LITERATURE AND NATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

peter clarkPerhaps not, but they all represent different aspects of a common MiddleEastern experience and narrative. And I think they do reflect other culturaldevelopments in the Middle East.The experience of many people from the Middle East in the twentieth centurywas one of dramatic change, of upheaval, dislocation, exile.I have referred to the fact that most Middle Eastern states are creations of thetwentieth century, and from the early part of the century had to assert their ownlegitimacy, in repudiation of either long Ottoman centuries or the overwhelminginternational, economic and technical power of the British and Frenchempires. The infancy of the new states coincided with developments in effectivetechniques of state control and of propaganda. Within most Middle East statesfreedom of expression is often severely curtailed. There are of course nuancesfrom state to state, and the situation is neither monolithic nor unchanging. Butimprisonment, unemployment or exile have been common experiences for mostwriters in the Arab world. Some writers have found hospitality in other Arabcountries: Jabra Ibrahim Jabra in Iraq, ÆAbd al-Rahman Munif in Syria. NizarQabbani and Adonis were for many years based in Lebanon. Very fewPalestinian writers have avoided imprisonment, expulsion or exile.Physical and cultural dislocation has been a fact of life and not just forwriters. Among the thousands who have been educated outside the Middle Eastmany have taken spouses from abroad. Their offspring composes a generationthat is growing up belonging to more than one culture. Multiculturalism is not amatter of public policy, but of personal experience, an experience that isconstantly being reinforced by the information revolution. The assumptions ofnationalism – the convergence of state, territory, people and language – thatnourished mainstream literature have broken down. But the aspects of a MiddleEastern cosmopolitanism of a century ago have reasserted themselves in thesemarginal literatures. It is these literatures that touch on universal themes ofchange, identity, dislocation and adjustment. The marginal should be mainstreamand the mainstream should be marginalised.appendixGetting to Know a Friendly American Jew: ConversationTell me, you’re from Israel?Yes, I’m from there.Oh, and where in Israel do you live?Jerusalem. For the last few years I’ve lived there.Oh, Jerusalem is such a beautiful city.Yes, of course, a beautiful city.— 188 —www.taq.ir