Representation of Gender in Colonial and Post-Colonial Algerian Literature
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PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ALGERIA MINISTERY OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH DJILALLI LIABES UNIVERSITY -SIDI BELABESS FACULTY OF LETTERS, LANGUAGES AND ARTS DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE Representation of Gender in Colonial and Post-Colonial Algerian Literature A Thesis Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the A Thesis Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctorate in Literature Presented by: Ms. Larbi Youcef Ouarda Supervised by: Prof. MELOUK Mohamed Board of Examiners: Prof. OUERRAD Belabbas (President). Djilalli Liabes University Prof. MELOUK Mohamed (Supervisor). Djilalli Liabes University Dr. BENNEGHROUZI Fatima Zohra (Co-Supervisor). Mostaganem University Prof. MERBOUH Zouaoui (Examiner). Djilalli Liabes University Dr.BOUHASSOUNE Azzedine (Examiner). Ain Temouchent University Dr.SARNOU Dallel (Examiner). Mostaganem University June 2017/2018 Dedication I DEDICATE THIS THESIS TO MY FAMILY I Acknowledgements I am much indebted to my Supervisor, Prof. Melouk Mohammed, and my co- supervisor, Dr. Benneghrouzi Fatima Zohra, for their guidance and patience. II Abstract This thesis deals with the representation and misrepresentation of gender in both colonial and post-colonial literatures. This has been done by examining a number of novels authored by Algerian and French writers. The latter were born in Algeria, like Albert Camus and oth- ers. The aim is to show that oftentimes the representation given of gender, especially during the colonial period, was a distorted image, and subsequently object of sharp criticism. This thesis highlights the enterprise not only women but also a number of men embarked on to reassess this image and in so doing give new dignity to gender. A number of writings penned by to name a few, Mohamed Dib, Mouloud Feroun, Mouloud Mammeri, Kateb Ya- cine, Assia Djebar and Djamila Débêche among others were examined. These represented gender and particularly women in two ways; a symbolic, figurative representation and a so- cio-cultural representation. The first vision delineates women as lovely, sweet, pretty wom- en. In so doing they conveyed the image of women as an object; a symbolized object that subsumes many aspects, a woman, a stranger, and a goddess. Whereas, others ascribed them to a phallocentric society, where women are perceived as the inferior gender that owes ob- edience and submission. III Table des matières Dedication .................................................................................................................................... I Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. II Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... III Table of Contents .................................................................................................................. IV General Introduction……………………………………………………………………….. ................ V Chapter One: Algerian Literature, “Algerian” Writers and Gender ........ 12 I. 1. Defining Algerian Literature…………………………………………………... ..................... 12 I. 2. Algerian and Algeria-born European Writers………………………………….. .......... 15 I. 3. The Effects of the Use French in Algerian Literature…………………………. ...... 17 I. 4. Different Genres in Algerian Colonial Literature………………………………. ........ 19 I. 5. Defining Gender……………………………………………………………….. ............................. 22 Chapter Two: Colonial Literature and the Re/misrepresentation of Gender ......................................................................................................................................... 26 II. 1. Gustave Flaubert and the Voyage to the Orient and Salambo……………… 28 II.2. Benjamin Gastineau and Les Femmes et les Moeurs en Algérie…………….32 II.3.Alexandre Dumas: Le Véloce, ou Tanger, Alger et Tunis…………………………………………36 II.4. Guy de Maupassant: Au Soleil……………………………………………………………………….39 II.5. Eugene Delacroix and The Women of Algiers (In Their Apartment)……….36 II.6.Edouard Drumond and La France Juive……………………………………………………………..47 II.7. Hubertine Auclert : Les femmes arabes en Algérie……………………………… .. 51 Chapter Three: Questioning Colonial Literature on the Re/misrepresentation of Gender III.1. Edward Said on Orientalism…………………………………………………………………….......58 III. 2. Malek Alloula and the Colonial Harem…………………………………………………………...62 III.3. Frantz Fanon and ―Algeria Unveiled‖……………………………………………................72 Chapter Four: The “Algerian” Literary Movement from Zahia Smail Persepctive……………………………………………………………………………….80 IV.1. The Emergence of the ―Algerian‖ Literary Movement………………………………..81 IV.2. Creating an Indigenous Literature………………………………………………………85 IV. 3. The Period of Assimilation and Imitation (1908-1947)………………………………..88 IV. 3.1. Chukri Khodja‗s El-Euldj………………………………………………………………..92 IV.3.2. Aissa Zehar‗s Hind and Djamila Débêche‗s, Leila, Jeune Fille d'Algérie…………95 IV.4. The Period of Transition (1947-1950)………………………………………………...103 IV.4.1. Aly Al Hammamy: Idris……………………………………………………………...…104 IV.4.2. Taos Amrouche: Jacinthe noire………………………………………………………..104 IV. 5. The Period of Revelation (1950-1952)…………………………………….................106 Chapter Five: Algerian Women in Post-colonial literature…………..108 V. 1. Assia Djebbar: Women of Algiers in Their Apartment…………………………………109 V.1. 1. Frameworks……………..………………………………………………………......111 V.1. 2.the notion of Feminism…………………………………………………...................112 V.1.3. The Notion of Subjectivity……………………………………………………….......112 V.1.4. Women of Algiers in Their Apartment……………………………………………………..114 V.1.5.Comparison with Delacroix‗ Painting………………………………………………...115 V.1.6.Autobiography in Women of Algiers in their Apartment…………………………………116 V.1.7.Analysis of Feminine Language………………………………………………………119 V.1.8.The Harem……………………………………………………………………...……..124 V.1. 9.Subjectivities Strata…………………………………………………………………..126 V.2. Assia Djebar: Fantasia: An Algerian Cavalcade…………………………………………128 V.2.1. Assia Djebar‗s Historiography…………………………………………………….129 V.2.2.Historical Background: The Conquest of Algeria………………………………….129 V.2.3.The Narrator‗s Experience…………………………………………………………132 V.2.4.Representation of Females Characters……………………………………………..136 Chapter Six Re/Misrepresentation of Women and Men in the Algerian Novel………..144 VI. 1.Representation of Algerian Women by Male Novelists……………………………145 VI.1.1. The Figurative Representation……………………………………………………146 VI.1.1.1.Kateb Yacine, Nedjma………………………………………………………………..146 VI.1.1.2 Mouloud Feroun, Les Chemins qui montent……………………………………….150 VI.1.2. The Social Representation……………………………………………………………..155 VI.1.2.1. Mouloud Mammeri, La Colline oubliée………………………………………………...159 VI. 1.2.2. Mohammed Dib, La grande maison……………………………………………………162 VI.2. Representation of Algerian Women by Female Writers VI.2.1. Djamila Débêche, Aziza……………………………………………………………..……..…168 VI.2.2.Assia Djebar, La soif………………………………………..…………………………...........174 General Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 179 References………………………………………………………………………………….......... ............. 183 Summary in English…………………………………………………………………………… ................ 190 Summary in French…………………………………………………………………………… ................. 191 Summary in Arabic…………………………………………………………………………… .................. 192 Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………… ........................ 193 Appendix One: Hubertine Auclert‘s Biography………………………………………………….194 Appendix Two Édouard Drumont‘s Biography………………………………………………….199 IV General Introduction General Introduction It is undeniable that the Algerian War of independence (1954-1962) has become an emblem that mirrors an irreconcilable clash, the one between feminist and nationalist movements. This particular war represents at a time not only a victory of the colonized over the colonizer but also the beginning of an insidious subversion of women‘s roles and rights. At a given point, it be- came quite unconceivable to see a group of ―women‖, who had played a pivotal role in the revolu- tion, be so swiftly ―suppressed.‖ Such a shift led to questioning. Many writers, be they native or foreign, were induced, given the shift, to scrutinize the sit- uation of the Algerian woman who, it seemed, were, to borrow, treated as sacred possessions, and represented the oppressed of the oppressed. These writers gave an extensive representation of women and attempted to depict women‘s roles in society through literature which is the theme of this doctoral dissertation but since there was little arabophone literature during that period of time the paper will try to answer some questions regarding the representation of women in Algerian literature through an analysis of some francophone Algerian novels during the colonial period and the post-colonial literature. Novels of male and female writers were analyzed in order to highlight different and contrasting perceptions of this particular ―inclusion or exclusion‖ of women. Among these writers one can find Frantz Fanon‘s novel ―Peau noir Masques Blancs‖ (1952) in which he presents an analysis of the symbolic importance of women to Algerian identity. Fanon contends that the Algerian society is based upon fixed values and notions such as honor, respect and complete submission of women under the control of their men. According to Fanon, in the Algerian society women‘s attitudes and behaviors are deemed to be everyone‘s business. In his