ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the works of four authors, all united in their use of metaphors to challenge and rethink patriarchal discourse. In Sea-wafted Women, Omima al-Khamis creates a fictional battlefield between the nymphs and queens – beautiful women versus successful women, locals versus those from the Levant, prompting readers to rethink patriarchal discourse that places high value on women’s physical desirability. Qmasha al-Olayyan uses the ‘ugly plot’ to subtly question gender roles of marriage and motherhood, inspiring readers to consider the fate of women who step outside the marriage institution. In Hend and the Soldiers, by Badriya al-Beshir, Hend is surrounded throughout the narrative by what feels like policemen, or soldiers (‘Askar) – a loaded term suggesting she is closely monitored by male family members, creating a microcosm of life in a police state. Finally, in The Cloak, Maha al-Jahni opts to document the lives of victimized and underprivileged women – widows, single mothers and oppressed or despairing wives. In times of desperation, these women seek the help of Fetha, an experienced and wise woman and a mediator between them and an anonymous sorceress. Thus, The Cloak transforms the ‘abaya into a symbol of feminist fantasy, empowerment and sisterhood.
