Abstract
Mahmoud El Lozy's trilogy, We That Are Young, consists of three plays: Bay the Moon, And Then Went Down to the Ship, and Us and Them (a widely circulating unpublished typescript written in 1998-2005 that has been performed and directed by the author or/and directed as staged reading in Cairo privately-- or by invitation--as well as publicly in New York). This thesis analyses how El Lozy dramatizes the concept of national dignity from the Arab and Egyptian perspectives. The trilogy is contextualized using the writings of Frantz Fanon, Edward Said, and Galal Amin. El Lozy's status as a dramatist and critic is presented. The close reading of three crucial scenes demonstrates how Egyptian/Arab independence is threatened through co-option and the manner with which it is defended in the plays. The three scenes are also used to explore the intertwining themes of national honor, the neo-colonialist tendencies of the West, the Western use of media to undermine Arab dignity and distort the Arab image, and the overall arc of deterioration exhibited by the scenes. The conclusion is that in spite of all attempts to undermine Arab and national integrity, El Lozy's trilogy is optimistic because neither of the protagonists succumbs to co-option.
Department
English & Comparative Literature Department
Degree Name
MA in English & Comparative Literature
Graduation Date
6-1-2010
Submission Date
May 2010
First Advisor
Ghazoul, Ferial
Extent
NA
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Library of Congress Subject Heading 1
El Lozy, Mahmoud -- Criticism and interpretation.
Library of Congress Subject Heading 2
Egyptian drama -- History and criticism.
Rights
The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy.
Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval
Not necessary for this item
Recommended Citation
APA Citation
Selim, S.
(2010).Dramatizing national dignity in El Lozy's trilogy [Master's Thesis, the American University in Cairo]. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/915
MLA Citation
Selim, Samy. Dramatizing national dignity in El Lozy's trilogy. 2010. American University in Cairo, Master's Thesis. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/915