Palace of Desire

Hello Gentle Reader

It certainly has been a big couple of days. There has been a Royal Wedding between Prince William and the now Princess Kate, both are now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. I know personally that watching it live like all the other people, at 3:00 in the morning (time may differ for some) was quite a site. Then Pope John Paul the Second is on the verge of saint hood. He is now beatified. The last major event of the last couple of day is the death of the terrorist Osama Bin Laden had been killed by the United States of America. On a personal note the second novel in Nobel Laureate of Literature in 1988 Naguib Mahfouz trilogy titled “The Cairo Trilogy,” has been finished. This blog is concerning the review of that novel “Palace of Desire.”

With “Palace of Desire,” the events take place five years after the events of the first novels ending. This can be seen in the changes of the characters. Age is a major factor. Kamal my favourite character from the first book, with his delightful childish humour has become much older and a grown man, and is now wrestling with large concepts of love, science, and politics after the revolution that he had witnessed, as a child. Amina and Al-Sayyid Ahmad Abd al-Jawad has also greatly changed. Amina is much more of a phantom of her former self. The death of the promising and the bright young son Fahmy has changed much in the family. It is best to say that Amina herself has felt the grief and loss of her son the most, as any mother would, I am sure.

Even the private and quiet life of al-Sayyid Ahmad has changed considerably. Through the unwritten five years of his family, he had undergone mourning and grief. Taking up great reflection. However he does eventually enjoy the earthly pleasures that he once did before his family and himself had been hit hard by the tragedy of his sons Fahmy’s death of the previous novel. Time has not been kind to the once feared and tyrannical father al-Sayyid Ahmad. He is out of his once glorified shape, but he has proven to be somewhat slightly wiser. However his once profligate behaviour however minor as it was, is no absent. Though as stated before, he does continue in his secret life after a period of prolonged absence from it. Once again enjoying his friends company. The satisfactions of alcohol. Not to mention the self indulgent pleasures of other women. All of which were neglected in the heartbreaking news of his oldest and probably most promising sons death.

One that can truly be said (before continuing with the above train of thought) – is that Naguib Mahfouz has gotten much more bolder with his style. It is not so linear or shall we say so smooth going as was the previous novel “Palace Walk.” At times it can be quite more experimental with how some chapters begin. With dialogue taking place from numerous characters, without any character specifically named.

As it had been stated Amina’s personality had greatly changed. But it has changed quite considerably when Yasin mentions marriage Amina is happily overjoyed with such the prospect. However when Yasin mentions that he plans on marrying Maryam Fahmy’s love interest in “Palace Walk,” – Amina shows just how much she has changed:

“—(...) They’re riddled with defects and vices. Is there one good point to justify this outrageous selection? You said that you have obtained your fathers consent. The man doesn’t know anything these matters, so you should you duped him.”

One can see that such an outburst of outright anger – even if it against the nature of marrying Maryam; is outright out of character; or it would have been in the first novel of “Palace Walk.” Now that age and grief has shaped a new form of Amina. She no longer can be seen as a sparrow, she has grown claws, and a strong beak. Though it has all been formed by the son that had been taken from her. Yet her anger is far from over, with Yasin, when her true feelings can be seen and felt:

“Don’t call me ‘mother,’ I’ve been a mother to you, but you never were a son to me or a brother to my son.”

Those of who recall from “Palace Walk,” that Yasin is the son of his father al-Sayyid Ahmad and his first marriage. The children Fahmy, Khadiga, Aisha, and Kamal are all the children of Amina and al-Sayyid Ahmad.

However Yasin hedonistic desires are not quenched with his second scandalous marriage with the former love interest of Fahmy. He of course desires more. Marriage proves to be much more of a boredom then a blessing to this man, and once again his marriage to Maryam ends bitterly for him.

Kamal on the other hand is now a grown man or the verge of adulthood. It’s hard to say. He is old enough though to grapple with the thoughts of the meaning of religion in his life. Whether or not there is or is not a “god,” and other traditional accepted thoughts of society. Perhaps something that truly touches Kamal’s heart is the malaise and sickness of love. Both a delightful feeling of such joy. Then of course is the viciousness of love when it is never returned, and never seen of again. How it drives a young man crazy.

Kamal’s friend Husayn Shaddad represents the changing tides of Egypt at the time. His family is quite wealthy, and the family itself is European influenced for sure. A fact that Husayn Shaddad is not ashamed of.

“In Paris you’re allowed to attend lectures, in all different areas of learning without being tied down to a schedule or an examination. That way you can have a beautiful spiritual life.”

Now of course, I have never been to Paris or France or anywhere in Europe for that matter. However, that does not mean that I am not interested into going to such places; I say all of this of course to state that I am uncertain if the above statement is true. Personally I think Husayn Shaddad, represent’s a certain aspect of the author who wished he could have traveled the greater world, but in the end, remained in his home country. Perhaps Husayn Shaddad represents the greater idea of paradise and more open and liberal society of Europe.

Going off tract quickly once more. Even though the tone of the book is five years after the first book, and are defiantly have a much more unsettling tone to it. Very sad and very grief stricken family, Naguib Mahfouz still manages to wiggle in some of that earthly humour.

“Yesterday Papa heard her ask me, ‘is Uncle Kamal coming with us to the pyramids?’ So he wanted to know who Kamal was. When I told him, he asked her ‘Do you want to marry Uncle Kamal?’ she told him quiet plainly ‘Yes.’” (-- this was spoken by Husayn Shaddad about his younger sister Budur or Budor I confess my hand writing gets sloppy; who is just a child. Quite frankly reading such a pleasant passage makes one laugh or smile.)

The last bit that I wish to say about the representation of Old Egypt (Kamal) and the New Egypt (Husayn Shaddad) is at the picnic that Kamal, Husayn Shaddad and his two sisters Aida and Budur or Budor – is when the three siblings (Husayn Shaddad, Aida, and Budur or Budor) consume both ham (pork) and also drink beer. This is quite a spectacle to behold for Kamal, because such an ordeal is quite a shock to his upbringing. This to me shows the changing tides of Egypt.

However Yasin and Kamal show profound change throughout the book much like al-Sayyid Ahmad and Amina also. Kamal begins to wean away from the traditional past of Egypt. He had written an article about Darwin in a newspaper that has befallen into his father’s hands – needless to say his father was outraged but there is little his father can truly do about it. Yasin moves out of the house into his mother’s old house in Palace of Desire Alley. There his second marriage falls apart. The entire novel is a family split up, and torn. Torn between grief, between their own paths chosen, and the changing political climate in Egypt and also age.

Aisha and Khadiga don’t appear so much in this novel. However they have given birth to their own families. Though the presence of these families is background mostly. However sensing that it may be of importance in the next novel I’ve decided to give a list of Aisha’s and Khadiga’s children.

Aisha:

- Na’ima
- Uthma
- Muhammed

Khadiga:

- Abd al-Muni’m
- Ahamad

Also not to mention that Yasin has a son from his first marriage, Ridwan who is al-Sayyid Ahmad favorite.

Other than that, and the dark night of the soul that Kamal experiences, with the marriage of his love interest that causes him great pains, and his friend Husayn Shaddad’s departure from Egypt he has decided to experience the liberating taste of alcohol, and also women. Secretly indulging in the secret life that his father and his brother also indulge themselves in. However Kamal also remains quite philosophical and soul searching throughout the book. However it is sad, to see the once glowing humorous child grow into such a man.

The last of what can be said about Kamal is the following:

“He would say goodbye to the past with its deceitful dreams, false hopes, and profound pains.”
Finally my favourite quote of the book comes from Kamal himself.

“Be care not to mock youthful dreams, for that’s a symptom of senility. People affected by this disease term there sarcasm wisedom.”

Well Gentle Reader so ends, the review of “Palace of Desire,” by Naguib Mahfouz. It certainly does feel like it has taken me a long time read. It will be a while before I delve into the last book of the trilogy. I also do find personally that once I have found an author that enjoy so much I over read them, and get a bit tired of them. It will be a while before Naguib Mahfouz’s trilogy is finished up, but it will be for sure. Maybe in it, Kamal will answer his own question proposed:

“When will man grow up and depend on himself?”

Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader
Take Care
And As Always
Stay Well Read
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M. Mary