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Title صورة المرأة في روايات بدرية البشر وشهلا العجيلي (دراسة تحليلية مقارنة)

Author(s) Qayash Bahadar

Abstract The Woman’s Portrait in the Fictions of Badriah Al-Bishr and Shahla Al-Ujaili: An Analytical Comparative Study This study examines analytical exploration of the woman’s portrait in 21st-century Arabic fiction through the works of two renowned Arab female writers: Badriah Al-Bishr, a Saudi writer and journalist, and Shahla Al-Ujaili, a Syrian-Jordanian academic and novelist. The objective was to analyze how both authors portray the image, role, and concerns of women in contemporary Arab society through literary expression. The selected novels reveal diverse representations of women shaped by the distinct social, political, economic, and religious contexts of their respective regions. The method used for the research was qualitative, focusing on thematic and technical analysis of selected novels. Badriah Al-Bishr’ selected novels are: Hind and the Soldiers (2006), The Pendulum (2010), Love Birds on Al-Asha Street (2013), and The Thursday Visitors (2017). Shahla Al-Ujaili’ selected novels are: The Eye of the Cat (2009), The Persian Carpet (2013), A Sky Close to Our House (2015), and A Summer with the Enemy (2018). The research examined four major areas: 1) the thoughts of women and their central issues; 2) the circumstances that shape the Arab woman’s identity; 3) the presentation of narrative and technical elements in fiction; and 4) a comparative analysis of female portrayal by both writers. Primary sources, i.e., the original Arabic texts of the selected novels, were consulted to understand the authors’ literary approaches and their depiction of women's experiences. These texts were critically analyzed to identify key themes, narrative strategies, and the influence of sociocultural context on the portrayal of women. The research found that both writers utilize modern literary techniques to articulate the internal and external struggles of Arab women. Their works reflect varying perspectives shaped by regional realities but converge in advocating for self-awareness, identity, and social roles of women. It also concluded that contemporary Arab female fiction significantly contributes to the discourse on gender, identity, and societal transformation. The study recommends further critical and comparative research across Arab women’s writings to broaden the understanding of evolving female narratives in modern Arabic literature. Keywords: Woman in Arabic fiction, Badriah Al-Bishr, Shahla Al-Ujaili, gender discourse, Arab novel, comparative literary study

Type Thesis/Dissertation PhD

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Department Arabic

Language Arabic

Publication Date 2025-05-27

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