Midaq Alley

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Gender Roles in Midaq Alley
Naguib Mahfouz, the author of Midaq Alley, brings out an Egyptian historical period in when the country was re-asserting its identity. In the traditional Egyptian society, women were allotted the roles of domestic help, caretakers, and mothers within the family structure. Men, on the other hand, were the protector of the family. The traditional gender roles began shifting, and women started achieving certain changes. The status of women in the country remains a problematic issue especially in several Muslim societies in the current world. However, various characterizations of females revealed shows diversity in Egypt. During the historical period, the war was wrecking chaos in many parts of the world, offering new opportunities for residents of Midaq Alley. Based on the novel, there was a change in the role of females as well as males during the historical period in Egypt.
The author presents changing female attributes in the role of wives, mothers, sisters, lovers and daughters. They are portrayed to be strong, obedient, powerful, independent, religious and subservient. The characters of women in the author’s understanding are unique within the Egyptian culture. As a result of the war, women began working and holding power over men. Mahfouz brings out Hamida to be a strong and rebellious character bringing out the difference between the new ways of life and the traditions. Despite being raised in a poor alley, Hamida devotes her life to two goals, money, and freedom.

She is a character who will better her opportunities by doing what she can do to free herself from the traditional customs set by the religious society. She is fearless in showing in showing her aggressive character and plans on settling down with a successful man who will take her out from the poor alley. Mahfouz emphasizes on unfeminine qualities of Hamida when by saying, “Perhaps the most commonly said thing about her was that she hated children and that this unnatural trait made her wild and lacking in the virtues of femininity” (Mahfouz 22). It brings out the contrast between Hamida who hates kids and the traditional woman who takes care of kids.
Husniya is portrayed as strong and fierce. Mahfouz presents the reverse of the common type of domestic violence where women are normally the victims. She physically assaults her cowering husband, something that was not a usual thing in the traditional culture. Mrs. Saniya Afify is also brought out as a self-reliant woman who just wants a husband only for companionship and not for provision or protection. The author uses the characters of Hamida to show a change in people’s perception of women in the Alley. She is a woman strives for her desires in order to escape the traditions and the social status. The dialogue between with her mother brings out her admiration of the Jewish women who have no traditional bonds. She says, “You should just see those Jewish girls who go to work. They all go about in nice clothes.” (Mahfouz 16).
Conclusion
Mahfouz uses various characters such as Hamida to reveal the change the change in the Alley since their characters do not reflect the traditions. Despite confirming her commitment with the Qur’an, she still breaks it. Her desire to be free inspires her unfeminine nature, showing the change in the gender roles. Based on the novel, we can conclude that there was a change in the role of females as well as males during the historical period in Egypt.
Work Cited
Maḥfūẓ, Najīb and Trevor Le Gassick. Midaq Alley. 1st ed. New York: Anchor Books, 1992. Print.