Men,Women,and God(s) - Introduction: Paradigms of Violation

Oct 14, 2026

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Men, Women, and God(s): Nawal El Saadawi and Arab Feminist Poetics presents Fedwa Malti-Douglas’s original interpretation of Nawal El Saadawi’s work. It argues Saadawi’s texts must be read in relation to Islamic and Arabic cultural heritage, tracing connections to classical and modern Arabic textual traditions. Through extensive engagement with Saadawi’s life and writings, the study frames themes such as feminist critique and politically charged questions, placing the author within cultural and historical context.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages290

Reading Time7 h 27 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction: Paradigms of Violation

Theorizing an Iconoclast

Social Power, Body Power

The Physician and the Prostitute

Boy-Girl, Brother-Sister

Rewriting Patriarchy

Between Heaven and Hell

Of Goddesses and Men

Prison

Dreams of Flying

Toward an Arab Feminist Poetics

Notes

Works Cited

Index

NAWAL EL SAADAWI AND ARAB FEMINISTPOEIICsFEDWA MALTI-DOUGLAS штгяаву спгпенмтмоо еаятеим зтионогоеноец ятиогз Nen.Women,and God(s)is a pioneering study of the Arab world s leading leminist and mostcontraversial womar writer.Nawal EI Saadawi Author ol plays.memors.and such novels asWortarnt at Point Zero and The Irnocenice of he Devl E Saadawi has become wel kriown in theWest as well as in the Arab comnuniry for herexplostve narratives.whnch boldly addresssexiualviolence.female circumcsion,theology,and other poltically charged themes Her outspoktifeminism and critique ol panarchy have also earned her ihe wrah of repressive fores in theMddle East Imprsoned in her native Eeypt under SadaL EI Saadawi is now among those on thiedeath ists of Islamicreligious conservatives, Fedwa Malt-Douglas makes the work of this imporiant bur iule-understood writer rulyaccessible Contending that EI Saadawi's tex¹5 cannot be read in isolanion from their 48lamic andArabic heritage.Malti-Douglas draws on a deep knowledge of classical and moder ArabieTextual traditions-and on extensive ronversatons wth Nawal EI Saadaw-to ploce the writerwithin her cultural and historical context. fedwа Mal-Dougasisihe MarhaC Kral Prolessorarlndiana Uhuersity,Wlere sheilsoChair of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures and Director of the MddleEastern Studies Program.Her books include Woman's Bndy Woman's word GenderandDiscourse in Arabo-1slamic Writng¹991) "Nawal EI Saadawi is one of the most imporant wriers and bravesT women of the iwenlielhcentury.Her work is vital to an understanding of the Arab world and ol zhe siruggle berwPPnmen and отеп. L)CF WA衬自 An original and brilliant interpretation of the works of a leading Arab leminist ашПБог оГТПе АгаЬ Могд “An impressive and erudite book thar offers significant interpretations of the work of one of theтоЯ нпрогТапГ мтнегб оГНте йЕетпапопаГ соттипйу sUSAM JEFFORDs,University of Washington TIn Fedwa Malil-Douglas.Nawal EI Sadawi has found not only an Arab inierpreter bur also jheone writer in the West capable of providng this systemanic,lucid.and tascinaririe analyss olher lifework. HI5HA网5HA四AB1,Georgetown University А Сепеппьа ВооК Cor desugn Nnla Rurer UNIVERSITY o CALIFoRDP靴E55 BER弼犯LE节章4730 One hundred books published between 1990 and 1995bear this special imprint ofthe University of California Press.We have chosen cach Centennial Bookas an example of the Press's finestpublishing and bookmaking traditionsas we celcbrate the beginning ofour second century. UNIVERSITY(F(AIIFORNIA PRESSFounded in 1893 Men,Women,and God(s) Nawal El Saadawi andArab Feminist Poetics Fedwa Malti-Douglas UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS Berkeley/Los Angeles /London University of California PressBerkeley and Ios Angcles,California University of California Press,Ltd.London,England ◎1995 by The Regents of the Univcrsity of California Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Malti-Douglas,Fedwa. Men,women,and God(s):Nawal EI Saadawi and Arab fcministpoctics/Fedwa Malti-Douglas. p.cm. "ACentennial book." Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN0-520·20071-3(alk.papcr).—ISBN0-520-20072-1(pbk.:alk.paper) 1.Sa'dawi,Nawal—Political and social vicws.2.Feminist litera-ture—Arab countries.3.Feminism and literaturc- Arab countries.4.Women authors,Arab—Political and social vicws.5.Feminism in literature.1.Title. PJ7862.A3Z781995 892.73'6—dc20 94-44255 CIP Printed in the United States of Amcrica 987654321 The papcr used in this publication mects thc nininum rcquirementsof Ancrican Natonal Standard for Information Scicnces—Perma-nencc of Papcr for Printed Library Materials,ANSI Z39.48-1984. To All My Tats DEDICATION V ACKNOWLEDGMENTSix NOTE ON TRANSLATION AND TRANSCRIPTIONxiii # Introduction:Paradigms of Violation l 1 Theorizing an Iconoclast9 2 Social Power,Body Power20 3 The Physician and the Prostitute44

FAQs

What central reading approach does the book propose for Nawal El Saadawi’s texts?

It argues that Saadawi’s work cannot be read in isolation, but must be understood through its Islamic and Arabic heritage.

How does the author position Saadawi in cultural and historical context?

Fedwa Malti-Douglas places Saadawi’s writings within their broader cultural and historical framework using knowledge of Arabic textual traditions and engagement with Saadawi’s life and work.

Which themes are emphasized in the book’s chapter plan?

The table of contents highlights topics such as violation, social and bodily power, the physician and the prostitute, gendered relationships, rewriting patriarchy, and developing an Arab feminist poetics.

Oct 14, 2026

Upload by Sarah