A technical and thematik analysis of Taha Hussein’s novel Shajarat al-bu’s

The novel ‘Shajaratu'l-Bu's’ (شجرة البؤس) by Tāhā Husayn reveals in depth how the individual will is shaped by religious and social authority and how it is suppressed over time. In the novel, not only an individual family drama is narrated, but also the determining effects of traditional value judgements, patriarchal order and religious authorities on the individual and family structure are critically discussed. In particular, issues such as marriage, the reduction of women to their physical appearance, and the relationship between sheikh and disciple constitute the main critical part of the novel. The novel attracts attention in Arabic literature with its character structure woven with psychological analyses and multi-layered narration. This marriage, which has become a symbol of unhappiness that lasts for generations, also turns into a literary representation of an anguish that leaves a trace in the social memory.