Naguib Mahfouz's Musings - Whimsical Reflections from Cairo's Heart
Renowned Egyptian author and Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, a pivotal figure in modern Arabic literature, found himself fantasizing about being a youthful soccer star in his dreams. He would imagine himself dribbling and scoring with opposing players threatening him with tackles, yet a magical ball would carry him into the air, disappearing into the clouds.
Beyond his literary acclaim, Mahfouz faced hostility from political and religious critics. A militant Islamist violently attacked him in 1994, resulting in his accelerated aging process. The attack left him struggling to write, though he still managed to compose two collections of his dreams during his final decade.
The fragments of "I Found Myself . . .," the second of these collections, represent the concluding chapter of Mahfouz's prolific career, which includes some 40 novels and over 300 stories. Hisham Matar, a Libyan-British novelist and memoirist who spent much of his youth in Cairo, translated and introduced the dream pieces.
Matar met Mahfouz after the attack and recalled the author stating, "You belong to the language you write in." Matar's cool, sparse, and elliptical English style offers a fitting translation to these enigmatic fragments. Diana Matar, his wife and an award-winning photographer, provides hauntingly evocative images of Cairo's frayed and dusty streets to complement the miniatures.
While recounted dreams can confuse and bore, Mahfouz graces these shards with a masterful touch, cutting and compressing them. The dreams are filled with sadness, strangeness, and humor, painting an elusive yet captivating picture. Lost lovers often return, leaving poignant echoes of nostalgia. Romantic elegy and dashed hopes for political freedom shape Mahfouz's nocturnal journey, but nostalgia must be approached with caution.
Political figures from Egypt's past also appear in his dreams, such as nationalist leader Saad Zaghloul, who resisted British colonial power. His statue comes to life in one dream to banish an unwelcome spirit, and a silent protest demo becomes rowdy when courageous friends from the past make an appearance.
In his dreams, youthful yearnings for love and democracy resurface. "I Found Myself . . . The Last Dreams" by Naguib Mahfouz, translated by Hisham Matar and featuring photographs by Diana Matar, is available for £12.99 from Viking and $16.95 from New Directions. The collection comprises 160 pages.
Mahfouz, despite his struggles following the attack, managed to compose two collections of dreams during his final decade, showcasing his continued passion for writing and storytelling, even in the realm of home-and-garden and lifestyle narratives. His dream pieces, filled with nostalgia and woven with intrigue, provide readers with an opportunity to indulge in a fascinating exploration of books and entertainment outside the realms of his acclaimed literature.
