The Romantic Tendency in Suleiman Sheftar’s Novel the Wall of Deprivation

Abstract

Abstract:

The Romantic tendency in the Arabic novel emerged from the influence of Western philosophical and literary doctrines in the early twentieth century, spreading from poetry to narrative fiction. Methodologically, analyzing this tendency requires examining its manifestation in the artistic novel, which relies on literary theory. The Libyan novel generally adheres to the overarching values of the Arabic novel, particularly in adopting a Romantic structure centered on the self and its predicaments.

This study examines this configuration, starting with the title as a textual threshold that evokes an immediate impression of romance characterized by emotional deprivation, prohibition, and rejection. Syntactically, the title aligns with the narrative content, where the duality of the "wall" and "deprivation" transcends emotional limits to encompass political and social dimensions. A key Romantic manifestation in the novel is the preoccupation with the self, revolving around the narrator, Mohsen, and his emotional crises with female archetypes whose emotions are governed by social patterns. Furthermore, the female perspective reveals a crisis rooted in the desire to connect with the intellectual and his paradigms, attempting to transcend local material constraints. Finally, nature represents a major Romantic component, reflecting the characters' psychological states—oscillating between ecstasy and distress—with the night and the sea serving as the most prominent manifestations blended with these emotional moments.