NOVEL ZAYNAB: BETWEEN ARAB TRADITIONALISM AND EUROPEAN ROMANTICISM

Abstract

Novel Zaynab by Egyptian author Muḥammad Ḥusayn Haykal has become a subject of interest for Arab and Western European scholars in the field of literature. This novel is interesting and important in many aspects, one of them being a skillful blend of traditional Arab literary heritage and European Romanticism elements Haykal presented in this novel. Thus, individuality as one of the most important elements will be emphasized, which in a broader context marks the awakening of national consciousness and the formation of a new image of the Arab society. This work highlights the most significant stances of Arab and Western critics of this novel, points out its literary and artistic elements with a particular emphasis on the elements of ancient classical Arab literature and European Romanticism, comparing them to the classical literary works of the two civilizations.