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The Beggar by Naguib Mahfouz

            A Political Satire by Naguib Mahfouz.
             Naguib Mahfouz wrote The Beggar in a time in Egypt when books or stories of a political nature were put under extreme censorship. Writers of that time had to carefully get their points across and not to put visible slants on government. In The Beggar, Mahfouz expresses his disdain with the current political situation in Egypt by using his characters as symbols of the past, present, and political views of his country. .
             Omar al-Hamzawi's daughter Buthayna is one of the female protagonists in this story who symbolizes Egypt post the 1952 revolution. She is like Egypt, youthful and optimistic but nave and ill-experienced. She is at a point in her life where the decision of poetry vs. science will determine how she develops and where she will go in life. Quite similar to the situation Egypt is facing after the revolt and establishment of a new government. Egypt was and is a country mired in fundamentalism and traditionalism. Should Buthayna be radical or should she accept what Egyptian society has already set forth for her? These were the problems confronting her. So it is easy to see where the comparison of Buthayna to Egypt post revolution comes from.
             Zeinab is the wife of Omar and mother of Buthayna. More so she is the epitome of the societal political movement in Egypt. She came from a different background and culture but was willing to throw all of that away because of her belief and love of Omar even if it meant cutting herself off from her family. This can be interpreted as Egyptian society believing in the revolution and accepting the fact that there is no going back after this because there will be nothing to go back to. It is Zeinab's conviction to Omar that the comparison between radical change in society and life can be made.
             Othman Khalil is the righteousness of the story. He was what the political movement was all about. It would be safe to say that he was and is a militant, who spent many years in prison for a political bombing in which Omar and Mustapha also were part of.


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2. Setting in Midaq Alley by Naquib Mahfouz

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3. Akhenaten

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5. Palace Walk

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