Tawfiq Al-Hakim’s Novel ‘Return of The Spirit’ (Awdat Al-Ruh) –An Analytical Study

 

Tawfiq Al-Hakim’s Novel ‘Return of The Spirit’

(Awdat Al-Ruh) –An Analytical Study

 

 

By 

Menonim Menonimus

 

 

 

 

Internet Edition by

www.menonimus.org

 

 

 

Tawfiq al-Hakim’s Novel ‘Return of the Spirit’ (Awdat al-Ruh) — An Analytical Study by Menonim Menonimus.

Return of the Spirit 

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Return of the Spirit

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D.T.P. by A. Shahriar

Dedicated

To 

Dear Shahriar & Samima

Who are busy with what I liked

But could hardly pursue during my childhood.

 

Introductory

Tawfiq al-Hakim, apart from being a reputed Arabic playwright, essayist and short story writer, he is also a novelist as he has earned the credit of being the author of five novels in Arabic. His contribution to Arabic drama is so immense and decisive that he is often called the ‘Father of Arabic Drama’. Tawfiq al-Hakim though is celebrated as one of the greatest dramatists of the modern Arabic world, yet his contribution to the godown of the Arabic novel is by no way ignorable as his novels have taken the tradition of the Arabic novel a step ahead. By means of his novels, Tawfiq al-Hakim has attempted to portray the socio-political corruptions as well as the conflict between the western and eastern cultures and in this respect he has succeeded considerably. Tawfiq al-Hakim as a dramatist has got considerable critical study but as a novelist, he is left behind to be assessed till today.

In this book, I have taken his novel entitled ‘Awdat al-Ruh’ (Return of the Spirit) under critical consideration. This analytical study is neither historical nor comparative but it is limited only to analyzing the component elements (raw materials) that the novelist has employed in writing out the novel. The main objective of this analytical study is to bring out the themes, arts, techniques, and methods in arranging and representing his matter in novel form. I hope that this study would be instrumental in appreciating Tawfiq al-Hakim as a novelist. The main base of this analytical study is the English translation of his novel ‘Awdat al Ruh’ translated by W. Hutchins as ‘Return of the Spirit’ published by Lynne Rienner.

In writing out this critical study, I have consulted some books but as there is almost no book on Tawfiq al-Hakim as a novelist hence this analytical study might be called to be absolutely my original attempt. How far I have succeeded in my endeavour is under the jurisdiction of my dear readers.

In fine, I have to offer my thanks and gratitude to my friends who have helped and encouraged me in varied ways in bringing out this book into the light. 

I appeal to my dear readers and critics to bring to my notice the drawbacks and errors if there are any in this book.

Hope that the reader community would encourage me by appreciating my endeavour.

Menonim Menonimus

Santi Kanan 

21st March 2017

 

Tawfiq al-Hakim’s Novel ‘Return of the Spirit’ (Awdat al-Ruh) — An Analytical Study

Tawfiq al-Hakim’s  ‘Awdat al-Ruh’ (Return of the Spirit) is a socio-political comic novel published in 1933. The main theme of the novel is love and revolution for Egyptian freedom. Through the novel, the author shows that love awakens the vital power in men which in turn may usher them to nobler deeds as Muhsin ( a character in the novel) and all his uncles are seen to join the revolutionary party for the Egyptian liberation from the yoke of the British rule. In the novel ‘Awdat al-Ruh’ (Return of the Spirit) there are some characters who for the most part are depicted as individuals rather than types.  All his characters have some peculiarities as Zanuba is desirous of getting married to an unequal match. Hanafi is entirely comic and he suffers from sleepy nature. Thus are Abduh and Salim who bear their particular individual characteristics. Humour is the essence of the novel. All the episodes and incidents have begun comically and met their ends comically. For example the love affairs of Salim and Saniya, the love affairs of Saniya and Mustafa, etc. The plot construction of the novel though is not so coherent yet it bears some unity and logic if compared to that of his other novel ‘Yawmiyyat Na’ib Fil Aryaf’. It has visible exposition, complication, crisis, climax, falling action, and denouement. The setting (environment) of the novel is unique and the novelist is very keen on observing the surrounding of any event that he goes on to depict in his novel and the vivid narration of the setting has made the novel more life-like and realistic. Tawfiq al-Hakim may be called a master of dialogue. He has employed ample dialogues to meet his purpose. His dialogues have played a veritable role in evolving the plot and expressing the inner motives, feelings, and passions of his characters. The language of Tawfik al-Hakim employed in the novel ‘Awdat al-Ruh’ translated into English by William Maynard Hutchins as ‘Return of the Spirit’ is characterized by complexity in structure, much use of dashes, use of similes and symbols. The philosophy of life expressed in the novel is that “When a woman fell in love, she considers her life at the onset of that love. She no longer remembers what came before it.”Another philosophy of life revealed by the author is that love for one’s motherland is intuitive to one’s heart. It cannot be kept hidden for long by force.

Here an analytical study of his novel Awdat al-Ruh (Return of the Spirit) has been attempted as below. 

I. Plot (Themes) of ‘Return of the Spirit’

According to The Concise Oxford Dictionary ‘Plot’ refers to the interrelationship of the main events in a play, novel, film etc. According to A Glossary of Literary Terms ‘Plot’ in a dramatic work is the structure of its action, as these are ordered and rendered toward achieving particular emotional and artistic effects. In brief, to say, a Plot is a sequence of events in a story. On the other hand, a ‘theme’ means a subject or topic on which a person, speaker, or writer writes.

‘Awdat al-Ruh’ (Return of the Spirit) is Tawfik al-Hakim’s first novel which got published in 1933. ‘Awdat al-Ruh’ (Return of the Spirit) is a comic novel. The main outstanding themes of the novel are love, the conflict between East and West, and the nationalistic revolution. The main episodes of the novel are – the love episode between Muhsin and Saniya, the love episode between Salim and Saniya, the love episode between Abduh and Saniya, the love episode between Saniya and Mustafa, the love episode between Zanuba and Mustafa, the conflict between western culture and Egyptian traditional native culture and the revolt against the British Colonialism. Let us analyze the themes i.e. episodes as under.

At the outset of the novel ‘Awdat al-Ru’, we encounter the Love Episode of Muhsin and Saniya.  Muhsin is the only son of Hamid Bey. He lives in Cairo with his step uncles- Hanafi, Salim, Abduh and an aunt Zanuba. He is a high school student. Near their house, there lives a family of Dr Ahmad Halimi. She has a daughter named ‘Saniya’. She is eighteen years old, very beautiful and attractive to look at. One day Muhsin happened to visit the house of Saniya with his aunt Zanuba. There he met Saniya’s mother. Saniya’s mother sang a song. Muhsin could play on piano well and began to give piano lessons to Saniya almost regularly and being encouraged he began to love Saniya. Saniya seemed to show affection to Muhsin. He was bewitched by Saniya’s charm and began to dream of her. Previously Muhsin took up stealthily a silk handkerchief that belonged to Saniya. Months passed on. One day Muhsin got a letter from his parents who lived in Damanhur. As he was in love with Saniya he was first reluctant to visit his parents but he could not. Before leaving for Damanhur he met Saniya and returned the handkerchief. Saniya grew angry with him. But eventually, they reconciled and Saniya gave the handkerchief to Muhsin as a token of remembrance. After then Muhsin went to Damanhur and stayed there for ten days. Coming back to Cairo he came to know from his aunt Zanuba that they were in bad terms and Saniya had fallen in love with Mustafa Bey who lived in a rented house near the house of Saniya. Some days after returning from Damanhur Muhsin took a visit to Saniya’s and found Saniya cold towards him. Muhsin got disheartened and mentally broken down. Their love affairs came to an end. Their love episode seems to be almost one-sided. As Muhsin was mad of her but she seemed not to be so. Muhsin was still a student and Saniya was about two years senior to Mushin. It seems that this love affair between Muhsin and Saniya is something tragic for Muhsin as he saw her as indifferent to Muhsin. He told her what the author narrates in the following way:

“He (Muhsin) continued sobbing, moaning, and imploring her in choppy phrase. He told her that all he asked was to see her. Yes, he had reached the point where all the desired was to be near her, that he should live nearby. So let her love Mustafa or someone else. He would never come between her and her happiness. He would only not deprive him of seeing her was this so much to grant? A look would cost her nothing, while it would be his entire life.”

The second love episode in the novel is the Love Episode of Salim with Saniya, an uncle of Muhsin. His love for Saniya is absolutely one-sided. Salim happens to love her while seeing her from Shahatta’s Coffee house near their residence. But his love for Saniya was silent as long as he went to Saniya’s house in order to examine Saniya’s piano which needed somewhat repairing. That day Salim got a close contract with Saniya. He was bewitched by the charm of Saniya. Since then he began to dream of her. On the other hand, Saniya remained indifferent to him which made him break down and consequently he sent a love letter to Saniya which reads as:

“Darling of my heart, Miss Saniya,

I have loved you with a love such as no one before has ever loved. I have been true to you with sincerity that not even a brother nurses for his brothers, nor a parent for his child.  I have revered you the way a worshipper reveres his beloved.

 I have filled the entire emptiness of my life with you. I look only of you. I feel only for you. I dream only of your image. I respond to the sight of the sun at its rising only because I see your form in it. I am moved by the listening to the warbling of birds in their variety only because I hear in them the melody of your conversation. I am touched by the sight of flowers laughing within their calyxes only because they represent the diverse perfection of your beauty. I have not wished for happiness for myself except for the sake of yours. I have not preferred life to death except so I may live beside you and rejoice in seeing you.

If you think I do not deserve you to be with you, then tell me to expend my life for you in tears, pains, sorrows and grieving.

Peace in conclusion,

The passionate lover,

Captain Salim al- Atifi.

But this letter was not reached Saniya as it fell to Saniya’s father who being enraged sent it back to Salim. Since then Salim broke down and then his one-sided love subsided though he remained envious of her.

The third Love Episode is of Abduh with Saniya. This love episode was also limited to Abduh only. Saniya was not affected by Abduh. Like others, he was also bewitched by the glaring charm of Saniya’s beauty. One day he happened to go to Saniya’s house to have their electric wires repaired. Then he came into contract with Saniya and began to love her consciously. But Saniya remained silent. Already he came to know from Zanuba that Saniya is in love with Mustafa Bey and then he broke down. His mental state is narrated by the author as follows:

“Abduh spent several anxious days, not knowing what to do to stay in touch with his neighbours. He was afraid that what he had achieved so far was the most he could hope for. Despite his triviality and vitality, Abduh lacked the daring and brashness to undertake the same bold, proactive deed without regard what people would say.”

The fourth Love Episode is of Zanuba to Mustafa which was also one-sided and full of jealousy. Though Zanuba was a spinster of about forty years yet she did not lose heart to falling in love and getting married. She knew Mustafa Bey who was their neighbour. She began to love him though Mustafa did not know her. She first saw him in the coffee house of Mr Shahata which lay in the opposite direction to their residence. She used to look at him from their balcony. One day while she was on the balcony of the Saniya’s then she noticed that Saniya threw her glance at Mustafa Bay who was sitting in front of the coffeehouse. Since then she became envious of Saniya and thought Saniya to be her opponent in matters of love with Mustafa. She got enraged with Saniya and made a quarrel with her over the matter. She even planned to kill Mustafa for the offense of not loving her. The author has delineated her feelings as follows:

“Zanuba had not stopped her efforts. Neither religion nor conscience had prevented her from proceeding toward her goal. She wanted Mustafa to die in three days, and she was working to have him die… to have a man die whose only fault was not loving her. How monstrous! Is this a woman? If she loves and disappointed, does she become a predatory animal?” 

The fifth Love Episode is between Saniya and Mustafa. This love affair is a real one. Both fell in love with each other. Mustafa and Saniya, one day all of a sudden, happened to see each other for a moment and from their first sight, they began to love one another. But already Zanuba was too much envious to their love affairs that in order to cease their mutual love she wrote an anonymous letter to Saniya’s father for which Saniya had to suffer a lot psychologically. On the other hand, Mustafa became eager to see her. Eventually, after two months Mustafa got the chance to send her a letter expressing his love for her and asking for her consent. Later on, they got the chance to meet each other at night as the balconies of both the houses were almost adjacent.  Later on, Mustafa went to his estate and sent her aunt to Saniya’s mother with the proposal of marriage. The two families consented and they got married happily.

The sixth episode in the novel is the episode of Conflict between Western Culture and Egyptian Traditional Native Culture. The conflict is best portrayed through Muhsin’s Turkish mother who was educated in the western model. She was a lady of a fashionable and artificial society. Her husband Hamid Bey (the father of Muhsin Bey) was compelled to be hand-pecked by her wife. She led a life after the western model and hated all who were below the status of her class. She made a barrier between the aristocrats and the fellahin (peasants). On the other hand, Muhsin was just the opposite of her mother’s aristocratic idealism. While Muhsin took a visit to Damanhur where his parents lived he faced a confrontation with her haughty mother. He suffered mentally because of her mother’s arrogant attitude toward the lower classes of people. Besides this, the conflict is also vivified through the conversation between the English Irrigation Inspector and the French Archaeologist who were invited by Muhsin’s father to their country house. The French Archaeologist upheld the solidarity of the Egyptians and confessed the superiority of the Egyptian culture over the European culture. He said:

“…….. this people you consider ignorant certainly knows many things, but it knows by the heart, not the intellect. Supreme wisdom is in their blood without their knowing it. There is a force within them they’re not conscious of. This is an ancient people. If you take one of these peasants and remove their heart, you’ll find in it the residue of ten thousand years of experiential knowledge, one layer on top of the other, although he’s not conscious of it.”

The seventh episode is that of Revolution against the British Colonialism in Egypt. Towards the end of the novel, it is seen that the Egyptians are conscious of their ancient glory and unity and their sense of solidarity suddenly broke out with strong nationalistic feelings and raised a revolt against the British colonial rule. Muhsin along with all his uncles and many others got arrested. The government took vehement measures to curb the rebellion but the people seemed to remain steadfast to their solidarity. Regarding the solidarity of Egypt the author says:

“A person looking at Cairo and its streets during that time saw a strange scene. In the midst of the demonstrations and chants flutters Egyptian flags that showed the crescent moon cradling the cross. Egypt had got perceived in a moment that the crescent and the cross were two arms of a single body with one heart: Egypt.”

Thus the author has portrayed love affairs along with the nationalistic feeling of the Egyptians which got to be burst out later on that turned the entire political scene of Egypt. 

II.  Characters and Characterisation in ‘Return of the Spirit’

Literally, the word ‘Character’ means the collective mental or moral qualities of a person or thing. But literary (in literature) the term refers to the person who gets depicted in a play, novel, story, or in any piece of literary creation. The characters in any literary writing may get expressed and delineated through- (1) Objective Narration (2) Dialogues (speeches, soliloquies, monologues etc), and (3) Action (deeds).

The characters in any literary writing may be depicted as (1) Stable (Firm) and (2) Changing (Developing). A Stable Character is called him who is depicted as unchanging in his dealing, outlook, and disposition from beginning to the very end. On the other hand, the character that undergoes a radical change either through a gradual development or as a result of the pressure of circumstance is called Changing Character.

Characterization may be of two types (1) Type and (2) Individual (Peculiar). A Type Character is he who gets depicted as the representative of a class, group, or region with a distinct ethos. On the other hand, an Individual Character is he who is depicted with his peculiar or special habits, qualities, whims, and so on which distinguishes him from his class. On the basis of the roles played by the characters in a play, novel, story or any literary writing, characters may be classified into two classes as- (1) Major Characters and (2) Minor Characters. The characters that are involved in the theme of a story from the beginning to the end and play important roles in the development of the theme and thus lead the plot to the conclusion are called Major Characters. One or two among the major characters who take the leading role from the very beginning to the end of the story and rounding whom the theme and all other characters revolve is called Hero or Heroine (Protagonist).

On the other hand, the person (character) who plays the role against the hero or heroine from the beginning to the end and causes troubles, conflicts, and sufferance to the hero or heroine or to both and thus leads the theme to a conclusion through some steps as- opening, conflict, crisis, falling action, and conclusion is called Anti-hero (Antagonist).

Characterization may be realistic, psychological, humorous (comic), tragic, tragi-comic, ideological, and so on. The characters based on convincing realism and accuracy of details render enduring popularity to any piece of literature.

Tawfik al Hakims’ novel Awdat al-Ruh (Return of the Spirit) is a novel that bears some memorable characters the principal characters of which are- Muhsin, Zanuba, Saniya, Salim, Abduh, Hanafi, Hamid Bey, Mustafa Bey, and Mabruk. The author of the novel Awdat al-Ruh has portrayed his characters, especially with individual traits rather than type. All those characters and the author’s art of characterization have been dealt with one by one as below:

The first prominent character (the hero) of the novel is Muhsin. He is the only son of Hamid Bey. His mother is a Turkish lady of the fashionable upper class. Muhsin’s father has inherited a huge property from her wife’s side. Muhsin lives not with his parents but with his three-step uncles in Cairo and lives a happy life. He is a student reading in high school. He, by nature, likes the simplicity of lifestyle and hates every kind of elegance and luxury. Compared to other boys of his age, he was serious and sensitive. Unlike most of his peers, he had little taste for youthful games. He was rarely seen running and jumping. His amusement and diversions were mental rather than physical. His sweetest times were spent in poetry competitions and slams with Abbas who shared their artistic temperament. For this reason, he seemed older than he was – compared with his classmates, who were tireless, prattling, and boisterous. His teachers thought of him that way too. They treated him well and predicted brilliant results for him on his competency examination that year. The author has depicted him as a lover, as a symbol of national solidarity, and at last as a revolutionary.

From the very beginning of the novel, Muhsin is seen to love a neighboring beautiful girl named Saniya. Muhsin’s aunt Zanuba knows it. Muhsin once stole away a silk handkerchief that belonged to Saniya. But he got no chance to make his love to Saniya. One day he got the chance as he was taken to Saniya’s house accompanied by his aunt Zanuba. That was the introduction. Saniya had an interest in learning the piano. When Saniya came to know that Muhsin was well at playing on piano then she asked Muhsin to give her a piano lesson. Hence Muhsin became her music teacher. He was junior to Saniya by two years. Saniya seems to be affectionate to him. But later on, Saniya fell in love with a handsome young boy named Mustafa who lived in a rented house near the Saniya’s. Then she turned to him passionately and subsequently got married to him. Muhsin became disheartened.

One day Muhsin received a letter from his parents who lived in Damanhur. He went there by train and his father and his escort received him affectionately. There he gained some real experience as he came into close contact with class discrimination. Going there he experienced that the condition of the peasants is so low and full of hardship. They had to do work for their landlords. His mother is the representative of the upper aristocratic society under whom the peasants had to suffer a lot as she was haughty and her outlook towards them was disgraceful. Muhsin protested but proved futile. There he also came to learn the lesson of Egyptian solidarity.

Thirdly the author has depicted him as a revolutionary. Towards the end of the novel, it is seen that the Muhsin is actively in the revolutionary party of Egypt the main objective of which was to overthrow the British Colonial rule from Egypt and got political as well as cultural freedom. Along with his three uncles, he got arrested. All were sent to prison. Subsequently, they were all released.

The author makes him the hero of the novel. He is portrayed more as an individual than as a type. His love for Saniya seems incompatible and unmatched as he was two years senior to Saniya. He was still a student and underage to get married. He is over-emotional and childish in manner. But as a young revolutionary, he is an ideal of Egyptian solidarity as he was unwilling to be released alone while his father with the help of the French archaeologist wanted to get him released. The author narrated his mental state when he heard that his father is trying to get him released as:

“He waited anxiously in that manner and at times with secret embarrassment when he remembered he would be released as a result of his father’s efforts while his uncles and Mabruk were left with no one to assist them. What pleasure there be to life by himself in Damanhur, or in any other place, when he had left the joy of sharing with his colleagues, the folks, in all variety of circumstances and times. 

Pain no matter how great, diminished when they all share it. Bearing it seemed easy whenever they bore it together. Indeed it was transformed at times into solace that delightfully refreshed them. What did his father and mother want for him except isolation and egotism? From his inner depths, he prayed secretly to God that his father’s efforts would fail.”

The second outstanding character is Miss Saniya. She is made the heroine of the novel by the author, Tawfiq al-Hakim. She is the daughter of Dr Ahmad Hilmi. He had been a doctor in the Egyptian army. He is honourable and a man of status. His daughter Saniya is well educated, cultured, and charming to look at. All the youth of her neighbour are in love with her. But all their love is one-sided only. She is not interested in them. Muhsin’s two uncles are also inclined to her. She is something a tragic character. For all who loved her, she happened to suffer a lot. First Muhsin is seemed to fall in deep love with her. But her love for him was affectionate and not desirous. Muhsin also caused her to suffer some mental agony as she seemed indifferent to him. Secondly, Abduh the younger uncle of Muhsin fell in love with her. But she was not known about his love for her. Once when Abduh happened to go to her house to repair the electric wire of their household he became more enamoured of her. He became envious of Muhsin when he came to know that Muhsin was in love with her. But bitterer was Salim’s love to her. Salim sent her a love letter which fell into the hand of her father who got angry and sent the letter back to the sender. No doubt the letter was a passionate one but he was not her worth match. Subsequently, she fell in love with Mustafa. Zanuba got jealous of this love and sent an anonymous letter to Saniya’s father. The letter reads as:

“The Eminent and respectable Dr Hilmi, 

To begin:

After greeting you, we inform you that there is a passionate love affair being freely conducted between Saniya Hanim, your daughter, and a man who is one of the customers of the coffeehouse facing your illustrious abode. Letters and signals pass nonstop between the balcony and the coffeehouse. We have brought this to your attention because of our respect for you and because of our concern for your good reputation and our desire for the honor of your name.

Yours sincerely,

Signed:

A Sincere Friend.

Thus she became a victim of Zanuba’s jealousy. But Saniya is depicted as a symbol of awakening the inner conscious in men. All who loved her experienced a new vigour and enthusiasm in life. Salim, Abduh, and even the underage Muhsin became conscious of their national integrity and joined the revolutionary party and got arrested.

The third major character of the novel is Miss Zanuba. She may be called the antagonist of the novel. She is a spinster of about forty, yet she is desirous of getting married. She lives with her three brothers- Hanafi, Salim and Abduh in Cairo. She is illiterate and superstitious. About Zanuba the author has given an account as Zanuba grew up in a country (village) where she was neglected and left uneducated. She served her father’s wife and raised chickens for her. When her brothers Hanafi and Abduh came to Cairo for study, she came with them together with Mabruk ibn al- Khawli- her classmate from the village Qur’an school- who had not prospered there. She was to look after them to manage the household. Her long stay in the capital had had no real effect on her. She remained just as she had been. The life of the commercial centre and metropolis had intruded on her only superficially, its influences limited to her clothing and speech. In this, she mimicked the standards of her Cairo girl-friends and modern neighbours without understanding what she was imitating. Muhsin said he once heard her greet some female visitors before noon with ‘Bonsoir, Ladies.’ Zanuba like many other homely women was aware of everything except her homeliness. Although she was lovely, thirty, the lady of her house, perfect in every way, she still had no offers. She consoled herself by ascribing that to: ‘Luck, bad luck! May you never experience ill! Nothing but that!’ this she repeated to herself and others.

Even so, matchmakers had come to her more than once. One of them stopped her pitch as soon as he saw Zanuba, stood up and tucking her wrap around her, hastened to leave. Zanuba was sure the matchmaker was delighted and was going immediately to inform the groom. She scurried along beside her to the door to their apartment, whispering, ‘So say nice things about me to him.’

The matchmaker’s smirk was hidden by her veil. She replied maliciously and sarcastically, ‘Well sister, no one deserves praise but you!’ and departed never to return.

To get herself married she took shelter on the charlatans and magic and thus spent money cutting short of the money given to her for household maintenance. Once she went to a charlatan who suggested her to buy an orphan hoopoe with which he would give her an amulet to get her married but all were futile. She fell in love with Mustafa Bey, one of her neighbour who lived in a rented house. She saw him in the coffeehouse of Mr Shahata who was originally in love with Saniya. Being jealous of Mustafa’s love for Saniya she planned to kill him and make Saniya suffer a lot. She wrote an anonymous letter to Saniya’s father alleging her to be in love with Mustafa which caused some disturbance to Saniya. How jealous she was- is narrated by the author as:

“Neither religion nor conscience had prevented her from proceeding towards her goal. She wanted Mustafa to die in three days, and she was working to have him die…. To have a man die whose only fault was not loving her. How monstrous! Is this a woman? If she loves and disappoints, does she becomes a predatory animal?”

The third character of the novel is Mustafa Bey. He is the son of an industrialist. He was educated in Muhammad Ali School, and then a student of the Nile Valley Secondary School. His father died leaving him a large estate and a textile industry. He had a brother also who lived in Paris. His father wanted him to work for him in the textile firm in al- Mahalla al-Kubra. When his father died he wasted no time. He stayed only to do his duty to the departed. After that, he prepared to travel. He brought along a servant and a few belongings. He left the large textile firm in the care of employees. He was determined to leave commerce to attempt to find employment in a government ministry so he could settle permanently in Cairo. But fortunately, he could scarcely recognize in it the town of his past. One day he happened to see Saniya on her balcony from the coffeehouse of Mr Shahata. Since then he was in love with her and became mad of her. His feeling about seeing her is narrated by the author as under:

“What had Mustafa seen? A girl who appeared and then vanished like a flash of lightning, like a flash of lightning that illuminated all the corners of his gloomy heart….. In five seconds Mustafa had glimpsed for the first time beauty that shook his heart. He had not known that this house contained all that. When he finally recovered from the intoxication of the surprise, he began to say to himself, ‘The tragedy is that I’ve been her since the beginning of the year without having any idea. He was overcome by the delirious happiness at his discovery. He attacked and scolded himself: Am I a fool! As ass! Blind!”

Since then he became mad of her and kept waiting to see her. One day he got a chance and followed her to the dentist where Saniya took treatment for her teeth. Then he sent a letter to her via her maid. In the letter he wrote:

My Lady,

Excuse my daring. I have been forced to act this way. For about a month the key of my life left my hand for that of another person. I no longer remain the only person holding the reigns of my affairs. If I dare to write you, it is because I naturally want to know the opinion of that person who is now in charge of my happiness and sorrow, and perhaps my selfish and because I love you to such a degree I would prefer my own suffering to a marriage that your feelings reject. Sincerely and respectfully yours,

Mustafa Raj

35 Salama Street

Second Floor.19

Consequently, he sent his aunt to Saniya’s parents with the proposal of marriage and after mutual agreement, both were married happily. 

Though Mustafa Bey succeeded in love and getting Saniya married, he may not be called the hero of the novel. It is because the novelist makes him appear in the very last few chapters and in all the formal chapters he is hinted at only as a reference.

Another main character of the novel is Hanafi Effendi, one of the uncles of Muhsin. He is mainly a comic character of the novel. He is the head of the blended family. By profession, he is a mathematics teacher at the Khalil Aga School. He is addicted to too much sleeping which gives rise to comic flavour throughout the novel. He was also caught by the police along with his brothers Salim, Abduh and nephew Muhsin as a revolutionary. Though he is visible throughout the novel yet his role as a character is limited. His action neither leads the plot ahead nor helps in expressing other characters but he adds only humour to the novel.

Salim is another major character of the novel. He is one of the uncles of Muhsin living in the same house. He is a vain and earthly police captain. He is also a comic character. He bears a long mustache which he keeps twisting all the time. He is also interested in playing the piano. Once he went to the house of Miss Saniya to get Saniya’s piano examined whether it was well or needed repairing. There he fell in love with her. But his love for her was one-sided and psychological. Saniya did not comply with his love affairs. One day he sent a love letter to Saniya. But the letter fell in the hand of Saniya’s father who being exasperated returned it to Salim. Thus he failed in his lovemaking with Saniya and suffered from mental affliction. After returning from the house of Saniya, he was distressed and began to feel solitary for himself. The author narrates his mental state in the following words:

“He was rather looking, at the bedroom and the four beds lined up there, one next to the other. His disdain was visible on his lips. For the first time, he felt the strangeness of this way of living. He was astonished that he had been able, till now, to live four or five to a room. This sensation sprang from his feeling of superiority and exaltation over his comrades. For that reason, he tossed his jacket far away, on one of the beds. He emerged to say, ‘Are we dogs, or what? I need to move my bed to another room so I can have some privacy. Half a dozen in a room like a burrow? Are we dogs?” 

He is a youth of weak character. Once while he was in service he showed his weakness to a woman for which he was discharged from his job. Later on, he is seen that he is interested in a prostitute named Mariya. At the end of the novel, he is seen to join the revolutionary party and was arrested along with his brothers and nephew Muhsin. But subsequently, he was released along with all of his family.

Another major character in the novel is Abduh. He is also an uncle of Muhsin. He is an engineering student. Like his brother Salim and nephew Muhsin, he was also interested in Saniya and fell in love with her. But his love to Saniya was psychological and one-sided. This love episode was also limited to Abduh only. Saniya was not affected by Abduh. Like others, he was also bewitched by the glaring charm of Saniya’s beauty. One day he happened to go to Saniya’s house to get their electric wires repaired. Then he came into contact with Saniya and began to love her consciously. But Saniya remained silent. Already he came to know from Zanuba that Saniya is in love with Mustafa Bey and then he broke down. His mental state is narrated by the author as follows:

“Abduh spent several anxious days, not knowing what to do to stay in touch with his neighbours. He was afraid that what he had achieved so far was the most he could hope for. Despite his triviality and vitality, Abduh lacked the daring and brashness to undertake the same bold, proactive deed without regard what people would say.”

With his brother Salim, he also joined the revolt against the British Colonial rule in Egypt and was arrested but later on, he along with others got released.

Among the major characters of the novel, Mabruk is one. He is the servant to the household of Muhsin. He is very dutiful and faithful to his hosts and does the household duties with interest. He seems to share everybody’s feelings in the novel. The author has portrayed him as a comic character also. He takes pains to buy Zanuba an orphan hoopoe but failed. But towards the end of the novel, he is seemed to be wearied of being a servant and wishes to be umdah (village head) and for this, he buys eyeglass with the money that was provided to him to buy foodstuff.  He also takes an amusing role with Zanuba to disturb Mustafa and Saniya in their lovemaking. The author says of him:

“Mabruk stood there a moment, looking at the stunned folks through his new glasses. Then he suddenly went to Abduh, spread out his hand, which held forty-five piasters. Here’s what’s left. So take your money. I resign from this job. It seems the money is not going to last to the end of the month. You have a lord who is called ‘The Generous”

Mabruk also took part in the dissemination of revolutionary ideas to the general public and got arrested but subsequently he along with all other of his household got released.

There are some minor characters in the novel as- Hamid Bey, Muhsin’s Mother, Mr Black, Mr Fouquet, Abbas, Maestra Labiba Shukhla and Dr Ahmad Halimi.

Hamid Bey is the father of Muhsin Bey. He is henpecked by his arrogant Turkish wife. He inherited a large property from his wife’s side. He appears for a short while in the novel. But within this span of time, his nature and character are portrayed well by the novelist. He is affectionate to his child. He is more concerned with the education of his son, Muhsin Bey. He lives in Damanhur with his wife while his son stays with his uncles at Salma Street, Cairo. While Muhsin went to Damanhur his father and his attendants receives him warmly. His father took him directly to their home. He took Muhsin to their rural estate where Muhsin experienced the class distinction prevalent in the then society. Hamid Bey always falls to be a victim to her arrogant wife. The following dialogues between the two are enough to substantiate how many sufferers he was under her wife:

“The lady’s lips opened in a smile. She said with pride, vanity and arrogance, “see you see: I’ve civilized you and raised you, Peasant, Loafer, would not you congratulate me then?”

The Bey laughed and said, “Fine!… I congratulate you!”

She asked proudly and boastfully, “Was not I the one who told you to invite them?”

“Yes, you did.”

Listen to me all the time and you’ll do splendidly. Tomorrow, invite the governor too, so he’ll know.”

The Bey scratched his head. Then he exclaimed anxiously, “But the cost!”

The lady cast him a glance that silenced him at once. He stopped thinking about the enormous sums squandered on banquets and parties for years. He started looking around in confusion.

Another minor character is Muhsin’s mother. It is already known that she is very haughty of her noble birth. She always keeps her husband under suppression and pressure. But she is very affectionate to her only child. While Muhsin hesitates to deal roughly with the servants and the inferiors then she admonishes Muhsin to be like hers. Muhsin seems to be dissatisfied with her mother’s haughtiness. She is also very close-fisted to others. When his father gave Muhsin his allowance then she says to her husband:

“Give him just what I told you. Otherwise, he’ll be giving the money to his uncles.”

Mr Black and Mr Fouquet are two other minor characters. Mr Black is a British irrigation inspector and Mr Fouquet is a French archaeologist. While they were invited by Muhsin’s father to their house then they seem to be minutest in matters of food. In Mr Black, there is the arrogance of English. He thinks the Egyptians to be a nation of no importance. He is given over dishes of food but at last, he asks for cheese. He is also envious to the fellahin’s taste. This is known from the conversations between his French colleague Mr Fouquet:

The Englishman said to his companion, “All I see swarms of men in blue shirts.”

The Frenchman looked at the fellahin and said admiringly, “What wonderful taste they have! The colour of their clothing is like the colour of their sky!”

A sarcastic smile appeared on the face the, Bruiser’s face. He said, “You go too fair if you ascribe taste to those ignorant people.”

The French archaeologist answered him forcefully and with conviction, “Ignorant!… These ignorant people. Mr Black, know more than we do.”

The Englishman laughed and said as sarcastically: They sleep in the same room with the animals!”

Mr Black scrutinized him carefully, with a smile, “What a clever joke, Monsieur Fouquet.”

The Frenchman replied:

“No, it’s a truth that the European does not know, unfortunately. Yes… this people you consider ignorant certainly knows many things, but it knows by heart, not the intellect. Supreme wisdom is in their blood without their knowing it. There is a force within them they’re not conscious of. This is an ancient people. If you take one of these peasants and remove his heart, you’ll find in it the residue of the thousand years of experiential knowledge, one layer on top of the other, although he is not conscious of it.” 

Thus the British irrigation inspector is a representative of the haughty English. On the other hand Mr Fouquet the French archaeologist is liberal and wise in his judgment regarding the Egyptians.

Abbas is another minor character of the novel. He is a friend to Muhsin. As a friend, he is very truthful and conscious to his friend’s welfare. He bears good taste in the poetry competition. He gives his amicable company to Muhsin and tries to keep him in a jubilant mood. He shares his friend’s secrets but Muhsin seems to be hesitant to reveal his secret love for Saniya to Abbas.

Maestra Labiba Shakhla is another minor character in the novel. She is a female entertainer and singer. She is famous for her peculiar tone of singing. Muhsin met her first in his house as she was a regular frequenter of their house to render entertainment to the family members.  Once she took Muhsin to one of her music programs to a house of a Jewish marriage ceremony. There she seems that she is very conscious of her dignity and keeps her audience in wait. Muhsin accompanied her as a member of her troupe. Muhsin is proud of being her apprentice in his childhood. To Muhsin, she narrates her experience got in different places and programs.

She demanded to be a good cook also. One day she prepared food for the household of the Muhsin’s but those who ate her food felt pain in their stomach which substantiated that she was full of self-pride. The author narrates her skill humorously as below:

“She went and sang till the festivities were at a climax of commotion and joy. The guests were assembled and the excitement and agitation were intense. It was then that Maestra Labiba suddenly felt acute pain throughout her digestive tract. At first, she tried to conceal that for fear of a scandal, but she had hardly staggered to her feet when she saw that all her musicians were suffering from same indigestion. Each of the accompanists was leaning to another, wreathing, a hand on her belly. She grasped the truth of the situation. It was a quite sense, as recounted afterwards by Shakhla with her light-hearted spirit, weeping and laughing at the same time. Immediately thereafter the guests witnessed all the members of the troupe. Reeling and writhing. They rose quickly at the same moment, each with a hand on her belly. All the artistes rushed off, clearing a way for themselves through the crowd, in search of a bathroom or a toilet.” 

III. Comic Elements in Return of the Spirit

The term ‘Comic’ is the adjective form of the word ‘comedy’. According to A Glossary of Literary Terms “A comedy is a work in which the materials are selected and managed primarily in order to interest and amuse us: the characters and their discomfitures engage our delighted attention rather than our profound concern, we feel confident that no great disaster will occur, and usually the action turns out happily for the chief characters.”

In any comic piece of literary art, humour is rendered by means of action, speech, situation and physical irrelevancy. 

Tawfik al-Hakim’s novel entitled Awdat al-Ruh (Return of the Spirit) is thoroughly a comic novel. There are ample elements of comedy that are produced by means of action, situation, speech and physical gestures. Almost all the characters, except a few, are comic from head to foot. Hanafi Effendi is the first and foremost comic character in the novel. Besides him, there are comic elements in Salim, Abduh, Zanuba, Mabruk, Maestra Labiba Shakhla and even in Muhsin’s father and mother including Mr Black and Mr Fouquet. Let us analyze the comic elements in the novel as follows:

The first comic scene is met with Zanuba and her matchmaker. The author gives an account of their meeting and Zanuba’s attitude to the matchmaker as follows which is nothing but comic.

Even so, matchmakers had come to her more than once. One of them stopped her pitch as soon as he saw Zanuba, stood up and tucking her wrap around her, hastened to leave. Zanuba was sure the matchmaker was delighted and was going immediately to inform the groom. She scurried along beside her to the door to their apartment, whispering, ‘So say nice things about me to him.’

Again another matchmaker had come to her and the discourse between the two is also comic which give rise to laughter in the readers’ mind. The author narrates: He (the matchmaker) asked the alleged ‘President’ of the household his opinion of her with a polite, reserved look. The honorary head of the household, Hanafi Effendi, as they termed him, raised his head to the other man and gazed at him with near-sighted, inflamed and diseased eyes. He turned towards him his misshapen, dust-colored face, which sun and sores had scored and turned the colour of the mud bricks used to build village houses, and put his hand to his fez, which he pushed back, revealing an ugly, scarred forehead. Then he said to the suitor warmly and vehemently,

‘No way! Never! Have no fear! Not bad at all! Rest assured! A piece of cake! This woman is as sound as gold guinea- twenty-four carat! Look, Sir. Have you observed me closely? The bride is my spitting image, a chip from the same block because she is my full sister, born immediately after me.’

The gentleman suitor was surprised and temporarily flustered. When he calmed down a little he began to look stealthily at Hanafi’s ugly face, trying to hide his distress, disgust and distaste. Finally, he muttered in a kind of whisper to himself, ‘impossible… no way!’

The scene of Zanuba with the charlatan is entirely comic. She went there with a view to getting a suggestion on how she could be married soon. Then the charlatan suggested her to collect a piece of hair from the top of him with whom she wanted to be married. She seemed impossible. Then the wife of the Shaykh (the charlatan) said:

“From the part at the top of his head. Don’t forget. If you’re clever, you’ll have a word with the barber who cuts his hair and get him to supply what you need. Listen too, Sister. The Shaykh says you must have, as well, the heart of an orphan hoopoe.”

The Shaikh’s wife added more as:

“Bring those first. An amulet made from this will never fail- the Shaykh said from below, and he is the supreme authority on the mysterious and the miraculous. Whoever wears his amulet, man or woman, will be able to cast anyone he has in mind at his feet.”

Muhsin’s treatment of the handkerchief which he had picked up from Saniya renders comic elements in the novel. After having the handkerchief he felt so much joy in his heart that he felt a need to confide his total bliss to someone. But to whom? He remembered her silk handkerchief, which he carried at all times the way pious people carry the Holy Qur’an. Let him confide his feelings to her handkerchief then. His soul yearned to be alone and secluded in some remote place, so he could be by himself, kiss his cherished handkerchief, and reveal to it many things, chatting with it at length.

Chapter no. 6, Part I of the novel is wholly comic. It narrates how Mabruk behaved returning from outside without getting hoopoe. Zanuba sent him to collect a hoopoe for herself as was suggested by the Shaykh to make an amulet for her with it. At night when everybody was ready to take food then Mabruk came in panting and between gaps he exclaimed: “Oh, oh! I’ve totally destroyed myself walking around, you Muslims!”

Then Abduh and Salim turned toward him in amazement. Abduh asked, “What is the matter? Where had you been? Mabruk answered in the voice of a person on the point of death, “The orphan hoopoe…” Salim put a hand to his ears, trying to understand, “What?” Mabruk moaned, “The orphan hoopoe! May God requite and bless us for this hoopoe, this orphan! Oh, world! O, people!”

Zanuba stooped in her tracks, struck by fear. She began to look stealthily at Abduh. He was frowning and asked Mabruk dryly, “What orphan hoopoe? I don’t understand you at all!” He turned to ask Salim, “Have you understood him, Master Salim?” 

Then he raised his hand and turned towards Zanuba and said, “All of this because of you and because I’m kidding- the orphan hoopoe. I have asked throughout the town and found only one hoopoe. I don’t know whether he is an orphan or not. I did not ask him. Am I someone, “Miss Zanuba, who understands, no joke intended, bird talk?”

Hanafi is a character who is sleepy in nature and the manner of awaking him from sleep is also comic.  The author narrates how he is awakened from napping by Abdu as:

“Abduh concurred with the suggestion, nodding his head. He rose straightway and headed to the bedroom to inform Hanafi of the new revolution. The tried and true method of waking Hanafi quickly was simple and known to everyone. It was to yank to covers off him in one jerk and then to scream to his ears for a long time. Abduh resorted to that method directly without wasting time on useless preliminaries. Hanafi Effendi moved at last bellowing angrily: “People Hey! I’m in the glory of the prophet. Can’t I have a little nap? I taught five classes today, People.”

Maestra Labiba Shakhla, a female entertainer and singer is also a comic character. She demanded to be a good cook also. One day she prepared food for the household of the Muhsin’s but those who ate her food felt pain in their stomach which substantiated that she was full of self-pride and good for nothing fellow. The author narrates her skill ironically as below:

“She went and sang till the festivities were at a climax of commotion and joy. The guests were assembled and the excitement and agitation were intense. It was then that Maestra Labiba suddenly felt acute pain throughout her digestive tract. At first, she tried to conceal that for fear of a scandal, but she had hardly staggered to her feet when she saw that all her musicians were suffering from same indigestion. Each of the accompanists was leaning to another, wreathing, a hand on her belly. She grasped the truth of the situation. It was a quiet sense, as recounted afterwards by Shakhla with her light-hearted spirit, weeping and laughing at the same time. Immediately thereafter the guests witnessed all the members of the troupe. Reeling and writhing. They rose quickly at the same moment, each with a hand on her belly. All the artistes rushed off, clearing a way for themselves through the crowd, in search of a bathroom or a toilet.”

There is a comic element in the portraiture of Mabruk. One day he buys eyeglasses with the money he was given to buy food. All of the households were hungry and were waiting for Mabruk to return. But eventually, he came back not with foodstuff but with a pair of eyeglasses and what happens after is fully humorous. The author says of him:

“Mabruk stood there a moment, looking at the stunned folks through his new glasses. Then he suddenly went to Abduh, spread out his hand, which held forty-five piasters. Here’s is what’s left. So take your money. I resign from this job. It seems the money is not going to last to the end of the month. You have a lord who is called ‘The Generous”

Abduh after returning from the house of Saniya asks Muhsin how the wares work. Then what Salim answers is fully humorous. He says:

“Mister, the electricity is working fantastically well. My be you should sabotage it. Mister, find yourself some other employment beside this.”

Abduh finally could not take anymore and screamed in his face:

“And you, what is it to you, stupid?”

Calmly but incredulously, Salim asked, “Am I stupid?”

“Sixty times over.”

“Group, are you witness?”

“What right do you have to pry into my affairs?”

“God forgive you! I’m to blame! So he fell silent. 

There is a comic scene when Muhsin went to the train station in order to visit his parents at Damanhur. Hanafi went with him to the train station to buy a ticket for Muhsin. But Hanafi seeing the crowd at the ticket counter sat on the nearby bench and began to nap. Consequently, the train left the station. When Hanafi came back with the ticket then it was an hour over. The author gives an account of the situation as follows which is nothing but humorous:

“Hanafi looked at the platform where the train normally stood. Not seeing it, he relaxed and calmed down. He took out his handkerchief and wiped his brow. Then he asked, hasn’t it come yet? Didn’t I tell you we woke too early?

The youth flared up and said angrily, “Has not come? The train left an hour ago.”

Hanafi did not seem to believe and asked, “What are you saying? Left? Are you sure?

Muhsin asked him coldly, “Where were you? Where did you go, Sir?”

The honorary president replied, “Brother when I went to buy you a ticket, I found a terrible crowd of people at the window. So I told myself: I’ll sit and wait  a little on the bench.”

“What bench?”

“Do I know? A green bench over there with a back.”

Muhsin retorted quickly, trying to restrain in his rage, “Yes, fell asleep.”

Muhsin after visiting his parent’s house in Damanhur went to a peasant’s house and what he saw there is also comic. The author narrates that Muhsin saw a group of fellahin coming from the centre of the clover field, carrying a dying buffalo. The women following behind were weeping. Muhsin thought at first that this bellowing and wailing was without a doubt for a person who had died or suffered a calamity. When he saw the group neared him he asked what had happened. They told him that a water buffalo from Arwaji’s house seemed to have been poisoned. They would slaughter it and were consoling the owner for its death. Everyone appeared to be grieving and mournful, as though the deceased were a man.

The scene of preparing food for the European guests by Muhsin’s mother and the serving of the same is also comic because the guests demanded cheese after taking all the delicious food items. Then Muhsin’s mother relapsed into anxiety and despair. She began asking the servants again, insisting, entreating, finally, a male appeared with joy that a piece of Greek cheese had been found in the pantry. As soon as he announced that, the lady rushed towards her as did anyone else. It was as if they had made an important discovery. Despair turned to joy. Bey was reassured and left his wife. He hurriedly rejoined his guests after making it clear to his wife that this piece needed to be served immediately. Finally, the servant brought the piece of ‘Rumi’ cheese from the pantry, but it was brown with age. Everyone realized that this piece had been left in the pantry for such a long time to be used to bait mouse traps. The lady hesitated a little, and her distress returned. But finally, she resolved to let it pass. She told the servants, “Mice or cats… it’s better than nothing. I mean will they know?”

There is a comic element in the direction given to Mabruk while taking up loads of Muhsin after he was received while returned from Damanhur by his uncles in the railway station. Hanafi said:

“There is a coffeehouse facing the building. All you need, Boss, is to ask Master Shahhata, the owner of the coffeehouse.”

Here Mabruk shouted at them from the top of the cart to protest they were ignoring his existence. “And me- all kidding aside- am I nothing but a package on the cart?”

Muhsin laughed and acknowledged he was right. Hanafi looked at him and said apolitically, “You’re right. Mr Mabruk. Our mistake. Drive on, Boss, and if you get lost ask the effendi who’s on the top of the carriage.” 

The scene of Mabruk and Zanuba’s watching over the love-making of Saniya and Mustafa is highly comic. Zanuba stood in the way of Saniya and Mustafa’s meeting each other and then Zanuba decided to disturb them at night by throwing the barks of bananas to the balcony of the Mustafa’s. Again the taking of an umbrella by Mustafa to get rid of the banana bulk is also comic. The author narrates:

“Mustafa muttered and returned and came back carrying an umbrella in his hand. He opened it and held it over his head to protect himself. When Saniya saw that, she burst into laughter, trying not to laugh too much. At this moment too, Zanuba nudged Mabruk who was tired and yawning from staying awake and on his feet while conducting the surveillance. She directed his attention to Mustafa’s umbrella. She whispered, “Mabruk! See the wretch we are bombarding keeps coming up with something new.”

Mabruk stared at the umbrella and then said, “This, all kidding aside, acts like a parasol.”

“What is but an umbrella? You disaster! He must be afraid of getting sunstroke.”

Zanuba protested in a whisper, “go to hell! That is the moon!”

Mustafa’s waiting for Saniya at night on the top of his balcony is also comic.  Being sullen Saniya did not appear on the balcony for a night to meet Mustafa then he kept waiting all night like a wretched. The author narrates:

“Night came, and the time for rendezvous passed. Mustafa got out a thick coat to wrap himself in and a scarf to put around his neck. As an extra precaution, he brought his umbrella, which he had never abandoned since the day of the cabbage leaves and colocasia peels. He moved a large chair to the balcony and sat with his legs tucked up and the umbrella spread over his head to begin his watch.”

The conversation between Mabruk and Zanuba regarding the disappearance of Saniya in the balcony that night is also comic. The author writes:

“He (Mustafa) remembered his feeling for these two lovers. He was surprised at what had happened to them and began to ask himself morosely what could have caused the rift between them as though the matter concerned him.

Finally, he looked at Zanuba out of the corner of his eyes and said to himself, “It is all because of the evil eye. She envied them.

Zanuba did not let up on him, attacking again: “But what did you do, Mabruk, after I left you? Won’t you tell me and relieve my heart?”

Mabruk turned toward her. He thought for a moment to invent something. In the end, he asked, “Shall I tell you the truth or its cousin?”

Chapter 25, Part II of this novel is highly comic produced by Mabruk and Hanafi Effendi in the prison regarding the spear post that Mabruk witnessed. The author narrates that they slept all night in their exhaustion. When the day comes, Mabruk got up before the others. He began to look around the place and check out all the angles. He found high up in a corner a window like a projecting tower and figured out how to hoist himself up there. He looked down between the bars and saw a courtyard. He gazed around it. There in the centre, a trapeze had been erected with a set of wooden parallel bars beside it. Perhaps they had been placed before so the officers and soldiers could train at gymnastics. But Mabruk did not know that. As soon as he saw these things, he dropped down and shouted, they’ve put up the gallows!”

The honorary president Hanafi opened his eyes at once on hearing that. He shook himself in alarm. Then he sprang to his feet and exclaimed. “The gallows! It is gotten to be gallows! They are going to hang us! No. That talk does not sense!”

He looked at Abduh, Muhsin and Salim, who were sleeping or pretending to sleep in complete tranquillity. He shook them and shouted, Get up! Get up! Boys! We’re in big trouble without being knowing it.”

No one answered him. Enraged, he said, “You mean sleep is sweet at a time like this?” 

Thus the novel is replete with comic elements which have contributed to it t be a great comic novel in the Arabic language. 

IV.  Plot Construction of Return of the Spirit

According to The Concise Oxford Dictionary, the term ‘construction’ refers to arrangements of anything. Literary the construction of a plot of a narrative should be relevant and consistent from the beginning to the end as it should develop through certain stages such as- beginning, rising action, climax, falling action and denouement (conclusion). On this ground, it may be called that the novelist of the novel Awdat al-Ruh has little sense of either form or construction.

The novel is divided into two parts. In part I, the novelist has given an account of the love affairs of Muhsin, Salim and Abduh and in part II, the author portrays the falling action of the love affairs of the three and develops the love affairs of Mustafa and Saniya which ends in marriage.

The author is very skilled in bringing about the opening logically in the novel. In the very opening chapter, he has succeeded in introducing the major characters and the main theme of the novel. In the opening chapter, we meet with Muhsin, Hanafi Effendi, Abduh, Salim and Mabruk. Muhsin stands out to be the hero of the novel. Hanafi is nothing but a comic character that remains active to add to the comic resources in the novel. His talks and attitude do nothing except what is comic and humorous. Salim is a vain police captain with weak character. Abduh is an engineering student. Muhsin is their only nephew, the son of Hamid Bey who lives with his wife at Damanhur. Zanuba is a spinster of about forty years of age. She is illiterate and uncultured. She remains to be the protagonist of the novel. All the troubles concerning Saniya and his marriage are caused by Zanuba. This first chapter also introduces Mabruk who remains a faithful savant of the Hanafi household. 

The complication of the theme i.e. loves affairs of Salim, Abduh and Muhsin begins form chapter 2. The complication develops through the subsequent chapters till part II of the novel begins. In the complication chapters, we see that the love affairs of Abduh and Salim are absolutely one-sided. Saniya the heroine is ignorant of their love for her. She remains cold to them except only to Muhsin. She showed some interest in Muhsin. But he proves not to be well-matched as Saniya treated Muhsin as a mere child as he was junior by two years to herself. The love affairs of Salim and Abduh may be called their whimsical madness. But throughout the complications, the author seems to be prolix. There is an episode of Labiba Shakhla which seems a digressing and too much prolix. Not in part I but in part II of the novel, the plot takes a definite turn which seems to be too late.

Perhaps the climax reaches in chapter 16, Part I of the novel. In this chapter, we see that Muhsin goes to the house of Saniya where a dramatic situation takes place between Muhsin and Saniya. Muhsin expressed his liking of Saniya, he weeps, and Saniya consoles him. Muhsin returns the silk handkerchief that he stealthily took from Saniya. Saniya gets surprised and enraged with him. Later on, they get reconciled and the same handkerchief is given back to Muhsin in order to keep it as a token of remembrance. The climax is too emotional as the author narrates:

He (Muhsin) began to speak like this in a trembling, feverish voice. Saniya listened, moved, and was pleased until he finished. Then she drew close to him, grasped his trembling hand, and – looking at him—said in a faint voice, “You’re wrong, Muhsin! Is that the way it is? Shame on you! If you were not important to me I would not have taught you piano and made Mama agrees. You know it is started the day I saw you on the roof.

The youth’s heart trembled. He smiled and turned toward her; it seemed her eyes were asking her: is that true?

Saniya started speaking again in a faint warm voice, upbraiding him for what he had said. He did not know what to say or do. He had no sense of where he was. He seemed to be in an ethereal realm where he felt nothing, not even the happiness perfuming that moment. He roused himself a tad and felt an urge to pour kisses on her hands, cheek, and face but did not dare to do anything like that. He stayed frozen like a statue while time passed swiftly. Finally, he collected the shreds of his resolve and moved to revive his leaping heart, but the occasion had been lost, for he heard the maid’s footsteps. She came to announce the return of her elder mistress from outside. At that Muhsin rose quickly to his feet as did Saniya. He began to tidy himself and reached in his pocket for his handkerchief to wipe his face. Instead, Saniya quickly gave him her silk handkerchief without the maid seeing and whispered to him, “Keep it as a remembrance.”

After this climax, the part II of the novel serves as the falling action. But the falling action seems long. In the falling action of the novel, all the one-sided love affairs especially of Salim and Abduh with Saniya come to an end. The love affairs of Zanuba with Mustafa which was also one-sided also come to an end with Zanuba’s envy of Saniya. Muhsin also ceases to be concerned with Saniya. Only the love affairs between Mustafa and Saniya get developed and end in a happy marriage.

Thus the plot structure of the novel is though not so coherent yet it seems that its structure is better than that of Yawmiyyat Naif Fil Aryaf. 

V.  Setting (Environment) of Return of the Spirit

The fifth important feature of a novel is the Setting (or Environment). Environment refers to the surroundings in which a person, animal or plant lives and operates its function. The portrayal of the environment in a novel involves the customs, traditions, lifestyle, and other special peculiarities of the place where the incidents of the novel take place. The depiction of the environment makes a novel life-like and imparts vividness and fidelity which in turn increase the gusto for the enjoyment of the novel. The depiction of the environment in a novel should always be consistent with the place, time, and occasion. For example, in portraying a town life the novelist must create an environment that is peculiar to a town. Thus in representing rustic or peasant life the novelist should portray the surrounding which is peculiar to rustic life. Along with other elements, the success of a novel depends on the faithful representation of the environment also. It imparts fidelity to the novel as a realistic representation of life.

The depiction of the setting (environment) of the novel is unique and the novelist has been able to show his dept in full. It may be said that he is very keen on observing the surrounding of any event that he goes on to depict in his novel. The novel begins with the picture of the bedroom of the Hanafi household as:

“They all caught flu at the same time. The moment the doctor laid eyes on them, he was stunned, because they were all crowded into one room where five beds with flimsy mattresses were lined up next to each other. The single armoire, reminiscent of cabinets used by public scribes, had lost one of its two doors and held clothes of every colour and size, including some police uniforms with brass buttons. An old musical instrument with bellows—an accordion—was hanging from the wall”

In chapter 2 we see vivid portraiture of the dining room of the Muhsin’s. The author gives an account of it as quoted below:

“It was time for supper and the folks gathered in the apartment’s entry hall around a cheap white wooden table covered with an oilcloth. Time had drunk and eaten away on this table just as they had. Time perhaps had slept on it too like the servant Mabruk, whose bed it became at night when he spread his pad, covers, and fleas on it. In the morning it changed back into a table with a big dish of full midammis and loaves of bread for breakfast. For lunch or supper, there was a trencher of farik or fuul nabit.”

In  chapter 7 the author, Tawfiq al-Hakim has given a vivid narration of the school surrounding and the mental state of Muhsin which is almost poetic as:

“When Muhsin went to school the next day his face was beaming with happiness, and joy almost leapt from his breast. While he was in the streetcar on his way to school he imagined that God had never created a more beautiful morning. The streetcar passed by Lazoghli Square, where lush trees surrounded the statue, birds sang as they fitted branch to branch, and kite and hawk called as they flapped their wings in the sky. Amazing! He saw and heard all this today; it drew his attention. He had passed three hundreds of times before without seeing anything. Had the world changed that morning, or was he the one who had changed and developed new eyes?” 

Thus the novelist Tawfiq al-Hakim has proved himself as a master of portraying the vivid, lifelike, and even poetic setting of his events.

VI.  Use of Dialogue in ‘Return of the Spirit’

‘Dialogue’ refers to the conversation between two or more people. The use of dialogue imparts dramatic quality to a novel. Dialogue should be used sparingly and carefully with the intention that through dialogue the plot may get evolved and the characters may get revealed with their true passion, emotion, motive, feeling etc.  Dialogue should be in keeping with the personality of the speakers and suitable to the situation. For instance, a king should talk like a king, a maidservant like a maidservant, a ruffian like a ruffian, a woman of fashion like a woman of fashion, and a clergyman like a clergyman. In brief, to say, dialogue should be realistic but in using dialogue the novelist should take care that the speech may not go in any way beyond the purpose of the novelist. For example, in a real-life situation, people happen to make a quarrel in which the people involved use many unnecessary words or repetitions of the same words. The novelist must eschew them all and employ only those speeches which serve the purpose of the evolution of the plot and unfold the inner motives, passion, feeling etc. of the characters.

Tawfik al-Hakim may be called a master of dialogue. He has employed ample dialogues to meet his purpose. His dialogues have played an important role in evolving the plot and expressing the inner motives, feelings and passions of his characters. For instance, we can quote the dialogues exchanged between Muhsin and Zanuba pertaining to the lost handkerchief of Saniya as:

“Zanuba continued: ‘By the dear prophet, it has been stolen. Do you know who stole it?’ When Muhsin did not respond, she continued, ‘The person stole it….. Is Abduh!’

Muhsin suddenly raised his head with obvious astonishment and joy, ‘Uncle Abduh?’

She answered critically, ‘He is the only bad character we’ve got.’

Muhsin bent his head and did not utter a word.

She declared forcefully, ‘By the Prophet, I’ll consult the astrologer tomorrow and find out.’

Muhsin raised his head, ‘Astrologer?’ he muttered anxiously and fearfully.

She continued, ‘If it’s not that Abduh, I deserved to be beaten with a slipper.’ She was quiet for a moment, but then a thought crossed her mind. She said suddenly, ‘Oh! What a pity! I forgot someone!’

The novelist Tawfiq al-Hakim’s dialogues are often intended to raise a humorous effect. As in the case of fowl:

“Mabruk glanced at her and looked anxiously and hesitantly at the others, feeling trapped, not knowing what to say. Finally, he agreed with her in a mildly sarcastic tone: Oh…the bird.

Zanuba continued ignoring Mabruk’s response: “Because this fellow Mabruk likes cold fowl.”

Mabruk, who had no choice but to agree, nodded and said, “Right, like no kidding, the English.”

Hanafi the president, looked at him and asked, “How do you know what the English eat?”

Mabruk replied, “What did you mean? Was not my cousin taken by the authorities during the war along with the other camels, donkeys, and conscripts?” 

“True”, Hanafi said. “So did he eat cold fowl? By God, fantastic! It appears Miss Zanuba wants to turn us into Englishmen.”

Some of the dialogues of Mabruk and Zanuba are witty one as:

Mabruk stared at the umbrella and then said, 

“This, all kidding aside, acts like a parasol.”

“What is but an umbrella? You disaster! He must be afraid of getting sunstroke.”

Zanuba protested in a whisper, “Go to hell! That is the moon!”

Again the dialogues of Hanafi are also the same as the dialogues between Muhsin and Hanafi at the train station which read as:

“The youth flared up and said angrily, “Has not come? The train left an hour ago.”

Hanafi did not seem to believe and asked, “What are you saying? Left? Are you sure?

Muhsin asked him coldly, “Where were you? Where did you go, Sir?”

The honorary president replied, “Brother when I went to buy you a ticket, I found a terrible crowd of people at the window. So I told myself: I’ll sit and wait a little on the bench.”

“What bench?”

“Do I know? A green bench over there with a back.”

Muhsin retorted quickly, trying to restrain in his rage, “Yes, fell asleep.”

Thus the dialogues employed in the novel correspond to the realism, situation and occasion. All the dialogues in the novel impart comic elements along with unfolding the inner motives of the characters.

VII.  Language and Style of Return of the Spirit

The language of Tawfik al-Hakim employed in the novel ‘Awdat al-Ruh’ translated into English by William Maynard Hutchins as ‘Return of the Spirit’ is characterized by complexity, use of abundance similes, ‘abstract term’ and words use of references and symbols. Let us substantiate his style of language as follows:

Simplicity is alien toTawfik’s language rather he makes his language complicated by making them long and complex. For instance, we can quote the following sentences at random as:

1.’‘ What had Mustafa seen? A girl who appeared and then vanished like a flash of lightning, like a flash of lightning that illuminated all the corners of his gloomy heart….. In five seconds Mustafa had glimpsed for the first time beauty that shook his heart. He had not known that this house contained all that. When he finally recovered from the intoxication of the surprise, he began to say to himself, ‘The tragedy is that I’ve been here since the beginning of the year without having any idea. He was overcome by the delirious happiness at his discovery. He attacked and scolded himself: Am I a fool! As ass! Blind!”

2.” The Frenchman replied, “No it’s a truth that the European does not know, unfortunately. Yes… this people you consider ignorant certainly knows many things, but it knows by heart, not the intellect. Supreme wisdom is in their blood without their knowing it. There is a force within them they’re not conscious of. This is an ancient people. If you take one of these peasants and remove his heart, you’ll find in it the residue of the thousand years of experiential knowledge, one layer on top of the other, although he is not conscious of it.” 

The author has made ample use of similes throughout the novel which is characterized by native flavour. For example, the following sentences may be quoted as:

1. ”This woman is as sound as a gold guinea- twenty-four carat!”

2. ”Muhsin’s face turned as red as the carpet”

3. ”The matter is as clear as the sun.”

4. ”Zanuba’s attempt to calm him with these words had been like calming a fire with oil.”

5. ”Mabruk appeared panting like a tired dog.”

 6. ”The audience of enthusiastic female guests surrounded the troupe like the crescent moon around the star on the Egyptian flag.”  

7.”It’s black as ink and bitter as colocynth.”  

The novelist Tawfiq al-Hakim employed some symbols in the novel. The symbols of the monkey, the symbols of the water buffalo, Saniya etc.

First, the symbol of monkeys may be worth mentioning. Dr Hilmi, the father of Miss Saniya gives an account of his adventures while he roamed over the forest of Sudan had encountered monkeys. The author narrates:

The Guide said, “There is no hope for water until three stages further where there is a single well. The bush country is sometimes like a desert in having everything except water fit to drink.”

Finally, the soldiers neared the well where they would rest and quench their thirst after an exhausting journey in intense heat and greasy food. A few hundred meters before they reached the well, it occurred to the doctor to sneak off from the expedition and speed on alone by a shortcut through the jungle thickets to get to the well before them. He carried out the idea at once without telling even his Sudanese soldiers. As soon as he arrived at the well, she stopped in astonished surprise, for he observed a ferocious monkey standing motionless by the well.

He hesitated a little and then gestured at him with his hand, but the monkey did not move. He picked up a small stone and threw it, but the ape still did not move. So he aimed his rifle at him. The monkey gave him a piercing look but did not leave his post. The doctor grew nervous about his situation. He saw no alternative to opening fire on that strange monkey.

He did and the monkey fell, stained with blood, into the well without uttering a cry. The doctor went forward at once towards the well and leaned over to look at the monkey in it and to see how much water it contained. What he saw there astonished him. He found more than a hundred monkeys in the well. What were they doing in it?

He thought it over and came to an amazing realization: the monkeys had actually come to drink from the well and their method of reaching the distant water was for their large monkey to stand and grasp a second monkey who let himself down. This second monkey grabbed hold of a third who let himself down below him in the same way and the third a fourth.

The monkey in the well is the symbol of solidarity i.e. the unity of the Egyptian people against British colonial rule.

Thus when Muhsin went to a peasant village he saw a water buffalo being died of some infection and the women followed it sobbing and making a hue and cry is also a symbol of social solidarity among the Egyptian people.

Mr Black, the British irrigation inspector who was invited to the household of Mr Hamid Bey stands for spiritual hollowness and a materialistic outlook on life.

Saniya the heroine of the novel is a symbol of love, beauty and conscience. All who went under the charm of her beauty have awakened from inertia and discovered within themselves the world of beauty and self-importance.  How the mental state of Muhsin gets awakened after being gone under the charm of Saniya is narrated by the author as below:

Muhsin undressed and climbed into bed, retreating inside the mosquito net draped over it. He sought the solitude and independence that only a person with a private room can enjoy.

For the first time, Muhsin resented this style of living: five individuals in a single room. For the first time, he felt exasperated by their communal beds.

Thus all the symbols used by the author in the novel serve the purpose of the novelist in showing the unity among the Egyptian people.

VIII.   Philosophy of Life in ‘Return of the Spirit’

The term ‘Philosophy of Life’ refers to the author’s ideas or outlook on life. A novel though based on the realities of life yet it is an artistic production of his own mind. It is not an exact copy of rude life. Hence in portraying life the author’s own outlook towards life falls on the novel either directly or indirectly. In most novels, it is learned that life is full of conflict and struggle and it is a society in which the hero or heroine lives makes him or her suffer in life. The author may express his philosophy by means of his personal commentary, by elucidating the action or motives of his characters or by generalizing the question suggested by his characters or by drawing experience through the study of the incidents.

The author of the novel Awdat al-Ruh has also expressed his philosophy of life through his event and episodes. There are as many as five love affairs most of which revolve round Miss Saniya. Saniya becomes the source of awakening the sense of beauty in men. As soon as one sees her he falls in love with her psychologically. But Saniya does not comply with any except only Mustafa. The author directly expressed his philosophy of life in the following quoted expression as:

“When a woman fell in love, she considered her life at the onset of that love. She no longer remembered what came before it.”

Another philosophy of life revealed by the author is that love for one’s motherland is intuitive to one’s heart. It cannot be kept hidden for long by force. 

IX. Findings (Conclusion) in Return of the Spirit

From the analyses of the novel Awdat al-Ruh as done in the above sub-chapters we have reached the following findings:

First, it is a comic novel the main theme of which is love and revolution for Egyptian freedom. There are as many as five love affairs that revolve around a young pretty girl of eighteen named Saniya. She is the daughter of an army Doctor. First, it is seen that Muhsin, the son of Hamid Bey is in love with him. Then his uncle Salim who is a vain police captain loves her. Salim’s younger brother Abduh, an engineering student is also in love with Saniya. But all their love for Saniya is one-sided as Saniya does not comply with them. Then there is a love affair between Saniya and Mustafa. It was a true and mutual love. Later on, they got married happily. Through the novel, the author shows that love awakens the vital power in men which in turn may usher them to nobler deeds as Muhsin and all his uncles are seen to join the revolutionary party for the Egyptian liberation from the yoke of the British rule.

Secondly, in the novel Awdat al-Ruh (Return of the Spirit) there are characters who in the most part are depicted as individuals rather than types. The character may be classified into two classes as- major characters and minor characters. The major characters are Muhsin, Salim, Abduh, Zanuba and Saniya. Among the minor characters, mention may be made of Hamid Bey, Dr Hilmi, The mother of Muhsin, Mustafa, Labiba Shakhla, Abbas, Mr Black, Mr Fouquet and Mabruk. All his characters have some peculiarities as Zanuba is desirous of getting married to Mustafa though it had been an unequal match. Hanafi is entirely comic and he suffers from sleepy nature. Thus are Abduh and Salim who bear their particular individual characteristics.

Thirdly, the novel is entirely comic. All the episodes and incidents begin comically and meet their ends comically. For example the love affairs of Salim and Saniya, the love affairs of Saniya and Mustafa. The characters like Hanafi Effendi, Labiba Shakhla, the Charlatan, Mabruk all are comic. They have imparted ample comic elements to the novel from the beginning to the end.

Fourthly, the plot construction of the novel though is not so coherent yet it bears some unity and logic if compared to that of his ‘Yawmiyyat Naib Fil Aryaf’. It has visible exposition, complication, crisis, climax, falling action and denouement. The author is very skilled in bringing about the opening logically in the novel. In the very opening chapter, he has succeeded in introducing the major characters and the main theme of the novel. In the opening chapter, we meet with Muhsin, Hanafi Effendi, Abduh, Salim and Mabruk. Muhsin stands out to be the hero of the novel. The complication of the theme i.e. loves affairs of Salim, Abduh and Muhsin begins form chapter 2. The complication develops through the subsequent chapters till part II of the novel begins. In the complication chapters, we see that the love affairs of Abduh and Salim are absolutely one-sided. Saniya the heroine is ignorant of their love for her. She remains cold to them except only to Muhsin. She showed some interest in Muhsin. But he proves not to be well-matched as Saniya treated Muhsin as a mere child as he was junior by two years to herself. The love affairs of Salim and Abduh may be called their whimsical madness. But throughout the complications, the author seems to be prolix. There is an episode of Labiba Shakhla which seems a digressing and too much prolix. Not in part I but in part II of the novel, the plot takes a definite turn which seems to be too late. Perhaps the climax reaches in chapter 16, Part I of the novel. In this chapter, we see that Muhsin goes to the house of Saniya where a dramatic situation takes place between Muhsin and Saniya. Muhsin expressed his liking of Saniya, he weeps, and Saniya consoles him. Muhsin returns the silk handkerchief that he stealthily took from Saniya. Saniya gets surprised and enraged with him. Later on, they get reconciled and the same handkerchief is given back to Muhsin in order to keep it as a token of remembrance. After this climax, the part II of the novel serves as the falling action. But the falling action seems long. In the falling action of the novel all the one-sided love affairs especially of Salim and Abduh with Saniya come to an end. The love affairs of Zanuba with Mustafa which was also one-sided also come to an end with Zanuba’s envy of Saniya. Muhsin also ceases to be concerned with Saniya. Only the love affairs between Mustafa and Saniya get developed and end in a happy marriage.

Fifthly, the setting (environment) of the novel is unique and the novelist is very keen on observing the surrounding of any event that he goes on to depict in his novel and the vivid narration of the setting has made the novel more life-like and realistic. He has given a vivid depiction of the household of Hanafi effendi with the minutest detail, the village estates of Hamid Bey, the buffalo scene, the Shukhla episode etc.

Sixthly, Tawfik al-Hakim may be called a master of dialogue. He has employed ample dialogues to meet his purpose. His dialogues have played a veritable role in evolving the plot and expressing the inner motives, feelings and passions of his characters.

Seventhly, ‘The language of Tawfik al-Hakim employed in the novel Awdat al-Ruh Translated into English by William Maynard Hutchins as Return of the Spirit is characterized by complexity in structure, much use of dashes, use of similes, and symbols. 

Eighthly, the philosophy of life expressed in the novel is that “When a woman fell in love, she considered her life at the onset of that love. She no longer remembered what came before it.”

Another philosophy of life revealed by the author is that love for one’s motherland is intuitive to one’s heart. It cannot be kept hidden for long by force. 

In brief, to say, Tawfik al-Hakim’s novel entitled Awdat al-Ruh (Return of the Spirit) is a comic novel the main themes of which are love and revolution for the freedom of Egypt from the bondage of the British, the plot organization of which is less coherent, the language is a complex one made up of long sentences, aphoristic sayings, too much use of similes, use of symbols and references by means of which he has expressed his philosophy of life that “When a woman fell in love, she considered her life at the onset of that love. She no longer remembered what came before it” and love for one’s motherland is intuitive to one’s heart. It cannot be kept hidden for long by force.  0 0 0

Return of the Spirit

The End

 

Books of Composition by M. Menonimus:

1. Advertisement Writing
2. Amplification Writing
3. Note Making
4. Paragraph Writing
5. Notice Writing
6. Passage Comprehension
7. The Art of Poster Writing
8. The Art of Letter Writing
9. Report Writing
10. Story Writing
11. Substance Writing
12. School Essays Part-I
13. School Essays Part-II
14. School English Grammar Part-I
15. School English Grammar Part-II..

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