Egyptians have always been fond of expression; a gracious act, a warm smile, or an affectionate and lighthearted conversation are more than just simple acts, but are an entire language. A light heart, or “dam khafeef”, is often used to describe those who are lively and expressive. Telling stories is just one of many ways of expression embedded in Egyptian culture, so much so that ancient Egyptians were regarded as the world’s earliest storytellers, and their hieroglyphic language known as one of the earliest examples of a written language. However, between ancient Egypt and today, the ageless art of storytelling has evolved. Influenced by many cultures over the years, the Egyptian short story took its own shape and identity. As translator Denys Johnson-Davies notes in his book ‘Homecoming: Sixty Years of Egyptian Short Stories’, little is known or written about the literary revolution that occurred in Arabic literature, particularly how the influence of Western literature led many Egyptian writers to adopt different genres, such as the short story. As a genre, the short story flourished in the 19th century in Egypt and the Middle East in parallel to the rise…
Expressions of Hardship: A History of the Egyptian Short Story
June 11, 2022
