Patriarchal gender relation in Mahfuzh’s Yauma Qutila Az-Zaʻīm

Abstract

This study aims to examine gender relations in Najib Mahfuz's work Yauma Qutila Az-Za’im. A descriptive qualitative method is employed, with the analysis contextualised within the socio-historical background of the novel and supported by insights from scholars on Arab society, notably Hisyam Syarabi and Halim Barakat. The findings reveal that the gender relations depicted in the novel deviate from traditional patterns typically found in a patriarchal society. Mahfuz portrays a more democratic model of gender relations, where the head of the family no longer holds the central role in decision-making. From a neopatriarchal perspective, this reflects the evolving nature of patriarchal gender relations in modern Arab society. Nevertheless, patriarchal values persist within the gender dynamics of the novel, manifesting through stereotypes and assumptions that influence the characters' decisions.