The Immigrant Critic as a Writer: Spirituality in Mikhail Nu’ayma’s Ayoub (1967)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1308.18Keywords:
Arab American literature, Mikhail Nu’ayma, spirituality, alienation, capitalism, materialismAbstract
In the early twentieth century, many Arab American writers who were recent immigrants to the United States considered themselves pioneers with a global vision. Many of them were suffering from feelings of alienation because they came from poor backgrounds and escaped to find that capitalism governs everyday living. Therefore, the main interest of the leading writers was promoting more spirituality in their literary works, especially by those who were writing primarily in Arabic. Nu'ayma who wrote in Arabic wanted to emphasize the importance of following a spiritual path in life in modern-day living in his play Ayoub. As a writer and a critic, Nu’ayma believed in the mystical aspects of literature, the power of language, and the importance of literary works in imparting spirituality in society. Living in the United States, he knew many Arab American, Russian, and American critics and writers with whom he shared literary interests and critical thoughts. In Nu’ayma’s book The Ghirbal, he put forth critical ideas that he believed should govern literary composition. His mystical play, Ayoub (1967), was constructed as a literary model that illustrated the importance of rejuvenation in the Arabic language, the significance of mysticism in drama, and the role of literature in transforming society. The following paper traces Mikhail Nu’ayma’s critical views in his play, Ayoub (1967) and discusses the theme of alienation in relations to Nu’ayma’s spiritual outlook.
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