Новинки Наваль Эль Саадави

Аповесць «Жанчына на нулявым пункце» егіпецкай пісьменніцы, абаронцы правоў жанчын, доктаркі Наваль Саадаві была выдадзена ў 1975 годзе. За адкрытыя выказванні супраць дамашняга гвалту і дзікунскіх звычаяў — у прыватнасці, жаночага абразання, ахвярай якога і сама стала ў дзяцінстве, а таксама за крытыку ўрада і прэзідэнта яна перажыла пазбаўленне волі і пераслед з боку ўлад і ісламістаў. Егіпецкія выдаўцы у свой час адмовіліся друкаваць кнігу, таму ўпершыню яна выйшла ў свет у Ліване. Пасля яна была апублікаваная на дваццаці дзвюх мовах, а цяпер і па-беларуску. Сюжэт твора заснаваны на аповедах зняволенай, з якой Наваль Саадаві як…

Nawal El Saadawi’s highly acclaimed feminist novel, Woman at Point Zero, follows the life of Firdaus, an Egyptian peasant girl, from her childhood of incomprehensible cruelty and neglect to her end in a grimy Cairo prison cell. From her earliest memories, Firdaus suffered at the hands of men—first her abusive father, then her violent, much older husband, to finally her deceitful boyfriend-turned-pimp. After a lifetime of abuse, she at last takes drastic action against the males ruling her life. Still as beautiful and cutting as it was when it was first published, this new edition will continue to resonate powerfully with readers for years to come.

'All the men I did get to know, every single man of them, has filled me with but one desire: to lift my hand and bring it smashing down on his face. But because I am a woman I have never had the courage to lift my hand. And because I am a prostitute, I hid my fear under layers of make-up'.

So begins Firdaus' story, leading to her grimy Cairo prison cell, where she welcomes her death sentence as a relief from her pain and suffering. Born to a peasant family in the Egyptian countryside, Firdaus suffers a childhood of cruelty and neglect. Her passion for education is ignored by her family, and on leaving school she is forced to marry a much older man. Following her escapes from violent relationships, she finally meets Sharifa who tells her that 'A man does not know a woman's value the higher you price yourself the more he will realise what you are really worth' and leads her into a life of prostitution. Desperate and alone, she takes drastic action.

Saadawi's searing indictment of society's brutal treatment of women continues to resonate today. This classic novel has been an inspiration to countless people across the world.

Nawal El Saadawi