شخصيّة المرأة في روايات غازي القصيبي "رواية سلمى" أنموذجاً

Women's Characterization in the Novels of Ghazi Al-Qusaibi: A Case Study of Salma

Abstract

Abstract

This study examines the portrayal of women in Salma, a novel by the Saudi writer Ghazi Abdul Rahman Al-Qusaibi, considering woman as a fundamental pillar in the construction of human societies and a central element in contemporary Arabic narrative fiction. The study begins with a brief definition of the Arabic novel as a narrative prose genre addressing diverse social, political, religious, and national issues, before surveying the status of women in Arab and Islamic society and their representation in Arabic literature and the Arabic novel in general. It then offers a concise biographical account of Ghazi Al-Qusaibi's life and literary career.

The core of the research focuses on the image and characterization of women in Al-Qusaibi's novels, taking Salma as a case study. Multiple textual examples were drawn from the novel and subjected to a descriptive-analytical critical reading that uncovers the social, psychological, and cultural dimensions through which the author constructs female characters, as well as the extent to which the lived reality of Saudi and Arab women is reflected in this fictional character, and the author's stance—oscillating between realistic portrayal and an implicit defense of women's status. The study concludes by demonstrating the pivotal role played by the character of Salma in articulating women's issues and concerns within the social fabric depicted in the novel, and by revealing the key features of the artistic vision Al-Qusaibi employed in shaping this character.