ENG 534 Topics in Literature: Survey of Saudi Literature

This course examines the origin and development of Saudi literary tradition from the 18th century to the present. A range of literary texts of different genres will be studied to familiarize students with major trends and movements and representative writers. The cultural, historical, social, religious, and political forces that have shaped the literature of this period will also be explored.



 
Weekly Syllabus

 

Week

Topic

1 First Response Paper

Saudi Literature before and during the unification of Saudi Arabia (1745-1932) Readings on: The first Saudi nation (1745-1811) The second Saudi nation (1818-1891) The third Saudi nation (1902-present) The Hijazi Liberal Party (1928-1935), Ikhwan movement (1926-1934)   Historical, Political, Religious Texts Awad, Mohammed H. خواطر مصرحةThoughts Declared (1926). Taha Hussein: The Literary Life in the Arabian Peninsula (1935) Hamza Shehata: “الرجولة عماد الخلق الفاضل” or “Manhood is the Essence of Worthy Ethics,” (1940)

 

2	Abdualjabbar, Abdullah. Modern Literary Trends in the Heart of the Arabian Peninsula (1959). Poetry—Selections of poems: Classicism: Ali Alsonousi (1897-1944), Suliman bin Sahman (1852-1930), Ahmed Ibrahim Alghazawi (1901-1981). Neoclassicism: Hussain Seraj (1912-2007),  Mohammed Hassan Awad (1902-1980), Mohammed Saeed Alamoudi (1905-1991). Romanticism: Abdulaziz Alrifai (1923-1993), Husain Sirhan (1916-1993), Ibrahim Hashim Falali (1906-1974), Ahmed Alqandeel (1911-1979), Hassan Alqorashi (1927-2004), Ahmad Abduljabbar (1921-present), Muqbel Alesia (1927-present), Mohammed Saeed Almsslam (1922-1994), Mohammed Hassan Faqi (1914-2004),  Mohammed Amir Alroumieh (1930-1980), Mohammed Alkhunaizi (1925-present),  Mohammed Hassan Awad (1902-1980)  Prince Abdullah Alfaisal (1921-2007) Realism: (social, revolutionary, patriotic, and national poetry) Social poetry: Majed Alhussaini (1924-1999),  Mohammed Hassan Faqi (1914-2004). Abdussalam Hashim Hafez (1928-present), Mohammed Hassan Awad (1902-1980), Ahmed Alattar (1918-1991), Mohammed Seraj Karraz (1921-present), Ahmed Alarbi (1915-1999). Revolutionary poetry: Ahmed Abdullah Alfasi (1921-1993), Hamza Shehata (1911-1972), Ali Hassan Ghasal (1924-199?) Abdulrahman Almansour (1920-2008). Patriotic poetry: Hamza Shehata (1911-1972) Ali Hassan Ghasal (1924-199?). National poetry: Ahmed Ibrahim Alghazawi (1901-1981), Abdullah Omar Balkhair (1912-2002), Ahmed Alqandeel (1911-1979), Taher Zamakhshari (1906-1987), Mohammed Saeed Almsslam (1922-1994), Ibrahim Foudah (1924-present), Ibrahim Hashim Falali (1906-1974) Hussein Fatani (1916-1991). Modernist: Muḥammad Althubayti Ali Aldomani Jassim Alshiah
3 Second Response Paper	Female Poets: Selections of poems from : Sarah Alazwari: An Anthology of Female Poets in Saudi Arabia: Biography and Texts.(2011) Sultana Alsudairy (1940-present), often recognized as the first Saudi female poet, Thoria Qabel (1940-present), Princess Jawahir bint Saud bin Abdulaziz Alsaud or Qadat Alsahra (1945-2001) Fouzieh Abu Khaled (1956-present),
4	The Rise of the Novel: 1930-1980 Mansour Ibrahim Alhazmi :  The Art of Fiction in Modern Saudi Literature (1981) Sultan Alqahtani: The Novel in Saudi Arabia: Emergence and Development 1930-1989: An Historical and Critical Study (1994).   Abdulqadoos Alansari: التوأمان  or The Twins (1930) Mohammed Ali Almaghrabi: Resurrection or البعث (1948)
5 Third  Response Paper	Hamid Aldemnhori,. ثمن التضحية  or Price of the Sacrifice (1959) Samira Khashoggi:  ودعت آمالي or Farewell to My Hopes (1959)
6	Second Phase of the Saudi Novel: 1980-2000 Abdulaziz Alsaqabi رائحة الفحم   Galib Hamza Abu Alfaraj لا شمس فوق المدينة Ghazi Algosaibi شقة الحرية
7 Fourth Response Paper	Aisha Hamad امرأة من عصرنا Bahia Busbait امرأة على فوهة بركان
8	Third Phase Novel 2000-Present Mahmoud Trawri:  ميمونة or Maymoonah Alwan Alsuhaymi:  القار or The Tar Leila Aljohani: جاهلية  or Days of Ignorance
9	Abdu Khal:  ترمي بشررor Spewing Sparks Abdullah Thabit: The 20th Terrorist
10 Fifth Response Papers	Raja Alem: طوق الحمام  or The Doves' Necklace Umaima Alkhamis: مسرى الغرانيق في مدن العقيق
11	Mohammed Hussan Alwan: موت صغير or Small Death Yousef Almohamaid: الحمام لا يطير في بريدة   or Where Pigeons Don't Fly
12	Saad Aldosari : الرياض نوفمبر 90   Autobiography: Aziz Dia حياتي مع الجوع والحب والحرب (الجز الأول)
13 Annotated Bib is due on LMS	Drama: Hussain Abdullah Suraj: الظالم نفسه Ahmed Alsebai فتح مكة Fahad Redah الفنار and لعبة الكراسي Abdullah Bogis المتنبي شاعر العرب
14	Yaser Almadkhali الانتصار أو الموت أو كلاهما Abbas Hayek المزبلة الفاضلة and ذاكرة صفراء Samiah Attallah الفستان Raja Alem ثقوب في الظهر
15 Final paper is due on LMS	Movies: Haifaa Almansour: Wajda (2012) and The Perfect Candidate (2020) Mahmoud Sabbagh: Barakah Meets Barakah (2016)   Presentations of your final paper.