The Concept of Soft Misogyny in Ihsan Abdel Quddous’s Novel “The Black Glasses

Document Type : research article

Authors

Sahar Dehghani ¹

Hossein Shamsabadi ²

Sayyed Mehdi Nouri Keyzoghani ²

Abbas Ganjali ²

¹ Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran

² Associate Professor, Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/jallv16.i42407-1441

Abstract

Misogyny is a belief or attitude rooted in deep social, cultural, and historical biases against women. Across history, it has been sustained through various forms of discrimination, violence, and subjugation, influencing not only social life but also cultural production, literature, and even legal and economic structures. As a form of inequality, misogyny requires careful analysis to clarify its social and cultural dimensions. Given the novel’s capacity to reflect social realities, fiction provides a suitable context for examining misogyny and its effects on attitudes and behaviors. One work particularly apt for such an inquiry is Ihsan Abdel Quddous’s The Black Glasses, which is set in traditional Egyptian society and offers a nuanced portrayal of women’s status and the ways characters and society perceive women. This study aims to analyze the effects of misogyny on culture, society, and human relations, and to elucidate the formation of related attitudes and behaviors. Using a descriptive–analytical method, the authors examine the selected novel to identify and analyze manifestations of soft misogyny. The findings indicate that Abdel Quddous employs elements of soft misogyny to depict behaviors harmful to women and, by creating psychological and social tensions, presents a realistic portrait of women’s situation in Egyptian society—women subjected to male dominance and constrained by cultural and social limitations.

Keywords

Novel

Ihsan Abdel Quddous

Woman

Misogyny

The Black Glasses

Subjects

• Literary Criticism

---

References

Abdanan Mahdizadeh, M., Dadkhah Tehrani, H., & Hashemi, N. (2024). "The Working Woman in the Novels of Khawla Hamdi (Ahlam al-Shabab, Diary of a Muslim Girl, An Tabqa, Yasmin al-Awda as Models)" Arabic Language and Literature, 16(36), 74–95. [In Arabic]. doi: 10.22067/jallv16.i1.2401-1369

Abdul-Qudous, I. (n.d). The Black Spectacles, Cairo: Dar Al-Hilal. [In Arabic[.

Al-Bazghi, S. )1989(. The Literary Critic’s Guide, without the place: Dar Al-Kutub. [In Arabic[.

Du Beauvoir, S. )2011(. The Second Sex, vol. 2, translated by Qasim Sanavi, Second edition, Tehran: Tos. ]In Persian[.

Fatahi, H. (2013). Examining the image of women in Najib Mahfouz's novels. Arak University. Master's thesis. ]In Persian[.

Hosseini, M.) 2017(. Roots of misogyny in classical Persian literature, Fourth edition, Tehran: Cheshme. ]In Persian[.

Ishaqian, J. )2009(. A comment on the postmodern wanderings of Shahrazad, Second edition, Tehran: Golazin. ]In Persian[.

Johnson, A.G. )2005(. The Gender Knot: Unraveling Our Patriarchal Legacy. Second edition. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

Kavianpour, T. (2007). "Woman-centered literature in Persian literature", Chista, No. 236 and 237, 470-486. ]In Persian[.

Khalifa, S. )1992(. Memoirs of an Unrealistic Woman, second edition, Beirut: Dar Al-Adab. [In Arabic[.

Kolentay, A. Engels, F. Zaktin, C. Reed, O. (2002). Women in society. Translated by Asghar Mahdizadegan. Tehran: Negah. ]In Persian[.

M asbouq, S. M., Fathi Mozafari, R., & Mohammadzadeh, J. (2024). "The Echo of Woman in the Poetry of Abu al-Ala al-Ma’arri and Khaghani Shirvani: A Comparative Critical Study." Arabic Language and Literature, 16(36), 1–20. [In Arabic]. Doi: 10.22067/jallv16.i1.54775

Maravene, N. (2019). Investigation and analysis of misogyny and misogyny in prominent works of Persian poetry and prose from the beginning to the 8th century, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, PhD thesis. ]In Persian[.

Maryami, E, Heydarian Shahri, A. (2022). "Representation of the position of women in the traditional society in Miral al-Tahawi's novels; Al-Khaba and Naqrat Al-Dhaba". Arabic Language and Literature, 14(2), 35-50. ]In Persian[ .Doi:10.22067/jallv14.i2.80842

Mohammadi, O, Sadeghi, Z. (2013). "Feminist criticism of the short story "A man in the alley" from the book "Your eyes are my destiny" by Ghada Al-Saman. Arabic language and literature, (8), 85-113. ]In Persian[Doi:10.22067/jall.v5i8.24196

Nikkhah, M. (2021). Analysis of Naqshzan in the Tales of One Thousand and One Nights, Isfahan University, Master's Thesis. ]In Persian[.

Paknahad Jabrouti, M. )2002(. Faradasti and inferiority in language, first edition, Tehran: Gam Nu. ]In Persian[.

Sattari, J. )1996(. The face of women in Iranian culture, second edition, Tehran: Markaz. ]In Persian[.

Shayan Mehr, R. Dehghan, A. Dasht Peyma, N. (2019). A play from the other: examining patriarchy and misogyny with a feminist reading in three plays by Bahram Beyzaei. Performing Arts and Music (Fine Arts), 24(3), 47-58. ]In Persian[.

Yaghi, A. )1972(. Novel Efforts, first edition, without place: Dar Al-Awda. [In Arabic[.

Yazdani, Z. )1998(. Women in Persian poetry. second edition. Tehran: Ferdous. ]In Persian[.