Identity, ideology and women in Latîfe ez-Zeyyât's novel el-Bâbu'l-Meftûh

The novel genre, which holds a mirror to life and stands out with its in-depth analysis of both the individual and the society, is one of the important literary arts in the modern period world literature history. The entry of this genre into Arabic literature began with the translation of the fictional works of some western writers into Arabic in the 19th century. Nationalism, leftism, feminism, etc., which are among the great intellectual fractions of the new world. Egypt, which led the Arab world in many issues, played an active role in the entry and development of the art of the novel into Arab countries and continued its leadership in the literary arts. Latîfe ez-Zeyyât, as an intellectual who saw British colonialism in the period she was born and lived in, was a writer who did not remain silent about this occupation, used her pen skillfully and was actively involved in the anti-imperialist movement with her political activities. In Latîfe ez-Zeyyât's work al-Babu'l-Maftuh, who is also considered one of the first feminist writers of Egypt, she mixes the people's war against the British colony with a young woman's search for identity. The work, which was published in 1960, managed to maintain the great interest it received in this period throughout the years.