1- shiraz university
2- shiraz university ,nazari.yusuf@shirazu.ac.ir
2- shiraz university ,
Abstract: (280 Views)
This study examines the manifestations of the Indian, Turkish, and Western "Other" in the works of Mahmoud Ahmad Al-Sayyid, a pioneering Iraqi novelist. Employing an imagological framework—a critical approach focused on the cultural and mental images that societies construct of one another, particularly through the duality of "Self" and "Other"—the analysis delves into the mechanisms of Othering in early Iraqi literature. The research is significant for its focus on a tumultuous period in Iraq's history, marked by the collapse of Ottoman rule, the British occupation, and the emergence of the modern nation-state. By uncovering these dynamics, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of identity conflicts, colonial influences, and socio-intellectual transformations, addressing a gap in previous scholarship that has often prioritized historical over literary analysis. The primary objectives are to elucidate the significance of the Self-Other dichotomy in literature, identify the specific cultural images of the Other, and analyze their role in reflecting contemporary struggles over national identity. Utilizing a historical-social methodology, the research conducts a comprehensive analysis of Al-Sayyid's complete oeuvre. This includes his early short stories, such as "Fi Sabil al-Zawaj," "Masir al-Du'afa'," and "Al-Nakabat"; second-phase works like "Jalal Khalid," "Al-Tala'i'," and "Fi Sa'ah min al-Zaman"; as well as appendices including "Aqasis" and "Al-Rasa'il." The examination involves a close reading of characters, events, and narrative discourse. The key findings reveal that Al-Sayyid portrays the Indian Other as a society grappling with severe class oppression and religious subjugation, where Hindu doctrines like "contentment" and "nirvana" are depicted as fostering passivity in the face of injustice, albeit with undercurrents of protest. The Turkish Other is characterized by Ottoman despotism, embodied in figures of corruption and a detachment from Arab culture, leading to intellectual stagnation and moral decline. Conversely, the Western Other is presented as duplicitous and colonial, employing the rhetoric of liberation as a veil for economic and cultural domination, with its literature and cinema serving as vehicles for promoting racial superiority
Keywords: Arabic Narratology, Mahmoud Ahmed Al-Sayyid, Imagology, Indian Other, Turkish Other, Western Other.
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