''Women of Sand and Myrrh'' is a
novel written by
Hanan al-Shaykh
Hanan al-Shaykh ( ar, حنان الشيخ; born 12 November 1945, Beirut) is a Lebanese author of contemporary literature.
Biography
Hanan al-Shaykh was born Beirut, Lebanon, in 1945, into a strict Shi'a
family. Her father and brother exerte ...
. It was originally published in 1989 as ''Misk al-ghazal'' () and was published in English in 1992. The English translator is
Catherine Cobham
Catherine Cobham is a scholar and translator of Arabic literature.
Biography
She obtained a BA from Leeds University and an MA from Manchester University and presently teaches at the University of St Andrews.
She has translated numerous literary ...
. ''Publishers Weekly'' chose ''Women of Sand and Myrrh'' as one of the 50 best books of 1992.
The storyline consists of four main characters: Suha, Tamr, Nur, and Suzanne. Different sections of the novel give the perspectives of the four women, making the book a story with four different narrators.
The story is based in a relatively modern society in the Middle East. Rather than having strong ties into the pre-20th century Middle East, it is representative of life in some of the more fundamentalist societies within the last few decades. Elements of the book are present in this society today:
* Women wearing abayas and using different infrastructure elements.
* Mandatory prayers at certain times of the day
* Patriarchal society; many view women as good for little except raising children.
* Implementation of desalinization plants (a large clue that the main setting is Saudi Arabia), airports, etc.
The novel addresses many issues in today's society and has a wide variety of themes. Main themes of the novel include differing gender roles, class distinctions, culture, religion, and materialism vs. romanticism. Themes include:
* Men vs. women
*
Feminism
Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...
* Use and/or abuse of power in a relationship
* Class distinctions
* Structure of society
* Rebellion against the status quo
* Culture and religion
* Freedom vs. Confinement/Restraint
* Elements of traditional culture and their effect
*
Materialism vs.
Romanticism
Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...
* The sexual disadvantages and existing desires of Arab women
* Hidden Lesbianism in Arab cultures
* The Innate desire of Arab women to be treated better
''Women of Sand and Myrrh'' was banned in many Arabic lands for strong content (sexual, political, etc.) and for a strong treatment of Arabic culture.
1989 novels
Lebanese novels
Novels set in Saudi Arabia
Novels by Hanan al-Shaykh
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