Huda Shaarawi is an eminent figure in the female Arabic world. Having originated from Egypt, she tried to fall down the constraints concerning the role of a woman in the Arabic countries. She was the one who first led feminist organization to make some points on equality of women with men in Egypt and across the Middle East. The paper is focused on the discussion of the Huda Shaarawi Memoirs touching upon the most exciting and attractive moments of Shaarawi’s life. The main focus is on the deep analysis of Shaarawi’s work along with reflections that a reader might experience after absorbing in the book Harem years: the memoirs of an Egyptian feminist (1879-1924).
The life of Huda Shaarawi was supported with material amenities, but limited due to her gender and inevitable status of seclusion. She was born in a very rich family in 1879. Her father, Sultan Pasha, was inspector-general in the Upper side of Egypt (Shaarawi and Badran 8). Huda never wanted to be a woman while growing up. Her father was dead when she was five. Shaarawi became conscious about her unprivileged position because of having a younger brother, Umar Sultan, who had more opportunities, especially in education prospects, than Huda. Thus, being a girl, Huda was constantly in despair about her situation and circumstances under which he lived.
In the age of 13 Huda was married to her cousin, Ali Shaarawi (Spatz 1). That was the moment when Huda kept going into despair about gender inequality. She broke down relations with her husband, for she had known that he had concubine who was about to give birth to one more child in harem of her husband (Shaarawi and Badran 11). Thus, she lived seven years more before they reconciled with her former husband.
In the beginning of the twentieth century Huda was eagerly trying to unite women of Egypt. In this respect she organizes philanthropic society in 1908 that was aimed at helping poor women and children throughout Egypt (Spatz 1). Her attempts were successful, for she had a weighty word that stimulated women to improve the social life in the country. Involving more and more female participants, Huda became well-known and respectful among women. At this moment she had already had two children, a daughter, Bathna, and a son, Muhammad (Shaarawi and Badran 5). Even though Bathna had some problems with heath, Huda tried to support female movement in Egypt now and then. She gave a reason of why women are displaced by men in Egyptian as well as in Arabic society. It considered lack of education. Thus, due to help of her husband she founded the Intellectual Association of Egyptian Women in 1914 (Shaarawi and Badran 5).
It is applicable to mention that Huda was not just a kind of feminist who did not care about what was happening in the country. Social life was at a focus to her. She actively protested against British since 1914 up to 1922 when Egypt declared independence (125). During this time Huda took deaths of her brother and her husband hard. However, she did not give up in her ideals for life. It is seen on the example of her defiance to bring veil on her face at the Cairo railway station in 1923 (Shaarawi and Badran 131). Since that time until her death (1947) Huda was a leader of feminist movement in Egypt.
According to the memoir by Huda Shaarawi, it is clear that the author wanted to pay more attention not to the life of hers but to the results that each step of her life reflected on lives of other women. It is a story that is addressed, first of all, to the Arabic world of the Middle East. In this respect one should bear it in mind that the book is written as a bilateral message to Arabic women and women across the world. Huda Shaarawi was assisted by Margot Badran. Thus, the Memoir is for Arabic women and Harem years: the memoirs of an Egyptian feminist (1879-1924) is for English-speaking audience.
The text of the Memoir is written in a very plain manner. The author represents herself by the third person narration. Such a kind of representing an observation of Huda’s life gives a reader a feeling of deep interest about what was going on next. This peculiarity of the book is also emphasized by the points on her genealogical tree and relation to the upper class of Ottoman Empire. However, a reader can run into several hallmarks that characterize the work by Shaarawi and Badran. Thereupon, the main three points that shape the whole nature of Shaarawi’s narration are:
- Feminism;
- Social status;
- Nationalism.
These points excite by the fact that an Arabic woman was secluded and stays so at present. Shaarawi impresses by such radical, as concerns to the woman status in Egypt, actions. It is necessary to admit such graceful moments in the book as when Shaarawi requested for a divorce being so young. Another moment is that she was so strong in thoughts among concubines of her husband that was capable of leaning on him for help in founding the Intellectual Association dedicated specifically to Egyptian women. These passages in the book amaze, for the reality of Arabic society is quite strict in terms of female issue.
Moreover, her nationalist claims also impress. She never omitted to say something significant against British protectorate for Egypt. She needed to be active in thinking and rhetoric. Thus, she is an etalon for Muslim women seeking for more rights and stronger position in a male society. Though, she was that outstanding for Egyptian women, Shaarawi was highly depressed by having lack of attention and care in comparison with her brother. Another stage of her life that made Huda misbalanced about life is the divorce. As it might be proposed, such moments need more direct insertions of the author. It should have more points on direct speech. All in all, the book would carry a reader of any kind along.
If I started writing personal memoir, I would, supposedly, take a look at the way it is written in Shaarawi’s work. I am a bit shy and do not like to provide some points that can provoke jealousy or envy on the part of people surrounding me. Thus, I would use third person singular in composing narrative. Furthermore, I would fix in my memoir further outlooks on the significance and use of my achievements in life.
It is vital t note that Huda Shaawari was under some influence of several people that she met in life. All of them were women, of course. Thereupon, it is better to start with another wife of Huda’s father, Hasiba. She was an example for Huda. However, Shaawari saw mostly suffering in Haisba’s eyes. It concerned mainly the duties of an Arabic woman in the family. Another view touches upon the duty to take care of a female child first. Shaarawi called Hasiba Umm Kabira (Big Mother) to admit that Huda could address Hasiba in everything that was related to woman’s role in the family (Shaarawi and Badran 35). The childhood of Huda was going close to frequent pieces of advice from Hasiba. Shaarawi wrote about “Big Mother” in her Memoir: “She knew how I felt when people favored my brother over me because he was a boy. She, too, occasionally fanned the flames of jealousy in me, but without diminishing my love for my brother” (Shaarawi and Badran 34).
Another woman that impressed Huda in her early ages was the Egyptian poetess, Sayyida Khadija al-Maghribiyya. This figure was quite influential for Huda who tried to have more qualified and effective education. The thing is that Shaarawi was living among uneducated women intimidated disallowed to directly talk to men. In contrast, Sayyida was well-educated and she talked easily with male part of her surroundings. In this respect Huda, then, wrote: “Observing Sayyida Khadija convinced me that, with learning, women could be the equals of men if not surpass them” (Shaarawi and Badran 42). It could not but motivate Shaarawi to found some kind of organization helping women gain better education. It pushed her in establishing aforementioned the Intellectual Association of Egyptian Women.
One more person that impacted Huda was a French woman, Eugenie le Brun. She had married an Egyptian man and created a revolutionary new to Egypt salon for women. Huda was impressed, for Le Brun wrote a set of works on Egyptian customs and said once to Huda that it was a veil that keeps women from advancement (Shaarawi and Badran 13). This suggestion was alike a revelation for Shaarawi. Since their friendship with Le Brun Huda never keep this idea away in her mind. She was waiting until the moment to make such defiance herself. As it can be followed up to the spring, 1923, she dared do that, meaning unveil her face.
One more significant for Huda person was Marguerite Clement, a Frenchwoman who was touring the Middle East (Shaarawi and Badran 92). She was profound in taking lectures in social studies, and due to their cooperation with Huda they were capable of providing such public event regularly on every Friday. It resulted then in the institution for keeping Egyptian women supported in education and their intellectual abilities. All in all, Clement showed Huda tips on how feministic trends were going on at the moment in Europe. In turn Huda was pleased to admit that successful transformation of Egyptian society was coming.
Perhaps, there were another people who motivated Huda to what he was eager to do, but these four women surpassed her ideas about feminism greatly. The outcomes were then driven into the nationalistic approach of Huda and her followers. Always under seclusion, women of Egypt were able to demonstrate their stronger sides due to Huda who was influenced by Hasiba, Sayyida, Eugenie, and Marguerite.
Key events that made particular influences on Huda while trying her best in socializing were rather significant. First of all, it concerns her divorce. During seven years of being along (1892-1899) Shaarawi provides a lot of time in reasoning over the ways to facilitate women’s life in Egypt. She was apt to bring her children up as well as visiting salon of Madam Le Brun. Her intentions at this period were investigative. However, during this period she was likely to start immediately, for she was out of direct duties in harem of her husband, Ali Shaarawi.
The next key event that influenced on Huda was related to the British Protectorate on Egypt in 1914. At this time Huda actively participates in social debates on this annoying act on the part of Great Britain. It was a challenge for her, as one having found the Intellectual Association for Women of Egypt at the moment. She also becomes a leader of the Egyptian Feminist Union (EFU) (Spatz 1). This was a sticking point for Shaarawi, for she had an arsenal of following women in amount of 250 people (Spatz 1). This event emphasized her active position, as a protector of women’s rights.
Further, Huda was impressed by the event going with the Egyptian Revolution in 1919 (Shaarawi and Badran ). Shaarawi provided women demonstrations. She began participating in the nationalist struggle, for British government denied pretences of Egypt to declare independence. At this time Huda is announced to become the “president of the Wafdist Women’s Central Committee” (Spatz 1). That was a real triumph demonstrating devotion of Huda not only to the feminist issues in Egypt but to the broader national struggle.
At last, the spring of 1923 was a symbol of new wave of defiance started from Huda Shaaravi when she unveiled. That was a distinct impulse to make her move the feminist movement toward positive changes. That was the point since which Egyptian women as well as ones across Arabic world have given chance to develop personally and to provide activities outside family duties.
The reading of Huda Shaarawi applies to me, as a potential social activist. She dared break the ice in such conservative and traditionally rigor society as Egyptian one. Thus, Huda is an example to follow for those who are still worrying to step forward toward changes even if circumstances and the majority of people are against. Thus, I feel responsibility to use the way of changes that Huda had chosen once to make my pathway full of goodness for people. That is an example of altruistic intentions toward people, toward nation and its future.
Huda Shaarawi is a real revolutionist. She was apt to shift the stone of stereotypes considered with the male society. Her life was fully devoted to making Muslim women free and happier. That is what it is all about. The pivot for socializing should be incorporated deep inside a human’s heart. My motivation is clear now: I would like, firs, to attain such positive changes as related to what Huda had done, and, second, I would be appreciated, then, to have grounds to write the memoir accordingly.
Works cited
Shaarawi, Huda and Badran, Margot. Harem years: the memoirs of an Egyptian feminist (1879-1924). Ed. 5. New York, NY: Feminist Press, 1987.
Spatz, Melissa. ‘Huda Shaarawi.’ Fall, 1996. Web.