Female-writers representatives of Arab Mahjar literature

Abstract

This paper is dedicated to life and creative work of certain female writers of Arab Mahjar literature who have made an enormous contribution to the development and formation of Mahjar literature as well as Arabic literature on the whole leaving by their works a profound imprint both in Oriental and Western literatures. The paper contains brief information about historical conditions of the appearance and formation of Arabic Mahjar literary school (the word means emigration in Arabic). Together with male masters of writing in Mahjar literature also worked their female colleagues including such talented authors as Afifa Kerem, Salva Salama Atlas, Maria Yuni Atallah, Nezhla Abi al-Lamae Maaluf and others. Female writers worked in diverse literary genres — prose, publicism and journalism-of Arabic literature created in emigration. The main subjects in the creative work of these literary figures were the issues of rights and freedom of woman residing both in their native countries and in emigration. Alongwith numerous articles and stories which Afifa Kerem who has emigrated from Lebanon to America, had published in newspapers and magazines. She is also the author of three remarkable novels — Badiya and Fuad; Fatima, a Bedouin Woman, Gada Amshit. Being a celebrated publicist of periodical press, Salva Salama Atlas has emigrated from Syria to Brazil. Also is the author of three sensational books in Arabic.They are Al-Kalimat al-Khalida, Tarikh al-Brazil, and Almen and Salva. Maria Yuni Atallah who has emigrated from Lebanon to Chile, is the author of a great number of articles permeated with progressive ideas and published in many newspapers and magazines. Nezhla Abi al-Lamae Maaluf who has emigrated from Lebanon to America, is also a renowned representative of Arab Mahjar literature. Owing to thes e outstanding representatives of the East Arabic emigrant literature has become famous as a peculiar word treasury which had enriched the world literature. Refs 12.

Keywords:

female, writers, Arab Mahjar literature