Midaq Alley (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Naguib Mahfouz
- First Published: 1947
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Historical realism
- Time of Work: World War II
- Setting: Cairo, Egypt
- Genres: Long fiction, Historical fiction
- Subjects: Sex or sexuality, Murder or homicide, 1940’s, Prostitution or prostitutes, World War II, War, Barbershops or barbers, Egypt or Egyptians, Middle East
- Locales: Cairo, Egypt
Characters Discussed
Hamida (hah-MEE-dah), a resident of Cairo’s Midaq Alley, a beautiful young woman and foster daughter of Umm Hamida, who serves as her matchmaker. Hamida, ever devoted to material possessions, agrees to marry Abbas Hilu, a barber, who falls desperately in love with her and leaves Midaq Alley to work for the British so that he can save money to buy Hamida everything she desires. Having sealed their engagement, he has no sooner left than Salim Alwan, a rich store owner, leaves his wife with the intention of marrying Hamida. Viewing this union as a means of...
[The entire page is 937 words long]
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