Harem: een liefde in Alexandrië

by Out El Kouloub, قوت القلوب), Eveline van Hemert (translator)

Out el Kouloub el Demerdasjia is een van de grondleggers van de Arabische vrouwenliteratuur. Behorend tot de mohammedaanse aristocratie had Kouloub toegang tot de hoogste culturele kringen in het Egypte van begin deze eeuw; ze organiseerde literaire salons en was een van de eerste feministes. Haar roman Harem behoort tot de canon van de Arabische literatuur en zorgde voor een enorme schok vanwege de openheid waarmee zij over liefde en sexualiteit schreef. In Harem beschrijft Out el Kouloub de grote, romantische, maar verboden liefde van een jonge vrouw aan het begin van deze eeuw. Ramsa groeit op beschermde wijze op tussen de vrouwen van de harem van haar vader Farid. Hoewel het haar aan niets ontbreekt, ervaart de jonge Ramsa al vroeg de beperkingen van het leven in de harem en zoekt zij een uitweg: een geheime relatie met haar grote liefde Mahir. Terwijl haar vriendinnen worden uitgehuwelijkt, verzet Ramsa zich tegen de conservatieve tradities en trouwt in het geheim met Mahir...

Genres: Fiction, Egypt, 20th Century, Novels

194 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1937

Reviews

[Laila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out El Kouloub can make you live in places and times you'd never been before by her smooth way of description.

[Martine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had to read this for school, but I enjoyed it so much it's still on my book shelf

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not a light read, this was intriguing and feels especially relevant to current times. Ramza depicts the life of her mother and then herself in the traditional Egyptian harem. Having little knowledge of this subject, I nevertheless found the story gripping as I learned about Ramza's upbringing and later her fortitude in fighting for what she wanted. In fact, it felt like the novel cut off too early. I wanted to see more of the life she would make for herself and how she continued to live after the climactic events of this novel. More than that, I found myself intrigued by the policies and social change for women's rights, and I desired to know more about that. I suppose it will have to be just personal research, but having a novel that creates that interest in its reader is definitely commendable. If nothing else, Ramza is a charismatic figure in my mind and I wanted to rage against the injustices she faced from not just her family but society at large.

[Nuha Kabbani · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I am reading through the book I felt like I am watching an Egyptian love movie.
In my opinion this book is not covering harem from the Islamic aspect of it, yet it is an opinion of the author from a culture she lived in but not understood the bright side of it. One could ask why wouldn't one marry in a traditional way? What is the difference between a woman living happily and comfortably in the harem and a married woman with ristricted husband? Why not find love with the veil on. Why not be eficated and veiled at the same time.
Ramza seems to be the symbol of the rebilious and angry female in her time. I don't see a contradiction to wearing the veil and being educated at the same time. I would say given too much freedom for both males and females lead to distructions.
Surely, her boldness made her loose everyone she loved! Disappointing end!

[David Marallag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like The Red Tent, I also read this for the same class, this time focusing on Islam. The story starts out slow, but it does give a good introduction to the later conflict. It’s autobiographical nature also helps it give that interesting clash with the first-person’s own biases against the events around her that, hate as she might, still find its way in triumphing over her. It is after all, a battle between tradition and modernity, set in the burgeoning sociopolitical and religious landscape of turn-of-the-19th century colonial Egypt. Such context leaves the ending open to interpretation, and the reader is left (or advised) to learn more about the “climate” when Ramza’s story occurred and was written by its sociopolitically-conscious author.

[brady steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

had to read for class. really interesting fictional exploration of egypt under ottoman rule, the harem, and egyptian feminism in the late 19th/early 20th century. wish they delved a bit more into the role colonialism played in tradition vs freedom. enjoyed this book, wish i could give it a 3.5/5!

[Cessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

dieses Buch hat mich ziemlich nachdenklich zurückgelassen.die Autorin erzählt die Geschichte von ramsa die aber auch viele autobiografische Elemente enthält .die Tatsache dass vor gar nicht allzu langer Zeit in Ägypten Frauen so gut wie keine Rechte hatten und auch wie das wirkliche leben in einem harem ablief nimmt einem doch so manche Illusion des schönen und geheimnisvollen orients .

das Buch wird aus der Sicht von ramsa erzählt die mittlerweile eine alte Frau geworden ist und sich zurück erinnert.

mir kam die hauptperson zeitweise sehr naiv vor was aber auch an ihrer Jugend liegen kann.bei der ersten großen liebe setzt das Gehirn schon mal aus..andererseits zeigt sie einen sehr starken Willen und kämpft wie eine löwin für ihre Emanzipation wovor man wirklich den Hut ziehen sollte .

ein Buch das sicherlich etwas zum nachdenken anregt.

[Gijs Grob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een als een autobiografie geschreven roman over Ramza, een Egyptische vrouw die zich wil bevrijden van de starre cultuur van vrouwenonderdrukking aldaar, begin twintigste eeuw.

Het taalgebruik is nogal boeketreeksachtig (vooral in de liefdesscenes) en de personages zijn maar matig uitgewerkt, maar het verhaal is zo overtuigend verteld dat het moeilijk te beseffen blijft dat het geen echte autobiografie betreft. De passages over de moeder van de hoofdpersoon boeien door hun exotisme van harems, slaven en eunuchen, maar de roman blijft vooral hangen als sterk pleidooi voor de rechten van de vrouw. Jammer van het open einde.

[lucky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not that compelling of a story, considering the potential that lay in the breakthrough feminist milestones made by the main character. It just did not fulfill with the storytelling—gaps in explanations of details. Although I did learn alot about the patriarchal society of Egypt and culture which was my main intention of reading this. Also, made me extremely grateful for being a modern, independent and free woman of my own will.