Remembering literary legend Yussef Idris

CAIRO – 2 August 2017: Legendary works of renowned Egyptian writer Yussef Idris remains alive following his 26th death anniversary on Tuesday. Egypt Today remembers the great achievements and contributions of the author to Egyptian culture.

Born in 1927, Idris was said to belong to the same sphere of legendary Arabic and Egyptian writers including Nagiub Mahfouz and Tawfik El-Hakim. Called the “Father of Arabic Short Stories”, Idris had taken a different path before pursuing his literary career, as he first studied and practiced medicine, according to an article by American University in Cairo Press.

Idris developed a great interest in politics, which was reflected in his fictional writings and columns in Egyptian newspapers.

Despite being nominated for a Nobel Prize for Literature several times, Idris’ chances for winning were minimal, as the award was given to Naguib Mahfouz due to Idris’ honest views about Israel.

He had written twelve collections of short stories that were translated to English and revolved around struggling poor villagers. The Egyptian playwright and novelist was well known for portraying a special blend of classic Arabic narration and informal language throughout his novels.

His first collection of stories was “Arkhas Layali” (The Cheapest Nights), which was followed by “A Lays Kazalek” (Isn’t That So) and the three-essay-format series called “Towards a New Arabic Theater” that features aspects of traditional folk drama and shadow theater, according to an article by Britannica Encyclopedia.

With his career path as a theater playwright, Idris also composed “Al Lahzat Al Harija” (Critical Moments), “Al Farafir”, and “Al Mokatatin” (The Striped Ones). His novels also include “Al Haram” (The Forbidden), “Al Eib” (The Sin), “In the Eye of the Beholder: Tales of Egyptian Life”, and “Rings of Burnished Brass”.

Looked at as a leftist, Idris was an advocate of former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, but was later imprisoned for his opposing views about the late president in 1954. This was the second imprisonment, following the time he was arrested for his work against King Farouk’s regime at a time when Idris was studying medicine.
Idris will never be forgotten, not only because of his contribution to Egyptian literature, but also for setting the foundations of a modern Egyptian theater based on tradition and folklore.