Maria Elena Paniconi

Poetics of commitment: Raḍwā ʿĀšūr reads Ġassān Kanafānī’s fiction in al-Ṭarīq ilā al-ḫayma al-uḫrā (‘The way to the other tent,’ 1981) and al-Ṭanṭūriyya (‘The woman from Tantoura,’ 2010)

Introduction

Poetics of commitment: raḍwā ʿĀšūr reads Ġassān kanafānī’s fiction in al-Ṭarīq ilā al-ḫayma al-uḫrā (‘the way to the other tent,’ 1981) and al-Ṭanṭūriyya (‘the woman from tantoura,’ 2010). Explore Raḍwā ʿĀšūr's critical analysis and intertextual dialogue with Ġassān Kanafānī's fiction, examining her Third-Worldist/Marxist reading and the politics of literature.

Abstract

This article aims discusses how Raḍwā ʿĀšūr (1946-2014), an Egyptian academic, novelist and activist, critically analyzed and subsequently intertextually engaged with the fiction of Palestinian author Ġassān  Kanafānī in two works: the essay al-Ṭarīq ilā al-ḫayma al-uḫrā (‘The Way to the Other Tent,’ 1981) and her novel al-Ṭanṭūriyya (2010; translation: ‘The Woman from Tantoura,’ 2014). I will highlight how the Palestinian author was a reference figure for Raḍwā ʿĀšūr in developing self-exploration and engaging with writing herself. ʿĀšūr’s Third-Worldist and Marxist reading of Kanafānī allowed her to establish an intertextual dialogue with the iconic author of the Palestinian liberation struggle, which reemerges in her concept of writing and in certain narrative choices within Al-Ṭanṭūriyya (2010), which the author herself defines as her “Palestinian Novel”. On the other hand, I will highlight how the critical essay on Kanafani’s works also presents radical critiques of Kanafānī’s works. The intertextual dialogue between the two authors will be emphasized through Rancière’s concept of “politics of literature” (Rancière 2011), which will be used to shed light on both ʿĀšūr understanding and criticism of literary modernism in Kanafānī’s and her generational novel al-Ṭanṭūriyya.

Review

This article proposes an insightful examination of Egyptian author Raḍwā ʿĀšūr’s complex relationship with Palestinian writer Ġassān Kanafānī. Focusing on ʿĀšūr’s essay *al-Ṭarīq ilā al-ḫayma al-uḫrā* (1981) and her novel *al-Ṭanṭūriyya* (2010), the study promises to uncover how Kanafānī served as both a critical reference and a catalyst for ʿĀšūr’s own literary and intellectual development. The intertextual lens, exploring how ʿĀšūr engaged with Kanafānī’s fiction for self-exploration and as a basis for her "Palestinian Novel," suggests a rich and nuanced analysis that will appeal to scholars of modern Arabic literature and postcolonial studies. A significant strength of this article lies in its proposed framework, notably the application of Rancière’s "politics of literature" to illuminate ʿĀšūr’s understanding and critique of literary modernism. The abstract clearly outlines the dual nature of ʿĀšūr’s engagement: her Third-Worldist and Marxist reading of Kanafānī to establish dialogue, alongside her "radical critiques" of his works. This nuanced approach moves beyond a simple influence study, offering a sophisticated exploration of literary commitment and ideological interaction across generations and national contexts. The emphasis on *al-Ṭanṭūriyya* as ʿĀšūr’s self-proclaimed "Palestinian Novel" provides a compelling anchor for demonstrating these complex intertextual and ideological currents. While the abstract strongly signals a robust and well-conceived study, the article could further enrich its argument by explicitly detailing, perhaps with specific examples, what constitutes ʿĀšūr’s "radical critiques" of Kanafānī’s works within the introductory sections. This would immediately establish the precise nature of the critical engagement beyond general ideological alignment. Furthermore, a detailed exposition of how certain "narrative choices" in *Al-Ṭanṭūriyya* concretely manifest this intertextual dialogue and critique, grounded in the Rancièrean framework, would significantly strengthen the analytical thrust. Overall, this promises to be an important contribution to understanding the intellectual and literary dialogues within modern Arab thought, offering fresh perspectives on two pivotal figures in contemporary Arabic literature.

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