is something that does not last, it is a feeling that can end; whereas marriage is a commitment that is necessary in Islamic society. “Love blinds people to potential problems in the relationship. Arranged marriages on the other hand, are based not on physical attraction or romantic notions but rather on critical evaluation of the compatibility of the couple. This is why they often prove successful.” This article makes a valid point: successful marriages are successful only if those married are compatible. Love waivers, but if two people meet each others needs, then there would be no reason for them to part. It is somewhat of a convenience factor. So although Amina desires to be loved, this is not necessarily the case in her marriage. When Ahmad summons her to return home after dismissing her, it is not he who comes to get her from her mother's house, but her sons. The reason for summoning her must have had to do with the fact that he needs her in his life, not for love, but to carry out her duties as his wife; he needs her for the convenience.
Works Cited
1.Mahfouz, Naguib. Palace Walk. New York: Anchor, 1990. Print.
2."Marriage in Islam." Jannah.Org :: Islam the Eternal Path to Peace. Web. 20 Mar. 2010..
As I have mentioned in my previous response “Love, Lust, and Custom,” in Islamic culture, marriage is something that everyone must do. Love does not necessarily play a role in every marriage. With Amina and Ahmad's marriage, as Westerners, we find ourselves scrutinizing their marriage and declaring that there is no love involved. Perhaps this is true; maybe Amina is attempting to find love in the littlest things. As human beings, we strive for love, especially women. But who are we to judge or define love? In Islamic culture, I have noticed that marriage is love. We believe that love comes before marriage, and sometimes this holds true for Islamic culture as well, but usually marriage comes first in Islamic culture and the two newlyweds must learn to love one another because divorce is frowned down upon.
In the case of Amina and Ahmad, Amina feels that Ahmad must feel some kind of affection toward her since he did not get angry at her venture outside. But there is also a feeling lingering in her private thoughts that this may not be enough. “Privately she might have wished he would complete his kind treatment of her by renouncing his night out, as was appropriate for a husband whose wife had suffered what she had. Since she knew his temperament well, though, she fabricated an excuse for him ... She would justify his departure with the excuse she had already invented...” (188). It is clear that Amina wishes for Ahmad to be more caring about her fragile situation, but in the end she gives in and accepts that she will receive no more affection from him.
In the article,“Marriage in Islam,” there is a section that discusses love and how it is viewed in Islamic culture. Love is something that does not last, it is a feeling that can end; whereas marriage is a commitment that is necessary in Islamic society. “Love blinds people to potential problems in the relationship. Arranged marriages on the other hand, are based not on physical attraction or romantic notions but rather on critical evaluation of the compatibility of the couple. This is why they often prove successful.” This article makes a valid point: successful marriages are successful only if those married are compatible. Love waivers, but if two people meet each others needs, then there would be no reason for them to part. It is somewhat of a convenience factor. So although Amina desires to be loved, this is not necessarily the case in her marriage. When Ahmad summons her to return home after dismissing her, it is not he who comes to get her from her mother's house, but her sons. The reason for summoning her must have had to do with the fact that he needs her in his life, not for love, but to carry out her duties as his wife; he needs her for the convenience.
Works Cited
1.Mahfouz, Naguib. Palace Walk. New York: Anchor, 1990. Print.
2."Marriage in Islam." Jannah.Org :: Islam the Eternal Path to Peace. Web. 20 Mar. 2010.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Love, Lust, and Custom
Author Naguib Mahfouz introduces a new perspective in how we view love and lust in his novel, Palace Walk. What makes this particular vantage point of the dealings of lust and love so different from those we are accustomed to hearing about is that the customs of the characters’ culture hinder them at times; their customs influence their decisions when both lust and love present themselves. We see this occurrence become more pronounced in this section of the book (chapters 14 through 29) when almost all of the main characters in the novel are conflicted in their desires and their realities. True, love seems to be of a delicate subject for some whereas lust seems to come naturally to others, but no matter what it may be labeled, all of the characters are forced to take their cultural customs into consideration before any act on their desires.
When Ahmad goes to Madam Zubayda’s residence in hopes of an evening’s entertainment, he becomes conflicted when he begins flirting with her. When he is pursuing her in her home, she teasingly rejects his advances. In one instance, she claims that she must repeat her ritual ablutions. Ahmad, in return, discloses that he hopes they may pray together. In his head, however, is where conflict begins. “He privately asked God’s forgiveness as soon as he had made this joke. Although there were no limits to his impudence when he was intoxicated by his sense of humor, his heart was always troubled and uneasy until he secretly and sincerely asked God’s forgiveness for the humorous excesses of his tongue” (93). Although Ahmad demonstrates the lust that comes with being a sexual being in this scene, he does feel some remorse for abusing God in the process.
Fahmy has fallen for the neighbor girl, Maryam and wishes to ask for her engagement, but his father protests. His father does not understand why Fahmy would request this when he has not even seen her. When he asks Amina if Fahmy has laid eyes on Maryam, she replies, “Of coarse not sir. My son doesn’t lift his eyes to look at a neighbor girl or anyone else,” to which Ahmad returns by saying, “How can he want to get engaged to her if he hasn’t seen her? I didn’t know I had sons who were sneaking looks at the respectable women of our neighbors” (129). This is one of the factors that effects Ahmad’s decision in declining Fahmy’s request to marry Maryam. He is concerned that people will jump to the same conclusion as he did about his son viewing Mayam and that it would taint his family’s name. When Fahmy receives this news, he is upset that his father will not allow him to marry whom he wants whenever he sees fit, but as it is custom to obey the head of house, Fahmy complies.
Another character who has fallen victim to customs concerning the head of house that denies her love is Aisha. Everyday, an officer passes by her window and they look at one another and Aisha feels her heart fill with affection for this man. When her sister, Khadija, catches them glancing at one another she reprimands her sister. She says, “Nothing remains a secret forever, no matter how long it may be concealed. Imagine the situation for all of us if someone on the street or one of our neighbors noticed you. You know very well how people talk. Imagine what would happen if the news reached Daddy. God help us!” (141). Aisha decides to put the officer in the back of her mind as not to risk the family’s honor. When the young man requests her engagement, her father becomes furious and, like his son Fahmy, forbids it. Aisha is sure she loves the officer, but custom holds her from speaking her mind. “There was not a thing she could do about it. This was her father’s will and she could not criticize it. All she could do was submit and obey. In fact, she had to be happy and content. To be despondent would be an unforgivable offense. To protest would be a sin her conscience and sense of etiquette could not allow” (159).
Mahfouz is able to portray the thoughts and feeling of every character in a light that makes us feel like we are the ones who are conflicted. In this section of the novel, we are able to learn a lesson in Muslim culture and customs and we are able to see how these characters’ love and desires must be suppressed for the sake of the love and respect they feel for their own culture. During the talk of Aisha’s possible engagement, Yasin says. “Marriage is the fate of every living creature. Anyone not getting married today will marry tomorrow” (152). Love is something all of these characters aspire to feel, but they all understand that marriage is the custom of their culture, and submit regardless of their feelings.
Work Cited
Mahfouz, Naguib. Palace Walk. Toronto: First American Edition, 1991. Print.
When Ahmad goes to Madam Zubayda’s residence in hopes of an evening’s entertainment, he becomes conflicted when he begins flirting with her. When he is pursuing her in her home, she teasingly rejects his advances. In one instance, she claims that she must repeat her ritual ablutions. Ahmad, in return, discloses that he hopes they may pray together. In his head, however, is where conflict begins. “He privately asked God’s forgiveness as soon as he had made this joke. Although there were no limits to his impudence when he was intoxicated by his sense of humor, his heart was always troubled and uneasy until he secretly and sincerely asked God’s forgiveness for the humorous excesses of his tongue” (93). Although Ahmad demonstrates the lust that comes with being a sexual being in this scene, he does feel some remorse for abusing God in the process.
Fahmy has fallen for the neighbor girl, Maryam and wishes to ask for her engagement, but his father protests. His father does not understand why Fahmy would request this when he has not even seen her. When he asks Amina if Fahmy has laid eyes on Maryam, she replies, “Of coarse not sir. My son doesn’t lift his eyes to look at a neighbor girl or anyone else,” to which Ahmad returns by saying, “How can he want to get engaged to her if he hasn’t seen her? I didn’t know I had sons who were sneaking looks at the respectable women of our neighbors” (129). This is one of the factors that effects Ahmad’s decision in declining Fahmy’s request to marry Maryam. He is concerned that people will jump to the same conclusion as he did about his son viewing Mayam and that it would taint his family’s name. When Fahmy receives this news, he is upset that his father will not allow him to marry whom he wants whenever he sees fit, but as it is custom to obey the head of house, Fahmy complies.
Another character who has fallen victim to customs concerning the head of house that denies her love is Aisha. Everyday, an officer passes by her window and they look at one another and Aisha feels her heart fill with affection for this man. When her sister, Khadija, catches them glancing at one another she reprimands her sister. She says, “Nothing remains a secret forever, no matter how long it may be concealed. Imagine the situation for all of us if someone on the street or one of our neighbors noticed you. You know very well how people talk. Imagine what would happen if the news reached Daddy. God help us!” (141). Aisha decides to put the officer in the back of her mind as not to risk the family’s honor. When the young man requests her engagement, her father becomes furious and, like his son Fahmy, forbids it. Aisha is sure she loves the officer, but custom holds her from speaking her mind. “There was not a thing she could do about it. This was her father’s will and she could not criticize it. All she could do was submit and obey. In fact, she had to be happy and content. To be despondent would be an unforgivable offense. To protest would be a sin her conscience and sense of etiquette could not allow” (159).
Mahfouz is able to portray the thoughts and feeling of every character in a light that makes us feel like we are the ones who are conflicted. In this section of the novel, we are able to learn a lesson in Muslim culture and customs and we are able to see how these characters’ love and desires must be suppressed for the sake of the love and respect they feel for their own culture. During the talk of Aisha’s possible engagement, Yasin says. “Marriage is the fate of every living creature. Anyone not getting married today will marry tomorrow” (152). Love is something all of these characters aspire to feel, but they all understand that marriage is the custom of their culture, and submit regardless of their feelings.
Work Cited
Mahfouz, Naguib. Palace Walk. Toronto: First American Edition, 1991. Print.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
The Way I See It
Naguib Mahfouz’s Palace Walk allows us, as readers, to delve into the minds of each and every character rather than only providing us with the opinions of one. By writing the novel in third person, Mahfouz is able to give us snippets of how each character feels and the way they view a certain situation or conflict that is presented in the novel. This allows us to see the effects that it has on each of the characters and how this, in turn, defines them as a person. The novel becomes the way they see it rather than the way one character sees it. This is what makes every character in the novel essential: the fact that they all have a say, even if they are not allowed to speak it aloud.
At the beginning of the novel, we are given a look into Amina’s daily routine. She appears to be a submissive wife whose views are suppressed, and as we are Westerners, we would assume that she is unhappy. We also assume that her husband, al-Sayyid Ahmad, is the leading cause of Amina’s unhappiness. However, when Mahfouz allows us the pleasure of viewing Amina’s thoughts on the matter, we see that Amina is very happy and feels very fortunate to have Ahmad as a husband. We also come to realize how much of an impact Ahmad has on his children. In this case, it is the women who hold him in high esteem.
The mother and her two girls went at once to the balcony. They stood at the window overlooking al-Nahhasin street to observe through the holes of its wodden grille the men of the family on the street. The father could be seen moving in a slow and dignified fashion. He projected an aura of grandeur and good looks, raising his hands in greeting from time to time. Uncle Hasanayn, the barber, Hajj Darwish, who sold beans, al-Fuli, the milkman, and al-Bayumi, the drinks vendor, all rose to greet him. The women watched him with eyes filled with love and pride... This moment was one of the happiest of the mother’s day (23).
In this passage, it is obvious that the women are proud to have such a well respected head of the house. His rough demeanor must be attributed to his willingness to gain respect in the household and amongst his peers. That does not mean, however that he is an uncaring man.
Although his family both fears and respects him, we are able to see a side of Ahmad that his family never sees because he keeps up a façade at home, but when in public, for some reason he is able to be himself.
The truth was that he was dreaded and feared only in his own family. With everyone else—friends, acquaintances, and customers—he was a different person. He received his share of respect and esteem but above all else was loved. He was loved for the charm of his personality more than for any of his many other fine characteristics. His acquaintances did not know what he was like at home. The members of his family did not know him as others did (36).
Because Mahfouz gives us the different perspectives of each character, we are able to see a character for who they really are. Our initial, hateful thoughts toward Ahmad can now be replaced with a sense of understanding. He has to be harsh at home in order to gain respect within the family. Getting his family to respect his is all he’s ever known; it was the way he was raised. This does not mean that he is incapable of loving them, he just happens to show it in a different way.
Seeing the way each character views a situation enlightens a reader. We are able to see the truth instead of just getting one character’s view. If Mahfouz had not written the novel in third person, we would never know who Ahmad was outside of the house. We would only see the way Amina and the children viewed him. By writing the novel in third person, we are able to sympathize with and understand Ahmad better. It is a way for him to get his say.
Work Cited
Mahfouz, Naguib. Palace Walk. Toronto: First American Edition, 1991. Print.
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