When Maḥfūẓ wrote about the 1967 defeat: (Re)reading Taḥt al-miẓalla (1969) and al-Ḥubb taḥt al-maṭar (1973, 2023)

Abstract

The 1967 defeat remains one of the most dreadful moments in modern Arab history. Rapid and violent, it shook the foundations of the political order and dismantled the myth of Nasser and his anti-colonial project. This crisis had lasting consequences on the trajectory of post-1967 Arab literature and intellectual thought. This article seeks to explore Maḥfūẓ’s depiction of national trauma through a close reading of two of his works written in the aftermath of the defeat: the short story Taḥt al-miẓalla (‘Under the Bus Shelter,’ 1969) and the novel al-Ḥubb taḥt al-maṭar (‘Love in the Rain,’ 1973, 2023). I argue that re-reading these works through the lens of trauma theory offers an essential dimension to their literary analysis, deepening our understanding of their significance. In applying trauma theory to this new reading, I draw on the studies by Neal (1998, 2005), Alexander et al. (2004), LaCapra (2001, 2014) and those related to decolonized trauma theory by Visser (2014), as well as studies applying a sociological approach to Arabic literature (Mehrez 1994; Jacquemond 2008), which have been fundamental resources. Both works exemplify Maḥfūẓ’s sincere commitment to the socio-political realities of his country, as well as his innovative narrative techniques that capture the complexities of the world he seeks to portray.