TWO NOVELS AS TWO HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS (“AVE MARIA” BY SINAN ANTOON AND “FRANKENSTEIN IN BAGHDAD” BY AHMED SAADAWI)

Abstract

The article analyzes two landmark works of contemporary Arabic literature, which were nominated for ‘Arabic Booker’, the most prestigious novel prize in the Arab world. These novels are “Ave Maria” by Sinan Antoon (short listed in 2013) and his compatriot Ahmed Saadawi’s work “Frankenstein in Baghdad” (Arabic Booker, 2014). Both works offer literary images of the time, essentially being documents of the historic period written as pieces of fictional prose. They touch upon what happened during the grave crises (2005, 2010) of Iraq’s history following the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime. The authors provide a factographic record of the havoc wreaked in the country, endless terrorist attacks and deaths, the exodus of Christian population as a result of toughening living conditions among the Muslim majority and escalating confrontations between religions. This is an accusation in complete helplessness against the Iraqi authorities and in permissiveness and disrespect for Iraq’s national interests against the American occupation army.