Midaq Alley

In these chapters, Kirsha, Hamida, and Abbas, and others exemplify the theme of Societal Expectations of Love and Sexuality, showcasing how personal desires, social conventions, and familial dynamics shape how different characters approach love and sex.

Salim Alwan’s overactive sex drive, fueled by his habit of eating an aphrodisiac mixture of cooked green wheat with pigeon meat and nutmeg, leads him to fantasize about Hamida and distance himself from his wife, who is unable to fulfill his sexual desires. The concoction reflects the middle-aged man’s attempts to maintain his sexual performance and defy his aging. His fantasies reveal his conflict between maintaining the appearance of propriety as a respected member of society and succumbing to his sexual desires. The rest of the alley’s inability to continue consuming the uplifting meal represents the theme that Class Divisions Hinder Personal Aspirations. Even though the bowl of wheat causes a humorous chain of events, it is a marker of wealth and class that Alwan can consume it daily while the others cannot. It is also a marker of class that Alwan finds his desires unfulfilled, as he does not have a second wife, which is common for members of the upper class.

The parallel between Hamida’s desire for riches and Salim Alwan’s desire for sexual fulfillment underscores the Tension Between Tradition and Modernity. Salim Alwan’s obsession with Hamida is not solely rooted in his genuine affection for her but also in his desire to possess her as a symbol of traditional masculinity. Similarly, Hamida’s desire for wealth represents the tension between her traditional belief in marriage and her longing for personal agency, which for women, is a modern concept in this context. Hamida finds the domestic life of women on Midaq Alley deplorable, and she is not attracted to motherhood. Instead, like Hussain Kirsha, her foster brother, she longs for a modern life. Although Mahfouz does not engage in direct commentary on gender in his novels, there is an ongoing suggestion that through her desire for wealth, Hamida longs to escape the gender oppression of her class, highlighting the theme of Women and Modernity in Egyptian Culture. As she navigates her relationships with Abbas and Salim Alwan, she grapples with the conflicting desires for financial security and emotional fulfillment.

Kirsha’s enjoyment of his sexual encounters with young men conflicts with his family life. Mrs. Kirsha’s concern for her family’s reputation and her determination to protect her household’s morality drive her to address her husband’s “immoral” behavior. However, Kirsha is not concerned with his reputation and chooses his personal satisfaction over what is seen as an honorable image by Egyptian society of that time. The clash between Mrs. Kirsha’s attempts to uphold traditional family values and her husband’s hidden desires leads to a domestic conflict that exposes the fragility of familial harmony when personal secrets are unveiled. Kirsha cannot live as an openly gay man; thus, his compromise with society is to perform his duty for the household while engaging in what is called his “vice” as a secondary activity. As a result, the family unit becomes a battleground for navigating individual desires and societal norms.

Abbas’s love for Hamida serves as a catalyst for change, motivating him to pursue a better life outside the alley through military service. Hamida’s initial uncertainty about his viability as a partner reflects her awareness of the limited opportunities within the alley and her consideration of practical aspects of relationships. Both she and Kirsha make choices that are modern in the sense that they prioritize their personal desires even when they conflict with tradition. No one expects Hamida, a young woman from a lower socio-economic background, to aspire to wealth, but she does not conform to others’ expectations. The community exerts collective pressure on both her and Kirsha, and both individuals suffer for their lack of conformity. Their struggles exemplify the theme of The Desire for Independence in a personal if not political sense. However, their desire to break with tradition and envision new lives for themselves parallels Egypt’s struggle as an emerging nation to determine its own future.

The theme of collective pressures is also exemplified by Hussain Kirsha’s decision to break away from the alley. Inspired by Abbas’s departure and fueled by his frustration with the alley’s limitations, Hussain seeks a more modern and comfortable life. His confrontations with his parents and his eventual departure illustrate how personal ambitions and the pursuit of individual desires can challenge the established norms of family and community.