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The Thief and the Dogs is one of the Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz's most celebrated works. He further developed his theme of existentialism using stream-of-consciousness and surrealist techniques [1] . It charts the life of Said Mahran, a thief recently released from jail and intent on having his vengeance on the people who put him there. The novel was published in 1961, and Said's despair reflects disappointment in revolution and new order in Egypt—as Said is not only a thief, but a kind of revolutionary anarchist.
[edit] Plot summary
Said's world revolves around Nabawiyya, his former flame, and Sana', his daughter. Once in love with the former, she has now betrayed him by marrying his friend 'Ilish. Central to the making of Said Mahran is also Ra'uf 'Ilwan, his one-time criminal mentor, who used the same revolutionist rhetoric, but now, being a respected journalist and businessman, is in seeming opposition to Said, whose outlook hasn't changed. These perceived betrayals throw the protagonist into the utmost confusion and his initial calculation in revenge becomes ever more a wild flailing against the whole world. Only Nur, a prostitute, and Tarzan, a café-owner, provide Said with any respite from his anger and the world at large which is closing in on him, yet in time even they cannot help him.
[edit] Characters in "The Thief and the Dogs"
- Said Mahran – a thief
- Rauf Ilwan – Mahran's erstwhile mentor
- Nabawiyya – Mahran's former wife currently married to Illish
- Sana – Mahran's daughter
- Illish – Mahran's friend until he betrays said
- Nur – a hooker who loves Said
- Tarzan – a café-owner
- The Sheikh - Mahran's religious and spiritual leader
[edit] Major themes
Heavily dependent on imagery, the thief, Said, will by necessity as a tragic hero be chased down by the dogs. The recurring images of prison, betrayal and darkness amongst others also permeate the text. The novel is remarkable because it is the first novel to employ the stream of consciousness style of writing in Arabic. It helped, therefore, to confirm Mahfouz's stature as a pioneer in the field of literature.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- Nobel Prize in Literature 1988: Naguib Mahfouz[1]
