Chicago Ali al-Aswaniego, czyli zamysł komparatystyczny w najnowszej literaturze arabskiej

Abstract

The works of Egyptian writer Ali al-Aswani born in 1957 have attracted the attention of researchers and readers from all over the world. His two novels: The Yacoubian Building (2002) an d Chicago (2007) have become bestsellers not only in the Arab countries, and due to a number of different translations have won admirers in West­ ern countries, including Poland. Al-Aswani explores the nature of individual and col­ lective identities, economic and moralinjustice in the contemporary Egyptian society, sexual taboo related to the Islamic values, as well as complicated relations between the Arab and Western cultures an d affiliations. The importance of Al-Aswani as a comparatist writer’ is underlined in the novel Chi­ cago which is based on contrasting dramatic histories of Egyptian students and young researchers living abroad with the bitter assessment of the contemporary American society.