Arabic Women's Literature: The Terminological Problem and Stages of Development

Abstract

In the present paper we elucidate on the nature of the term “feminine writing” and review the history of Arab “feminine writing” from the so-called "Age of Revival" in the nineteenth century till today. We find three basic approaches to "women’s literature", ranging from full acceptance to total rejection. As for the historical evolution of "feminine writing", we find that while at first, literature written by women did not deviate from the literary norms of their male counterparts, eventually and gradually women began to deal with formerly taboo topics, to express a growing self-awareness, and to demand freedoms and rights in a more mature and comprehensive manner